Lake Sammamish State Park Park

Address: 2698 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy SE, Bellevue, WA 98008

Website: https://parks.state.wa.us/537/Lake-Sammamish

Hours: Daily dawn-dusk (typical state park day-use hours)

Admission: Discover Pass required for parking (WA State Parks): $10/day or $30/year; park entry free otherwise

Lake Sammamish State Park is a Washington state park located on the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish in King County, serving suburban communities east of Seattle. It is a major local park providing lake access, swimming areas and multi-use trails.

Park highlights include a long waterfront day-use area with a designated swimming beach, picnic facilities, a boat launch and shoreline used for paddling and fishing. Several miles of paved and unpaved trails run through the park and connect to regional trail networks.

The park was developed and is managed by Washington State Parks to provide public access to Lake Sammamish and to protect shoreline open space for recreation. Improvements over time have focused on visitor facilities and trail connections.

The park sits on the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish between the cities of Bellevue and Issaquah in King County, adjacent to suburban residential areas and within commuting distance of Seattle.

• Regional recreation hub: The park occupies the eastern shore of Lake Sammamish and serves as a major local recreation area for the Seattle metropolitan region, with large day-use and swimming areas.
• Main activities: Year-round trails and a boat launch make the park popular for walking, cycling, picnicking, swimming and paddle sports, with busiest months in summer.

From Seattle: drive east on I-90 to Exit 13 (Mercer Island/NE 8th). Follow surface streets across or around Mercer Island, then take West Lake Sammamish Pkwy SE south; park entrances are signed. From Bellevue, follow 405 to SE 8th St and head east to West Lake Sammamish Pkwy SE. Transit: King County Metro routes serve nearby Bellevue and Issaquah; last mile requires a bike, rideshare, or a ~1-2 mile walk depending on which lot is used.

• Arrive early on summer weekends to find boat launch slips and picnic spots before they fill.
• Use the North parking lot near the playground to access the swimming beach and paved 5.2-mile trailhead.
• Bring a windbreaker if paddling in the afternoon-breezes off the Cascades pick up fast.
• If biking the paved trail, watch for narrow stretches and pedestrians; lock bikes at the park entrance if exploring the picnic meadows.