photo of entrance sign for Seaquest State Park (Lauren Danner photo)
Washington state parks

Seaquest State Park – state parks quest #33

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.

photo of a tree trunk slice with "Welcome to Seaquest" carved in it, mounted between two fence posts and placed in front of the park entrance station
Seaquest is a convenient campground to access Mt. St. Helens, but this entrance sign reminds visitors that this park is all about the forest. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo of a slice of tree trunk standing on edge, with a map of Seaquest State Park carved into it; a large tree stands just beyond the trunk slice and a covered picnic shelter is in the distance
A park map carved into a slice of tree trunk embodies Seaquest’s forest heritage. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of scattered picnic tables on a lawn with evergreen trees at the edges and among the trees
Plenty of picnic space. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo shows a stone fireplace with a picnic table in front of it, yellow-painted cabinets flanking either side, and a beamed roof overhead
The interior of Seaquest’s hip midcentury picnic shelter. Classic. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo looking down a large log lying on the ground with an interpretive kiosk at the far end
This large log leads to an interpretive panel that asks whether Seaquest is an old-growth forest. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of smoke from a burning brush pile in an open area in front of a forest
Park staff were burning downed branches from a recent storm, imbuing the day-use area with a campfire scent. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo of yurts in a forest of tall trees
The yurt complex at Seaquest looks like a great place for a forest escape. (Lauren Danner photo)

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. 

photo of an interpretive panel titled "On the Path to Forest Recovery" next to a trail in a forest
A panel along the trail explains how the forest is being managed to promote a robust ecosystem and allow some trees to grow large. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo of a large evergreen tree reaching above surrounding trees in a forest
Managing Seaquest’s forest means some big trees are allowed to grow, while smaller trees nearby are cleared to allow more sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of several downed trees in the middle of a forest, the result of a recent storm
A recent storm left a lot of trees and branches on the ground, where they will slowly decay and become nursery logs for new seedlings. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo of a pile of long, white mesh tubes on the ground in a forest; the tubes are used to protect new seedlings when planted
Part of managing Seaquest’s forest means planting new seedlings, which are protected from browsing deer and other nibblers by these flexible mesh tubes. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of salal, sword fern, and Oregon grape growing on a forest floor
Salal, sword fern, and Oregon grape thrive in this forest. (Lauren Danner photo)
photo of backlit fern fronds growing from a moss-covered tree stump in a forest
Sunlight illuminates ferns growing through mosses and other moisture-loving plants on a tree stump. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of a trail through a forest
The forest trail beckons wanderers for a peaceful stroll. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo of a campsite in a forest, with picnic tables in the middle distance.
Sleep under the trees in a peaceful campsite. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

photo: a stone wall with letter that read Mount St. Helens Visitor Center leads toward a building with people outside/Lauren Danner
Although the visitor center is closed, the gift shop is open and rangers and volunteers present programs and offer information outside. (Lauren Danner photo)
Photo: A park ranger points to a picture of Mt. St. Helens that she holds , while visitors listen to her speak. They stand outside a building/Lauren Danner
A State Parks ranger explains how the Mt. St. Helens eruption changed the landscape. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

Photo: tall wetland rushes stand in water with a boardwalk to one side/Lauren Danner
The mile-long Silver Lake trail follows a boardwalk through vibrant wetlands and leads back to the visitor center. (Lauren Danner photo)

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.

Photo: In the distance, a hazy mountain is visible on the horizon, with a lake in the middle distance and trees and wetland plants in the foreground/Lauren Danner
The clouds hadn’t quite burned off, but Mt. St. Helens is just visible in the distance from the overlook at the visitor center. (Lauren Danner photo)

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

2 thoughts on “Seaquest State Park – state parks quest #33”

  1. “ 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?

    1. 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.

Comments are closed.