North End Hikes and Walks with Dogs – SPOOKY SEASON HIKE – Coal Creek Trail, Newcastle, WA

Where a lot of ghost towns require you get to get off the beaten path, Coal Creek earns a spot on this list for its easy access and easy trails suitable for most ages. The trailhead is located off of Exit 10 on I-405 near the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.
This is a mostly flat hike for the first half, and then transitions down to a lower trail that is a little more rugged.

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/coal-creek

This is about 6 miles RT (you can turn around at the halfway point and return to car, otherwise you need to stick with the group the entire way).
No Passes or Permits required (Bellevue city park)
Dogs allowed on leash.
Proper footwear and attire required.
Bring water and snacks

We will start from Red Town Center parking lot on Cougar Mountain.

Getting There
Red Town Trailhead/east side: Take exit 10 off I-405 for Coal Creek Parkway, heading east. Continue for 1.0 mile on Coal Creek Parkway, then turn left onto Forest Drive. Continue for 2.1 miles on Forest Drive, then turn right onto Lakemont Boulevard. Continue on Lakemont Boulevard for 0.5 miles and turn left into the Red Town Trailhead parking lot.

The lot fills up quickly on the weekends; plan to arrive before 9:00 a.m. on a sunny weekend day. There are two porta potties near the information kiosk and space for roughly 40 cars. Please be cautious when crossing Lakemont Boulevard to access Coal Creek Trail; there isn’t a pedestrian crosswalk connecting the parking lot to the start of the trail.