SAMMAMISH

Sandwiched between the Redmond and Issaquah plateaus, Sammamish is one of the newest neighborhoods in western Washington. Sammamish officially became a city on August 30, 1999 and lies on about 13,000 acres of land. The area was formerly a part of both Redmond and Issaquah, but the name originally comes from a branch of the Duwamish Indian tribe who lived in this area. Sammamish broke apart from its neighbors to become its own incorporated city and is slowly developing a character all its own. Small forests and rolling hills surround long, beautiful Lake Sammamish, which was formed by ancient glaciers cutting through this terrain. The lake now connects the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah and Sammamish. Still a part of the Lake Washington and Issaquah school districts, Sammamish shares much of its personality with Redmond, Issaquah and Bellevue. The hill that makes up Sammamish rises from East Lake Sammamish Parkway up to Redmond-Fall City Road. Sammamish enjoys being called a `family friendly, kids safe community’ and has made that the city’s motto. Sammamish is mostly a family-oriented neighborhood mixed with single professionals primarily working in the field of technology. Microsoft’s Redmond and Issaquah Highlands campus bring many employees to the area, and the suburban lifestyle is appealing for those fed up with city living. A commute to downtown Bellevue takes only a few minutes, while downtown Seattle offices are about 35-45 minutes away during morning traffic. Closer to Issaquah and under development is the East Lake Sammamish Center, which boasts Pacific Northwest’s only Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Lines can stretch down the street when locals gather for their morning fix. This area will soon be home to new retail stores, restaurants, offices and apartment buildings. East Sammamish Park and Pine Lake Park are both beautiful and joggers and bicyclists enjoy the East Lake Sammamish trail that winds along parallel to the lake. On the north side of the lake is Marymoor Park, home to an off-leash area for dogs and expansive walking trails. Twenty minutes away to the east is Snoqualmie Falls, offering another beautiful hike ending in a spectacular view of the 270 ft waterfall.