Just a mile outside the tiny town of Montesano is a quiet, calm lake, fishing, swimming, camping and five miles of hiking trails. Stop by Lake Sylvia State Park for a day or a whole weekend of fun.
From the state park entrance, drive to the park office and look for parking across the road. The trailhead is down the road a bit, but the only vehicles allowed past the white gate ahead of you are those for campers.
Hang your Discover Pass and head on down the road. In about 500 yards look for the trailhead, near the campground loop. The first half of this trail is indicated as 'moderate', probably due to the muddiness and rolling nature of the path. But it winds through lush forest and around a small inlet to a charming covered bridge, providing a dry shelter if it's a rainy day.
After a mile of this rolling terrain, arrive at a junction with a gravel road. A turn right here leads into the adjacent forest managed by the City of Montesano -- to stay in the park, turn left and after a minute of road walking, an old road ducks off to the left, marked by a map and a white gate.
Turn onto this road and begin the last half of your hike. It's a flat walk along the east shore of the lake, and the trail is low -- if it's a wet day be ready for puddles. Also look and listen for birds, ducks and geese love the quiet waters here.
The trail ends near the fishing dock and picnic area, close to the trailhead for the second hike that begins in the park. This is the Sylvia Creek Forestry Trail, which meanders for a mile along Sylvia Creek in the same forest you peeked into at the gravel road on the last trail. Cross the creek over a manmade dam that created the lake, and make your return trip on the opposite side of the creek.
Like the loop around Lake Sylvia, cedars and maples drip with moss, and birdcalls can be heard. This was an old logging area, so keep an eye out for artifacts, though please leave them for future visitors to discover.
WTA Pro Tip: Learn more about the Lake Sylvia Loop and the town of Montesano here - http://bit.ly/1nAqGqx
Lake Sylvia State Park
46.9973,
-123.5940
Map & Directions
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Length
- 5.0 miles of trails
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Elevation Gain
- 30 feet
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Highest Point
- 170 feet
Just a mile outside the tiny town of Montesano is a quiet, calm lake, fishing, swimming, camping and five miles of hiking trails. Stop by Lake Sylvia State Park for a day or a whole weekend of fun.
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Hiking Lake Sylvia State Park
WTA worked here in 2010!
Map & Directions
Trailhead
Before You Go
Parking Pass/Entry Fee
Discover PassWTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.
Getting There
Drive west on Highway 12 and take the exit for Montesano. From here, signs guide you to Lake Sylvia State Park, but in case you miss them, turn right onto Main Street, then make a left on Spruce Avenue. Make a right on 3rd Street, which turns into Sylvia Lake Road, and drive 1.2 miles to Lake Sylvia State Park. Proceed past the park entrance booth and park before the white gate leading to the camping area.
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