09: Neighborhood Spotlight: Trossachs
Trossachs is Sammamish’s answer to newer, larger, more private living, still on the plateau, still in the Issaquah schools. Here’s a full spotlight on the neighborhood and who it’s really for.
Trossachs sits on the eastern edge of the Sammamish Plateau, and it reads differently from Klahanie almost immediately: newer, larger homes, more deliberate planning, and a name borrowed from the Scottish Highlands rather than the local landscape. It’s one of the plateau’s more upscale addresses, and it’s worth understanding on its own terms.
A master-planned community, built later than most
Where Klahanie traces back to 1984, Trossachs came together mostly in the 1990s and 2000s, with some sections continuing to develop into the 2010s. It was planned from the outset as a cohesive, upscale community: integrated parks, extensive greenbelts, and large lots by plateau standards. The Scottish Highland theme shows up in the street names throughout, echoing the same naming convention Bellevue used for its Somerset neighborhood.
According to Census data, Trossachs is home to roughly 6,800 residents. Homes here are almost entirely single-family, typically running 3,000 to over 5,000 square feet, on lots larger than what you’ll find in the central plateau, with architecture ranging from traditional estate styles to contemporary Pacific Northwest design. Several sub-neighborhoods within Trossachs, including Glencoe, Preswick, and Blackstone, represent different size and price tiers within the broader community, and Sterling Square adds a condominium option within the same overall Trossachs footprint.
Schools right in the neighborhood
Cascade Ridge Elementary, on Trossachs Boulevard, sits inside the neighborhood itself, an all-walking school for the families around it, with a strong community feel that comes from that proximity. It’s also the north campus for the Issaquah School District’s Science Technology magnet program for 4th and 5th graders, and it consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Washington State. From there, Trossachs feeds into Beaver Lake Middle School and on to Skyline High School, the same Issaquah School District pathway covered in our schools post.
Parks, trails, and what’s just outside the door
Trossachs Community Park, on Trossachs Boulevard, is the neighborhood’s own recreational anchor: tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, and genuinely notable mountain views on a clear day, plus a small community library where residents can take or leave a book. It’s technically reserved for Trossachs residents rather than open to the general public, which is part of what gives the neighborhood its more private, self-contained feel.
Beyond its own park, Trossachs backs directly up to some of the best outdoor recreation on the plateau. Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, the internationally recognized trail network we covered in our outdoor life post, sits essentially at the neighborhood’s edge. Beaver Lake Park is a short drive away as well. For a community built around larger, more private lots, that’s a meaningful trade: less of a shared civic commons than Klahanie, but arguably better direct access to the plateau’s best trails.
Who it’s for
Trossachs draws a specific kind of buyer: families who want newer construction, more space, and more privacy without leaving Sammamish, and who are willing to pay for it, inventory here is limited and the market stays competitive. It’s also become a popular choice among Microsoft employees given its relatively direct shot to the Redmond campus. If Klahanie is Sammamish’s largest and most self-contained neighborhood, Trossachs is its answer to a newer, larger, more move-up address, still on the plateau, still in the Issaquah schools, but a different lifestyle entirely.
Where things sit
Kelly Azzarello Real Estate | Compass 📧 kelly@kellyazzarello.com 📞 (425) 830-6457 🌐 kellyazzarello.com
Kelly Azzarello Real Estate | Compass 📧 kelly@kellyazzarello.com 📞 (425) 830-6457 🌐 kellyazzarello.com