When we visited Seaquest State Park on a cold Saturday in March, a main had broken and the campground had no water. A camper told us the problem was complicated and work had been going on for a few weeks, but that didn’t affect his visit. “We love it here anyway,” he said. After exploring this laid-back, forested park on the road to Mt. St. Helens, we understood what he meant.
Forest focus
Seaquest is all about the forest. It’s not an old-growth forest. There are no magnificent stands of timber. But it is a wooded haven for folks seeking a quiet place to relax in the low Cascade foothills.
The park provides clues to the great trees that once stood here. A slice of tree trunk carved with the park’s name is mounted in front of the entrance station. Another tree round in the day-use area has a rustic park map chiseled into its face.
Dozens of picnic tables invite visitors to stay a while in the day-use area, shaded by evergreen trees on a spongy, mossy lawn. Nearby, a handsome midcentury kitchen shelter offers a stone fireplace and covered prep area.
A large log stretches in front of an interpretive kiosk that asks the question, “Is Seaquest State Park an ‘old-growth’ forest?” While definitions abound, Merriam-Webster’s version is a good one: “a forest characterized by the presence of large old trees, numerous snags and woody debris, and a multilayered canopy and that is usually in a late stage of ecological succession.” Although the trees here are impressively tall and native plants fill the understory, this forest is only about 50-60 years old. The area was logged, first by early settlers and later by commercial logging operations, and State Parks is working toward its recovery.
A recent late-winter storm had blown down numerous trees and branches, and parks staff had a brush pile burning in a far corner of the empty parking lot. White smoke billowed into the wet trees, a campfire smell drifting nostalgically. Just beyond is the complex of five yurts, beautifully situated in the forest. Mr. Adventure and I agreed we’d love to camp here.
Forest bathing
We followed the park’s miles-long trail network through the forest. A sign at one junction explained that the trees are being managed to promote healthy growth. State Parks thinned the forest in 2015 to allow some trees to grow larger. Sunlight reaching the forest floor encourages understory plants and new seedlings.
Near the park’s northern boundary, a tangle of trees and branches bore witness to winter storms. Long mesh tubes, used by park staff to protect new seedlings, lay piled just off the trail. While deciduous alder trees still dominate in parts of the forest, we spotted the white tubes in open areas being managed for young evergreen trees.
Lush banks of salal, sword fern, and Oregon grape, the holy trinity of maritime Northwest understory, lined the path. We spotted a winter wren perched on an old tree stump, singing enthusiastically on this vernal equinox day. A red-breasted sapsucker drummed into a tree overhead. It had rained overnight, and today’s sunshine warmed the ground, awakening the sharp scent of evergreens. In denser areas, steam rose gently. Slipping on the mud-slick trail, we half-expected to see an elk materialize among the trees.
Heading back toward the campground area, we spotted an eagle and hawk high overhead, sparring over something. Their sharp, piercing cries mesmerized us until they flew out of sight.
Forest camping
Three camping areas offer large spaces for tents and RVs. This section of the park is part of the Charles and Caroline Seaquest homestead. Swedish immigrants who came to Washington Territory in 1870 with their two young sons, Charles filed a 159-acre land claim in 1876 and logged the land. They were part of an influx of Scandinavians emigrating to the Northwest in the 1870s and after, following the railroad and the logging industry. Southwest Washington, with its rich timber stands, abundant salmon, and lush farmland, was a favorite destination. Charles died in 1905 and Caroline in 1914, and their sons, Charles Jr. and Alfred, inherited the land. Lifelong bachelors, the sons together ran a hardware store in Portland. Fittingly, they patented a bicycle mud guard, which would have been handy in early Portland’s muddy streets. Charles Jr. died in 1938, and Alfred, who died in 1945, bequeathed the family homestead to the state for use a park. The only stipulation: no alcohol can be sold here, ever.
Volcano views
Between 1983 and 1990, State Parks added more acreage to what is now a 500-acre park, including land on the south side of Highway 504 adjacent to Silver Lake. The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, reachable via a trail from the ranger station that leads to a short tunnel under the highway, stands on the lakeshore. It was closed for renovation when we visited, but park rangers and volunteers offer programs outside, information for those continuing to the volcano, and a gift shop.
The one-mile Silver Lake trail offers a wetlands experience that contrasts with the forest to the north. Access it from the visitor center or from the northern part of the park through the tunnel.
Forest and mountain
Just five miles east of Interstate 5 and a scenic one-hour drive west of the Johnson Ridge Observatory, Seaquest State Park is the perfect destination if you want to see and learn about Mt. St. Helens before you head to the mountain. And if you’re seeking the quintessential western Washington forest experience, camping under tall evergreens in a quiet forest, Seaquest is your park.
Fast facts about Seaquest State Park
- 505-acre camping park, open year-round
- Bisected by Highway 504, the southern section includes the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center and access to Silver Lake and the northern section contains the campground
- Discover Pass required, $10 daily or, for a very reasonable $30, purchase an annual pass
- 52 standard campsites, 18 partial-hookup sites, 15 full-hookup sites, three hiker/biker sites, one dump station. Max site length 50 feet. Five yurts. Group camp with covered shelter and fire pit. Reserve online or by calling 888-CAMPOUT
- restrooms, showers
- 100+ picnic tables, grills, outdoor kitchen
- play areas, horseshoe pits, volleyball field
- hiking, birdwatching, wildlife viewing, amphitheater
- park brochure
- park map
“ The only stipulation: no alcohol can be sold here, ever.”
What an interesting tidbit. Do you know if they were part of the temperance movement?
I don’t know, Scott, and couldn’t find out. The requirement also states that if alcohol is sold inside the park, the land must be donated to Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. I couldn’t find any link between the Seaquests and the university either. It’s definitely interesting to consider.