Lake Sylvia State Park

We’ve been meaning to check this park out for a hot minute. It sits just above Montesano, WA, and I just so happen to spend a shit ton of time in Montesano getting horrible things done to my teeth. 😅

The park is 233 acres, located in a dense temperate rainforest (just the way I like ‘em). The area was originally homesteaded in the late 1860s by my man Michael F. Luark. He built Grays Harbor County’s first water powered sawmill there in 1871. (dope)

There is the neatest wooden dam at the end of the lake that was built in 1909, that once provided power to a generator that provided power and water to Montesano until the early 1930s.

Silas and Elsie Wilder lived in the park, above the generator room. They raised fourteen (christ) children while operating the generator.

Elsie is considered to be the only woman in the United States to operate a power plant in the 1920s, and possibly, like, ever. (we LOVE a woman in STEM) What an absolute baddie.

The park was passed to Washington State Parks (shout to to them, they’re rad) in 1936.

The city watershed of Montesano lies at the head of the lake and is managed similarly to a national forest.

The park is home to mallard ducks, canada geese, a family of osprey, bald eagles, and even FUCKING BEAVERS 😭😍

The park offers swimming, fishing, biking, camping, hiking…literally everything cool you can do outside. What an absolute delight.

We didn’t stay long as it was cold as balls, and I had just had 2 hours of dental work (brain = fried) but we cannot WAIT to fuck back off into that forest. Easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen.

Westport Aquarium

The Westport aquarium is one of few remaining family run aquariums in the west.

It’s also Washington state’s oldest, built in 1957! It is non-profit that relies on admission sales and donations. Current projects include updating the tank glass and making a friken FORT inside the whale skeleton so people can GO INSIDE THE WHALE.

(donate HERE)

We drive by the aquarium often, but for whatever reason, had never popped in.

We had met one of the owners last week when we saw a sick sea turtle on the beach. (unfortunately, despite receiving care, the turtle passed), and decided it was time to check it out…ESPECIALLY after reading reviews about being able to FEED THE animals! Anyone who knows me, knows that I used to spend at least 30 bucks every time I went to the Boise zoo JUST feeding the goats. If there is an option to touch and feed a wild animal, son of a bitch I’M IN.

Lucky for me, not only does the Westport Aquarium offer shrimp to feed, they also have a touch tank. Who doesn’t want to touch starfish?!

The aquarium is small, but well worth the $8 per adult we paid for admission. We easily spent an hour feeding fish, sweet talking the muscovy ducks Cuddles and Cinnamon, and talking to the friendly and educational staff. (we talked about conservation issues, sea lion safety, and even local food we love.

I’m a whimsical woman and love to touch everything. There is a grey whale skeleton that runs the length of the aquarium, and much to my delight, the owner encouraged us to touch, and even let us hold a whale inner ear bone. (dope and much more dense and heavy than you’d expect..or maybe you would, whales are fucking huge.)

There is even a small, secret door that I squeezed the ass into to feed the small fish! WHAT? 🖤

The Westport Aquarium is a must visit on the South Beach. We had a great time and will be back! Especially now that I know I could’ve fed shrimps to the ducks too!