Seaquest State Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Seaquest State Park | |
|---|---|
 Silver Lake Wetland Haven Trail, Seaquest State Park | |
  Seaquest State Park Location in the state of Washington  Seaquest State Park Seaquest State Park (the United States) | |
| Location | Cowlitz County, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°17′54″N 122°49′05″W / 46.29833°N 122.81806°W |
| Area | 505 acres (204 ha) |
| Elevation | 600 ft (180 m) |
| Established | 1945 |
| Administered by | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Visitors | 300,000 (in 2007)[1] |
| Named for | Alfred L. Seaquest |
| Website | Official website  |
Seaquest State Park is a public recreation area and state park located on the western flank of Silver Lake in Cowlitz County, Washington. The park is also home to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake.
Seaquest State Park was named after Alfred L. Seaquest, who donated his lands for the purpose of a park to Washington state in 1945.[2][3]
The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake opened in 1986 and was originally managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) and operated, under permit, by the Washington State Park system. The center was fully transferred to the state in 2007. 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. The center also contains exhibits on the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.[1]
Geography
The 505-acre (204 ha) state park is home to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center. Seaquest State Park is approximately 30 miles (48 km) west of Mount St. Helens.
The park and visitor center are located next to Silver Lake, a shallow, lowland lake formed when Silver Creek was dammed during the 1980 eruption.[2]
Environment and ecology
The park contains an evergreen forest with an understory of several species of fern.[2]
