Hike & Bike: Exploring Grand Ridge and Duthie Hill in Issaquah

Looking for more hikes in the greater Seattle area?
Weowna Park in Bellevue and Coal Creek Falls at Cougar Mountain are both great options. Echo Peak in Renton or Moss Lake near Carnation are also fun parks to explore.

WE HIKED IT

August, 2021, almost 3 hours hiking five miles in Grand Ridge Park, followed by another hour of biking for the kids in Duthie Hill Park

CURRENT INFO

The King County website has information for both Grand Ridge Park and Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park. Find trail reviews for Grand Ridge Park on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website. Information about hiking in Grand Ridge Park is also included in the book Urban Trails: Eastside by Craig Romano.

SPECIAL NOTE

For this post, I wrote about our experiences at Grand Ridge Park and Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park individually. To skip directly to our experience for Grand Ridge, click here. To skip to our experience at Duthie Hill, click here.

GOOD TO KNOW

• It’s free to park at both Grand Ridge Park and Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park.
• On our visit, we first parked at the Duthie Hill Southwest parking lot. From here, you can bike north into Duthie Hill, or head south into Grand Ridge. To reach either park, follow the gravel trail that heads east from the parking lot. About a half mile from the parking lot, you’ll reach a junction with a crosswalk. For Grand Ridge, turn right and cross at the crosswalk to enter the park. For Duthie Hill, turn left and follow the access trail into the park.
• A second smaller parking lot is located at the north end of Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park. We parked here to bike at Duthie Hill, as this parking lot is closer to Duthie Hill’s central hub. Parking lots can be crowded on weekends, and some parking is also allowed along Issaquah-Fall City Road.
• Port-a-potties, picnic tables, and garbage bins are available at the Duthie Hill southwest parking lot, just below the north parking lot, and at the central hub in the park.
• Pets are allowed on the trail on leash at both Grand Ridge and Duthie Hill.
• A large trail map for Grand Ridge is posted at the trailhead, while trail maps for Duthie Hill are posted at both the southwest parking lot and the central hub. Take a photo so you can refer to the map while on the trail.
• As you would expect from the name, Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park was made for biking. Hikers are allowed on the perimeter trails, but honestly, Grand Ridge is the better option.
• While the trails at Grand Ridge are multi-use, you won’t encounter as many bikers here. On our visit, we met around half a dozen in Grand Ridge, and all were courteous. We did not encounter any horses.
• Please note that at Grand Ridge, bikers must yield to hikers, while both bikers and hikers must yield to horses.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

Grand Ridge Park offers an extensive network of trails through beautiful second-growth forest. There are no big “destinations” in the park, but the 600-foot Mike O. Puncheon boardwalk at the north end is definitely a highlight. Mostly, Grand Ridge is about getting out into nature without having to leave the city far behind. This, of course, is exactly what makes urban parks like these so important. The trails are a wonderful respite from the daily grind, whether you choose to hike, bike, or visit on horseback. Duthie Hill provides the same opportunity for mountain bikers, and a great space for bikers of all ages to build their skills.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

The kids were eager to bike, so weren’t exactly thrilled that we opted to hike first. Since our hike didn’t have a major destination — we chose the WTA Bridge as our turnaround point — they were eager for it be done so we could move on to the real fun. Once we reached the bridge, their spirits lifted, and they actually enjoyed the return hike. Of course, nothing beat mountain biking! The boys focused their time on Duthie Hill’s central hub, where riders of all levels are welcome. Even the five-year-old got in on the action! Needless to say, they can hardly wait to return.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Our visit to Grand Ridge and Duthie Hill provided just a taste of what these parks have to offer. Experienced mountain bikers will definitely want to spend more time exploring the labyrinth of trails at Duthie Hill, and can enjoy an extended ride through Grand Ridge. Hikers should focus on Grand Ridge. While the Grand Ridge trails are multi-use, they don’t see nearly as many bikers as the mountain bike haven of Duthie Hill. With more time, choose a longer route, or try a different trail at the south end of the park.

Looking for more hikes nearby? Head to Weowna Park in Bellevue or to Cougar Mountain where we enjoyed a hike to Coal Creek Falls.

Has all this hiking and biking led you to work up an appetite? Drive ten minutes south to Triple XXX Root Beer for a nostalgic fast food diner experience. You may think the prices are high, but just wait until you see the portions — to call them “large” would be an understatement! This is no place for dieters, but it’s a fun stop if you’re not looking for health food. Pro tip: split a meal if you can. One burger or sandwich with fries is easily enough for two (or more).

When planning a nearby hike for Sunday afternoon, my friend suggested checking out Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park afterwards. Our older boys were both eager to take their bikes on the trail. Looking to see what hiking options would be nearby, I stumbled across Grand Ridge Park. As is turns out, the Duthie Hill southwest parking lot is also the access point for the northern trailhead for Grand Ridge. Perfect!

We arrived around 2pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon to find the Duthie Hill parking lot full. A number of cars were already parked along SE Issaquah-Fall City Road and SE Duthie Road, but with a little patience, we managed to score a spot in the lot. From here, we followed the gravel trail heading east alongside SE Issaquah-Fall City Road. Mountain bikers also use this trail to connect with the access road leading to Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park.

After about half a mile, we reached a crosswalk. We crossed the road and found ourselves at the Grand Ridge Park trailhead, where a map and other helpful information was posted. After perusing the map, we decided to hike to the first bridge after the boardwalk, the WTA Bridge. It was hard to tell exactly how far that was, but I guessed roughly three miles round trip. Mind you, this was merely a guess.

From the trailhead, the trail descends through the woods before reaching a beautiful boardwalk that winds for 600 feet through the forest. It’s a delight for kids and adults alike, and includes several pull-outs with benches and even a hitching post for horses. Spoiler alert: we did not encounter any horseback riders on our hike. In fact, we encountered very few people, perhaps a half dozen or so on bikes, and a handful of others on foot.

The kids raced on ahead, and it was some time before we caught up to them. Fortunately, in this section of Grand Ridge, there is only one trail, so there was no fear that they might take a wrong turn. Past the boardwalk, the dirt trail was well-kept and lightly pebbly, but free of any major obstacles. Still, the kids were wondering just how long this hike was, and when could we turn around? Hadn’t we already passed the bridge?

Being the youngest, five-year-old T started to lag behind as the other boys once again raced ahead. It seemed a snack break was in order. Sure enough, after powering up with dried blueberries, T was once again on the move.

Due to popular demand, we also checked our location on Google maps (yes, you’re not far from civilization at Grand Ridge, and there is cell service). One third of a mile still to go! The hike was in fact a little longer than we anticipated. My friend estimated that we would reach the bridge after about 2.5 miles of hiking, making for a 5-mile total trip. The boys, meanwhile, still weren’t convinced that we hadn’t somehow already passed the bridge.

When we finally reached the WTA Bridge, there was no mistaking it. This was clearly a bridge, and it even had its own sign: “The WTA Bridge 2010”. The boys enjoyed tossing a few pebbles off the side, and we all took a snack break alongside the trail.

On the way back, the boys were in high spirits. We stuck together this time, forming a line of four adults, three children, and one dog. The trail here is easy, with a few short hilly stretches, but nothing daunting (please note, however, that it is not an accessible trail). It was a beautiful afternoon, with sunbeams illuminating the greenery around us, making the maple leaves glow.

As we headed back north, we crossed paths with two other hikers heading south, who informed us they’d seen a black bear near the boardwalk. Wow! That got the boys’ attention. Would we be so lucky? I figured we were too noisy a group for the bear to stick around. Whether or not that was true, by the time we reached boardwalk the bear was nowhere to be seen.

The final section of the Grand Ridge trail led back uphill toward the road, and we were soon on the gravel path leading back to the parking lot. Satisfied with our lovely walk through the woods, we prepared for part two of our adventure — mountain biking for the kids at Duthie Hill Park!

First off, let me be clear: we are not mountain bikers. We don’t even own mountain bikes, although our hybrid bikes can handle some of the easier mountain bike terrain. In other words, if you are looking for a serious review of the Duthie Park trails, you won’t find it here. But if you are thinking of taking your kids here or trying out a few easy trails yourself, then this will give you a good idea of what to expect.

On this visit, the adults opted not to ride. Lazy? Maybe, but we had just hiked five miles and enjoyed the chance to visit and check out the scene on foot while the kids biked. At Duthie Hill, you must bike in from the parking lot to reach the central hub, which is where much of the action is. We chose to drive to the parking lot at the north end of the park, as it’s much closer to the central hub than the southwest lot. While this parking lot is smaller, at around 6pm on a Sunday evening it wasn’t at all crowded. I imagine it was packed earlier in the day.

The two oldest boys quickly took off down the trail. We adults were preoccupied with deciding what to do for dinner, but eventually made our way down the trail as well. There, in the woods below the parking lot, we discovered a lovely, flat boardwalk. Beyond the boardwalk, the trail was somewhat hilly with a few sharp turns, but overall fairly gentle. Five-year-old T raced back and forth on his tiny bike. He was having a grand time!

In about half a mile, we reached the central hub. As we drew nearer, we passed a few other trails and ramps in the woods. The routes here aren’t well labeled, but fortunately all trails lead to the central hub, so it’s hard to get lost. We walked out into a large clearing with a small shelter in the center. The older boys were taking a break off to the side after enjoying some rough riding (and a spill or two) over the hills.

Of course, it wasn’t long before they were back on their bikes. This time, five-year-old T also got in on the action. It was a little alarming watching him cut across the main bike path as other bikers came whizzing over the step-down jumps. Stay to the side, T! Luckily, it wasn’t crowded. I gave T some advice to correct his route and he was off again in a flash.

The central hub at Duthie Hill Park is well equipped for riders. It’s open and spacious, with plenty of room for riders to mill about, or to sit down for a break. A bike stand with tools allows for quick repairs, port-a-potties are located nearby, and a large map provides detailed trail information, including difficulty level. The trails here run the gamut from easy to challenging.

As the evening wore on, we decided it was time to move out — dinner was calling! The boys headed down the access trail on their bikes, pausing to check out some of the daring jumps near the trail. I’m happy to say that they agreed the jump below was a bit beyond their level of experience…

In the end, the boys rated Duthie Hill a 4 (or maybe a 4.5) stars out of 5, and were already asking when we can come back. I’m sure we will return, and who knows? Now that I’m familiar with a few of the basic trails, I may even go for a ride myself!