Lake Sylvia Wayside & Access

32574 Co Rd 17
Melrose, MN 56352

Lake Sylvia Wayside & Access Map

Lake Sylvia Wayside & Access is located 5 miles northeast of Melrose on County Road 17.

In 1977, this three-acre site was donated by the Little Birch Lake Improvement Association.

Amenities include:

Picnic Area
There is a picnic table and small grill available.

Boat and Canoe Access
There is a boat landing for access into Lake Sylvia.

Fishing
Fishing can be done off the large pier.

Fishing Pier

In 1986 a fishing pier was installed through Project CORE (Cooperative Opportunities for Resource Enhancement) from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The fishing pier was replaced in 2016. 

2021 Storm Damage and Shoreline Restoration

Heavy rainfall caused significant washouts throughout the parking area at Lake Sylvia. Unfortunately, most of the sediment ended up depositing into the lake, near the fishing pier.

The Stearns County Parks Department worked with Stearns County Environmental Services, Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to fix and mitigate future problems.

The work completed included:

• fixing and reinforcing the existing retaining wall
• establishing a berm to keep the water moving through the existing drainage way
• placing cedar trees in the drainage way to assist with slowing the water and creating pools for sediment retention
• removing the deposited sediment from the lake
• repairing/stabilizing the shoreline using cedar tree revetments
• stabilizing around 28,000 square feet of upland area by planting native grass, forbs, shrubs and trees
• parking area was also re-located and a new path to the fishing pier was established