Shangri La

Shangri La drops off the Harvey Manning Trailhead into the quieter eastern slopes of Cougar Mountain, winding through second-growth forest before opening into meadow clearings where wildflowers put on a solid show from late April through June. The standout feature is the Fantastic Erratic, an enormous glacier-deposited boulder that sits in the woods like something left behind by a careless giant. On clear days, the route offers views toward the Olympics and Tiger Mountain that reward the relatively modest effort.

The trail connects naturally with Bear Ridge and West Tibbets Creek, so it works well as one leg of a longer loop if you want to piece together more mileage on the mountain. Most hikers start from the Harvey Manning Trailhead off Lakemont Boulevard, where there is a restroom and reliable parking. The lower section of trail between the Bear Ridge junction and the Talus neighborhood boundary is currently closed due to flood damage, so plan your route accordingly.

This is solid Cougar Mountain fare: forested, shaded, and close enough to the Eastside that you can be on trail within 30 minutes of leaving Bellevue or Issaquah. It stays relatively quiet compared to the Red Town or Anti-Aircraft Peak approaches, which makes it a good pick when you want woods time without a crowd.