Seaquest State Park

Seaquest State Park
Map showing the location of Seaquest State Park
Map showing the location of Seaquest State Park
Location in the state of Washington
Map showing the location of Seaquest State Park
Map showing the location of Seaquest State Park
Seaquest State Park (the United States)
LocationCowlitz, Washington, United States
Coordinates46°17′54″N 122°49′05″W / 46.29833°N 122.81806°W / 46.29833; -122.81806[1]
Area505 acres (204 ha)
Elevation600 ft (180 m)[1]
Established1945
Named forAlfred L. Seaquest
OperatorWashington State Parks and Recreation Commission
WebsiteSeaquest State Park

Seaquest State Park is a public recreation area located on the western flank of Silver Lake in Cowlitz County, Washington.[2] The 505-acre (204 ha) state park is home to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, which offers displays on the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption of 1980.[3] Mount St. Helens itself is 30 miles (48 km) east of the park.

Activities and amenities

Park activities include camping, seven miles (11 km) of hiking trails (including one mile (1.6 km) of ADA-accessible trail), picnicking, bird watching, and horseshoes. The park has a mile-long shoreline on Silver Lake, a shallow lowland lake with wetlands trail and boardwalk,[2] boat launch, and fishing.[4]

The Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center opened in 1986 and was originally managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) and operated, under permit, by the Washington State Park system until 2007, when the center was fully transferred to the state. Approximately 300,000 visitors were recorded that year. The 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) space underwent its first upgrade in 2024, which included artworks, displays, and exhibits expanding on the history and connection of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to the mountain and surrounding lands.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Seaquest State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b "Seaquest State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  3. ^ "Mount St. Helens Visitor Center". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  4. ^ "Silver Lake". Fishing & Shellfishing. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  5. ^ McDonald, Julie (January 23, 2023). "State Parks Adding Cowlitz Heritage in Revamp of Visitor Center". The Chronicle (Centralia, Washington). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
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