Salmon SEEson at the Park

Pacific salmon – including sockeye, Chinook, coho, pink, and chum – have begun the journey from the open ocean to their birthplaces to spawn in streams and rivers that feed into Puget Sound. Lake Sammamish kokanee, which are landlocked sockeye salmon that spend their entire lives in freshwater, will soon move into streams feeding the lake to spawn. The Salmon SEEson program helps people witness these amazing migrations at locations around King County.

Lake Sammamish State Park has an excellent public viewing area for salmon and wildlife habitat. The outlet from Issaquah Creek feeds into Lake Sammamish at a peninsula in the park. A boardwalk built through wetlands along the creek in 2013 gives access to its mouth. Interpretive panels add to the educational experience. In the fall, this is where several salmon species make their final journey from the lake up the creek to the salmon hatchery and beyond.

The best viewing locations in the park are from the bridge crossing Issaquah Creek, along the boardwalk through the wetlands, and at the end of the boardwalk where the creek flows into Lake Sammamish. Murky water can limit viewing.

Find additional self-guided viewing locations as well as virtual viewing opportunities on the Salmon SEEson website.