Creeks to Peaks: The Issaquah Park Bond Renewal Heads to the Ballot
By Donovan Richards
View of Squak Mountain and Issaquah Valley. Courtesy of IATC Archives.
Issaquah's natural beauty and exceptional access to parks and trails are part of what makes this community so desirable. They are the reason people choose to live in this valley, and the reason they stay. On November 3, voters will decide whether to protect and strengthen that investment for the next generation by renewing the city's Park Bond. The question is simple: what does it take to keep Issaquah a place where people can play, gather, explore, and belong?
This November, the Park Bond Renewal replaces the city's retiring park bonds while maintaining the current tax rate; on a home valued at $1 million, property taxes would remain around $80 per year. If approved, the bond would generate up to $18 million, which, combined with an anticipated $6 million in grants and other funding, provides approximately $24 million for park and trail investments. This is not a new request. Like successful park bonds in 2006 and 2013, the renewal directly reflects community priorities identified in the city's 2024 Park System Plan.
That plan envisions what the city has branded as Issaquah's "Creeks to Peaks" Park System—an interconnected network stretching from the valley's creeks, through neighborhoods, and up to the peaks of the Issaquah Alps. For hikers, trail runners, and outdoor enthusiasts, this vision matters. These investments directly support the mountain access that defines the community.
Courtesy of City of Issaquah.
Trail Network Projects
The bond package prioritizes three key trail improvements:
Cougar Mountain Trail Corridor: New trails would be completed on 33 acres of city-acquired forested open space. This parcel, known as the Bergsma property acquisition, creates crucial connections from the Issaquah valley floor to the Talus neighborhood and King County's Cougar Mountain Regional Park.
Squak Mountain Trail Corridor: A system of new trails would be developed on 37 acres of previously city-acquired land (Kelkari 3 and Weymouth properties). This creates a much-improved public corridor from Old Town into Squak Mountain State Park.
Senator Bill Ramos Memorial Trailhead: The bond would fund much-needed improvements, including better surfacing, a restroom, and additional trailhead amenities. This is the primary gateway from central Issaquah to West Tiger Mountain and Grand Ridge Park.
Squak Mountain Trail Corridor, 2015. Courtesy of IATC Archives.
Cougar Mountain / Bergsma, 2019. Courtesy of IATC Archives.
KC Councilmember Sarah Perry, wife of the late Senator Ramos, revealing the new trailhead, 2025. Courtesy of Tom Anderson
Community Park Projects
Beyond the trail system, the bond funds recreational spaces across the city: renovated multi-use turf fields at Grand Ridge, Issaquah Valley, and Clark elementary schools; restoration of the historic Ek House at Confluence Park; an all-inclusive playground and off-leash dog park at Tibbetts Valley Park; and new pickleball courts at Central Park.
What This Means for the Issaquah Alps
These investments build on years of community stewardship. The bond reflects what residents identified as top priorities through the city's planning process. For members of the IATC community, the improvements to the Senator Bill Ramos trailhead and the new Cougar and Squak Mountain corridors represent direct investment in the trail access that makes these mountains accessible and welcoming to all users.
Group hike from Bill Ramos Memorial Trailhead. Courtesy of Tom Anderson.
A community is only as strong as the places it holds in common: a shared trail, a shared field, a shared bench in the shade. Supporters of the Issaquah Alps, vote YES on the Park Bond Renewal to ensure our trails and parks continue to thrive for the next generation of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Important Information
The Park Bond Renewal will appear on the November 3 ballot. For more details about the bond or the proposed projects, visit issaquahwa.gov/parkbond.