Silver Lake, in Washington, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, is both a marsh

Marsh

In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....

 and unincorporated area located about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...

. It is home to a nature trail

Trail

A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...

, and the visitor center for the Mount St. Helens National Monument. The lake itself is 3000 acres (12.1 km²) in size and camping is available at Seaquest State Park

Seaquest State Park

Seaquest State Park in Cowlitz County, Washington is a camping park in the Washington State Park System. It consists of of forest with over of freshwater shoreline on Silver Lake near Mount St. Helens. Available activities include hiking , birdwatching, and horseshoes, as well as the Mount St....

, which occupies 475 acres (192.2 ha) along 1 miles (1.6 km) of the lakeshore. Camping, fishing, and boating also available at Streeters Resort, and Mt. St. Helens RV Resort.

Silver Lake is located in Cowlitz County, in the SW portion of Washington State. Employment in the area is primarily centered around the cities of Longview

Longview, Washington

Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is the principal city of the "Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area", which encompasses all of Cowlitz County. Longview's population was 36,648 at the time of the 2010 census and is the largest city in Cowlitz County...

, Kelso

Kelso, Washington

Kelso is a city in southwest Washington State, United States, and is the county seat of Cowlitz County. At the 2010 census, the population was 11,925. Kelso is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 102,410. Kelso shares its long western border...

, and Castle Rock

Castle Rock, Washington

Castle Rock is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Nestled between the Willapa Hills and western base of Mount St. Helens, Castle Rock is at the heart of Washington timber country in the Pacific temperate rain forest...

, which are all situated along the Interstate-5 freeway.

The area considered Silver Lake is approximately six miles east of I-5

Interstate 5 in Washington

Interstate 5 in Washington is a highway in the U.S. state of Washington that extends from its border with Oregon to its border with Canada...

 and is approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) from Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

 to the south and Seattle about 110 miles (177 km) to the north. The closest cities to the subject property are Castle Rock, six miles (10 km) to the west, and Toutle

Toutle, Washington

Toutle is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Toutle is located approximately ten miles east on SR 504 from exit 49 of I-5. Toutle is not very far from the well-known Mount St. Helens...

, four miles (6 km) east. The area in general relies on an economy that is largely based around the timber and tourism industry, but tourism has taken precedent since the declining timber industry.

Local economic growth has remained stable due to the plethora of outdoor activities take place in the scenic Silver Lake area, including camping, hunting, and fishing. Additionally, the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 is approximately 90 minutes west and skiing and other wilderness activities are all within an hour away.

Silver Lake is served by one major road, Spirit Lake Highway, which joins I-5 in Castle Rock to the west and runs east to the US Forest Services’ Mount Saint Helens Observatory at Johnson Ridge. This highway is a two-directional arterial heading west and east with both residential and commercial development areas running alongside it. Major shopping, dining and commercial properties are located up and down the I-5 corridor.

Silver Lake is not an incorporated town, but relies primarily on Castle Rock and the town of Toutle for schools and services. Cowlitz County provides most services including police, fire, ambulance, water, sewer, and garbage. Gas service is provided by Cascade Natural Gas and Qwest and GTE provide telephone service. The area is composed of a mixture of uses that range from single-family and multi-family residential, commercial, retail, and agricultural uses. Traffic volume along Silver Lake remains consistent with approximately 1,000 cars passing it per day.