Lost Lake Offers Seclusion, Fishing, Recreation

Sitting amid tall trees beside a pretty lake, you might think you were in a national park, but Lost Lake is a private RV resort in a rustic setting just a few minutes from busy Interstate 5.

The secluded location in Washington’s Nisqually Valley, north of Olympia, is attracting people who want a vacation home, a handy place to store their RV, or both.

Owner Jeff Graham and his business partner, Tom Marr, have spent $2 million refurbishing the 130-acre site since they acquired it just over two years ago. They have put in pavement, cleared sites, upgraded utility and sewer lines, installed high-speed wireless Internet and improved common buildings.

There is still more infrastructure work to be done, but the vision of Lost Lake as an attractive community of cabins and RVs beside a private lake is taking shape.

Park History
Lost Lake was created 25 years ago as a membership RV resort. Over the years, it fell into disrepair and encountered financial difficulties. Graham and Marr, who have been engaged in real estate investments for 20 years, became mortgage holders on the property and eventually acquired it.

Graham said the property could have been sold for other uses, but he and his partner decided to preserve it as an RV resort. Lost Lake continues to serve the original members and also offers camping accommodations through Coast to Coast Resorts, but the main focus is on selling deeded lots, where buyers can park an RV or place a park model cabin.

Because the location is so close to population centers, Graham is particularly enthused about Lost Lake’s potential as a place where owners can park their RVs permanently in a gated, secure community.

“I love the storage aspect of it,” he said. “It turns whatever kind of RV you have into a second home.”

Since city regulations often prevent people from parking RVs at their residences, owners must find storage space elsewhere. It makes a lot of sense to store the RV in a vacation spot, Graham believes, especially when the location is conveniently close. Lost Lake Resort is 10 miles from Olympia, 18 miles from Tacoma and 50 miles from Seattle.
Economical Option
The high price of gasoline makes Lost Lake’s close-in location especially attractive. In addition, you are much more likely to use your RV if you have it already set up at a campsite than if you have to haul it out of storage and find a destination every time you want to use it, Graham noted.

For those who don’t have an RV, an option is to place a park model on a deeded lot. Park models are vacation homes of up to 400 square feet and come in log cabin styles that fit beautifully in a park setting.

Lost Lake sells deeded lots for $25,000 to $50,000, but for about $80,000 you can get a lot with an attractive park model already on it.

“Where else can you buy a cabin on a lot for $80,000?” Graham asks.

The low cost also makes Lost Lake ownership a good option for people who are retired or have the flexibility to live in the Pacific Northwest in the summer and a warmer climate, such as Arizona, in the winter. Park models are intended for vacation and part-time use, not year-round occupancy.

Lake Access
Lost Lake Resort includes an 11-acre spring-fed lake that is stocked with rainbow trout. You can rent a boat for fishing or just to paddle around and enjoy the surroundings. Bald eagles and other birds inhabit the area, making it a good place for bird-watching and hiking.

The resort’s recreation center includes a huge indoor/outdoor pool along with a spa, game room, fitness center, showers and lockers. There are basketball and volleyball courts, a miniature golf course, and group picnic areas. A championship golf course is about five minutes from the campground.

Graham said about 400 lots are available now or will be soon, and the number of lots could reach 800 eventually. The current lots are all in wooded areas, but the property contains open land that will be developed into campsites for people who prefer less shade and more sun.

For more information, contact Lost Lake Resort, 1546 Reservation Road SE, Olympia, WA 98513. Phone (888) 220-5253 or visit www.llrvr.com.