While Lake Sylvia State Park is a popular destination, what you may not realize is that many of the trails you access and enjoy from the park are actually part of the Montesano City Forest. Not a park, the Montesano City Forest is actually a working forest, explains Daniel Wear, forest program manager with Sustainable Northwest. Its trails are enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year.
What is a Working Forest?
The City of Montesano took ownership of the Montesano City Forest in 1931. At the time, it was around 5,000 acres.
Five years later, in 1936, Lake Sylvia State Park was created, with most of its acreage being given by the city to the State Parks. “We are totally Independent of each other, but we work together as good neighbors,” says John Bull, nature resources director for the City of Montesano.
Today, the Montesano City Forest is almost 5,700 acres, with the city looking to purchase another 240 acres in 2026 to bring it to almost 6,000 acres.
The city manages the Montesano City Forest for several purposes, Daniel shares, including, “Sustainable timber harvest for local revenues, used to subsidize local infrastructure and public works costs, ecological and riparian protections for aquatic species and wildlife, the development and management of trails for public use, including hiking and biking, and access to the larger forest for hunting, foraging and other low-impact activities.”
That management is carefully planned for sustainability. “We are an active working Forest that is sustainable in perpetuity,” explains John. “We grow more than we harvest on an annual basis. Our annual cut is between 2.5-3 million board feet a year, with a goal of around $1 million in revenue for the City. We usually have one timber harvest a year. Following the timber harvest, the ground is site-prepped and replanted with 400-plus trees per acre. We primarily grow Douglas fir, western hemlock, red alder and western red cedar.”
Enjoying the Trails at Montesano City Forest
Aside from the revenue, however, the Montesano City Forest has approximately 20 miles of trails that wind through it. They are enjoyed by a large number of users, including analog bikes, ebikes, hikers, dog walkers, horseback riders and even hunters during hunting season. “We allow side-by-sides and dirt bikes as long as they stay on the logging roads and abide by our rules,” adds John.
Ready to explore the Montesano City Forest?
There are three ways to access its trails, says John:
1. Through Lake Sylvia State Park trails that connect to the park, which are several
2. The Gate at Camp Creek Road
3. The “A” Line Gate at Clearview Road.
The City of Montesano has a permit system if you want a key to the gates to access the logging roads in the Montesano City Forest. It’s free! You can get one at the Montesano City Hall.
A mountain biking group helps maintain the trails, which are dirt or gravel. Daniel also mentions they are low to moderate intensity.
The trails are busy, with many different types of users. John notes that there are hiking groups and trail running groups who also frequent the paths and logging roads. Each year, they also host the Run Forest Run event in February. The 25k and 50k races start in Lake Sylvia State Park and then head out into the Montesano City Forest. John says they get between 110 and 150 runners each year for the races.
“The Forest has been a great example for over 95 years of how a community asset can produce income for the city, recreation for its constituents and protection for the environment around the city,” shares John. “This is an amazing place.”
