Lake Sylvia State Park

History

The area was originally homesteaded in the late 1860s by Michael F. Luark, who built Grays Harbor County's first water-powered sawmill there in 1871.

The present dam was built around 1909; its penstock (now mostly demolished) provided the power for a generator house alongside the creek, down below. The generator and lake provided power and water for Montesano into the early 1930s, when the powerhouse was dismantled. Elsie Wilder was almost certainly the only woman in the United States to operate a power plant in the 1920s.

In 1931, the City of Montesano purchased the surrounding watershed for $12,000 () to safeguard its primary water source. The property was deeded to Washington State Parks in 1936.

The Legacy Pavilion, an open-sided pavilion with large stone fireplace, picnic tables and benches, was completed in 2020. The structure was designed by Will Foster and cost $1.1 million () to construct.

Ecology and environment

The municipal watershed of Montesano lies above the head of the lake, at the eastern end of Lake Sylvia, and is accessible by foot through the park. The city watershed is managed very similarly to a national forest and serves as a corridor for wildlife to enter and leave the park and the northern parts of the town.

The park is home to a mixed flock of mallard ducks and Canada geese. A family of ospreys, as well as occasional bald eagles, also occupy the lake area. There is also a small group of beavers living along Sylvia Creek, which flows from the lake.

Park features

Sylvia State park offers swimming, hiking, camping, fishing, and non-motored boating.

The park also features an outdoor kitchen, picnic tables, ADA-accessible playground, and an event venue which can host up to 60 guests.

Overnight camping is also available, with restrooms and showers facilities (some ADA-accessible).

References

References

1. {{cite gnis. 1513484. Sylvia Lake
2. (June 16, 2025). "Visit Washington Coast’s Lake Sylvia". ThurstonTalk.
3. Informational sign atop the Lake Sylvia dam, accessed 2023-01-27.
4. "Lake Sylvia State Park History". [[Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission]].
5. "About Us".
6. "Lake Sylvia State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
7. "Lake Sylvia State Park History". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.