Poo Poo Point via Chirico Trail

The most traveled trail on Tiger Mountain and one of the most traveled in the region, the Chirico Trail delivers a workout, a view, and a mental break from day-to-day life -- all just a few minutes outside of downtown Issaquah. From the parking lot on Issaquah-Hobart Road, watch paragliders land in the adjacent field; you will be hiking to where they took flight, at Poo-Poo Point just 1750 feet above. Weekends on the Chirico can be quite crowded -- from families with children of all ages to dogs both obeying and eschewing the leash laws. You'll see trail runners sprinting downhill and mountaineers-in-training lugging heavy packs up and down the mountain multiple times. You will find all walks of life enjoying this trail -- so if it's solitude you want, pick a weekday instead. But what's great about the Chirico is it can sort of be what you make it: doable for beginners, but still challenging for seasoned trail runners.

People continue to use this trail throughout the winter as an alternative to some of the more avalanche-prone hikes along the I-90 corridor (poles and spikes are recommended when there's snow on the ground). It is used for races, fundraisers, and school events. Note that the terrain of the Chirico Trail isn't treacherous but it's not suited for wheelchairs or strollers, and a decent pair of shoes will make for a safer walk. Parts of the trail are rocky and staircase-steep, but it's all very easy to follow and well-maintained, with little need for navigation skills. For an average hiker on an average day, with a little time spent up at Poo-Poo Point soaking in the views, two hours should suffice. The parking lot can fill up quickly, so go early if you can. Speaking of filling up, there are a couple little streams but no reliable water source, so bring your own. The Chirico is the only trailhead on this west end of Tiger Mountain State Park but it connects to the entire Tiger Mountain trail system, and is arguably THE quintessential Issaquah Alps hike -- practically mandatory for anyone who owns a pair of hiking shoes and lives in Western Washington!

Just a short drive out of downtown Issaquah you'll find a field and a parking lot, a couple of picnic tables, and the multicolored ballooning chutes of paragliders landing. This is where your hike on the Chirico Trail begins. Cross the field to the trailhead, which is clearly and artistically signed with an arch, a couple of benches, some flags, a wooden carving of a bear, and some beautiful metalwork for a winged crest along with the words Chirico Trail. Crossing a small wooden bridge and walking a hundred yards or so will land you at what used to be the old trailhead before it was rerouted. Duck into the shade of the lush mossy woods, surrounding yourself with ancient Douglas firs and an amazing amount of ferns.

The trail here is uneven, rooty, rocky, but safe as long as you pay attention to your steps. Recent rain adds slickness to the rocks, and there's no shame in bringing poles on what some consider an easy hike if you're new to trails or just not very confident in your footwork. Less than a quarter mile in, the rocky trail turns into what is basically a stone staircase comprised of stair-sized slabs taking you up a few hundred feet in elevation, where after a switchback, the trail returns to more of a dirt-root-gravel-rock mix.

The Chirico Trail is not short on benches and rest stops; the first bench is about a mile in and many folks use it for a quick shoe-tie, snack, or rest for the kids or dogs. Pushing on ahead, the forest gets airier and more open, but still exudes the most unbelievably vibrant green. A couple of nice flat stretches break up the second mile, then a nice gradual final push to the first (south) viewpoint, which is a large field home to paragliders, picnics, school trips, and the occasional yoga class. Rainier is front and center as the foothills roll away to the south, and if the wind patterns allow paragliders to launch from this side, it's worth staying to watch and capture some action photos.

The Chirico keeps going across that field and back into the woods for a final (and often a bit muddy) few minutes of hiking, at which time you pop out of the woods to the main launchpad, another bench, and a picnic table, which is the highest point of the Chirico Trail. The panorama stretches from Lake Sammamish to Bellevue to downtown Seattle and the Sound. On a weekend day you could easily pass over a hundred other folks on the trail, and both this (north) and the other (south) viewpoint can host dozens of people relaxing and taking in the views--which on a clear day are nothing short of stunning. Whether you are a runner looking to train on hills or a family with small children just wanting to see some birds and plants, if you like forests and views and don't mind crowds, the Chirico might become part of your routine the way it has for so many northwesterners.