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Silver Lake offers chance to get away, connect with nature

Published 1:10 pm Thursday, March 10, 2016

Located in southwestern Washington’s Cowlitz County – a little more than two hours south of Seattle and Everett – Silver Lake is an unincorporated community named for its marshy, 3,000- acre lake. The community offers easy access to Interstate 5 and its untouched, rural feel and numerous resorts make it a great place for a getaway.

Silver Lake is home to the award-winning Mount St. Helens Visitor Center. Opened in 1987 and operated by Washington State Parks, the center welcomes more than 300,000 visitors each year and features a large, step-in model of the volcano, as well as a working seismograph, interactive exhibits, life-size mannequins, twice hourly theater programs and a mile-long trail through the wetlands.

Silver Lake also provides visitors with easy access to Seaquest State Park. The 475-acre park is a popular destination for outdoor recreational activities such as camping, hiking and birdwatching. The park also features a 1-mile ADA-accessible trail and horseshoe facilities. Campers can take advantage of the park’s standard, partial and full hookup campsites. The park also offers yurt rentals.

Because it is not an incorporated town, Silver Lake residents use schools and services of the nearby towns of Castle Rock and Toutle. Cowlitz County provides police, fire, ambulance, water, sewer and garbage services.