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Tiger Mountain is a dynamic forest owned and managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Classified as a working forest, this area is host to many different purposes. In addition to timber harvesting to fund public services across the state, this forest also provides crucial habitat for native plants and animals along the I-90 corridor, water and air filtration, and an extensive network of trails for recreation. Revenue from logging goes most notably to fund the construction of K-12 public schools across the state. The main recreation groups—hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders—are all represented here as well.
Because this is a working forest, DNR periodically closes certain trails for logging operations. It is a good idea to become familiar with the trail network and to check for trail closures before getting your heart set on a route. Trails on East Tiger are designated by their allowed user group and have different sets of rules as a result. For mountain bikers, many trails are one-way, while hikers and horseback riders can travel in both directions. Other trails are hiker only, mountain biker only, or off limits to horseback riders. Check the DNR website for a full list of trails and their corresponding users.
At 0.2 mile, the Connector Trail is a short segment that is easily accessible from the Tiger Summit Trailhead. It is a non-directional trail, open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. Begin down this trail immediately after leaving the parking area and delve into the complexity of Tiger Mountain. After no time at all, cross access road 4000 and continue on to where the Connector Trail lives up to its name and sure enough connects to either the Master Link Trail or the NW Timber Trail.
