Presented below are Tour Companies that offer guided hiking trips and adventures in and near Mount St. Helens. Paved with a few potholes and rough areas along the way (motorcycles use caution), the road is lined with roadside attractions like the Miners Car Interpretive Site and other awesome trailheads, including Norway Pass. The trail winds through this Badlands-esque landscape, flanks the Toutle River Canyon, then swings toward a cluster of wetland ponds, where the lovely canopy of an alder forest provides a welcome shady spot from which to spy on a huge beaver dam and lodge. We'd love to have your business listed on our site. Morton, WA 1 10.2 mi 16.4 km #2 Smith Creek Trail #225. Try to avoid foul weather as one of the main reasons for doing this ascent is to get a view into the crater and see the living, breathing, smoking maw of an active volcano. Inside the events of May 18, 1980—and scientific insight on when it could happen again. While the elevation gain is manageable and the trail well-trodden, it’s the views and interpretive information along the way that calls for a leisurely pace. I also recommend hiking Silver Star via Sturgeon Rock Loop Hike to get used to loose scree, and NO SWITCHBACKS. Spirit Lake log mat | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane. The Augspurger Mountain Trail shares a trailhead with the Dog Mountain Trail, offering a gentle loop oportunity with the Dog Mountain Trail, complete with views of the Columbia River Gorge, numerous volcano peaks, and wildflowers in season. The Loowit Trail can be accessed from June Lake by a quarter-mile (and very steep) trail connector. Mount St. Helens is a popular climb for both beginning and experienced mountaineers. St. Helens Newsletter Subscription, Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Visit Mt St Helens. You should cross-check against other references before planning a hike. Mount St. Helens is a popular climb for both beginning and experienced mountaineers. At the terminus of Forest Road 99 on the northeast side of the monument, the drive alone to Windy Ridge is half the adventure. 1. Awesome views of the crater, Spirit Lake, Mount Adams and Mount Margaret, are all all available. Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument 42218 N.E. A 10-mile, out-and-back route, this hearty hiking trail quickly climbs above the tree line with the last three miles presenting steep and rocky terrain. Learn how your comment data is processed. With its sapphire lakes, rugged, toothy peaks, and wildflower-blanketed slopes, the Mount Margaret wilderness area north of Mount St. Helens makes for a stunning backpacking getaway. From roughly mid-July to early August, wildflower blooms line the landscape, offering an interesting contrast of color against the volcano blast surroundings. Explore destinations near Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This moderately used trail is located on the lower southern slopes of Mt. Part of the popularity of this trail includes its gateway status for numerous other backcountry hikes, including the always inviting Mount Margaret backcountry. When St. Helens erupted in 1980, eight feet of snow sat atop the shores of frozen Meta Lake, which miraculously preserved the area’s understory of young silver firs and mountain hemlocks, not to mention the lake’s entire ecosystem. Once above this pile, you'll get a glimpse of the summit of Mount Saint Helens towering above you. Today, this is one of the biological gems of the area, teeming with flora and fauna. Family-friendly or for experienced hikers only, the hiking trails at Mt. Saint Helens provide a variety of terrain and fun things to do. St. Helens (the road to Climbers Bivouac is closed in winter) Green Trails Maps: Mount St. Helens, WA #364; Green Trails Maps: Mount St. Helens NW, WA #364S; Green Trails Maps: Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument, WA #332S Interpretive information along the Trail of Two Forests | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane. Fortunately, Mount St. Helens Insitute offers a slew of expert-led climbs and seminars all summer, pairing geology and biology lessons with well-earned vistas. Looking to make the most of your day? $(".resultsItem").each(function(){ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. A maintained hiking trail continues from here, eventually making a loop by crossing the water via a 125-foot cable suspension bridge. Waterfall at June Lake | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane. St. Helens. From the northeast side, only accessible outside of snow season, other bucket-list attractions include Norway Pass and Windy Ridge, both giving front-row views of the most recent destruction. $(this).find(".travelPlannerImageWrapper .tpcb").attr("checked", true); Searchable listings of Mount St. Helens RV parks and campgrounds. Climbing the 2.2-mile trail to the top of the pass is well worth the elevated effort, and on clear days, panoramic views of Mt. 0.7 mi 1.1 km #1 Coldwater Peak. However, if you are a hiker in excellent shape, who has hiked Mount Defiance the hard way, you may have so much fun you'll barely realize how sore you are hiking this mountain. When you get out of the thick forest, after going straight at the Loowit-Monitor Ridge Trail Junction, you'll go from hiking on dirt to scree the size of sand. Trekking poles (recommended), Waterproof matches, lighter or candles. But for a point-blank perspective on the origin of the blast zone, plus close encounters with Loowit and Step Creek Falls, it’s worth the sweat. The Covel Creek Falls Trail No. Permits are required to hike this ridge route to the top, but it's the elevated terrain that presents the real challenge for this internationally renowned hike. On clear days, expect to see a great vantage point of Mount St. Helens from the water, as well as visual remains of the eruption event. Explore this fascinating area with our list of the top hiking trails at Mount Saint Helens. Hood to Southwest Washington, Have Officially Closed Borders, Social Distancing Was Already a Selling Point for Getaway House, North Cascades National Park Holds Once-in-a-Lifetime Views for Those Willing to Make the Drive. Kayaking outfits like Cascade Pack & Paddle allow you to venture beyond the majestic beauty of the wildflower-blanketed banks (home to many elk) into the lake’s center, where organic islands created by toppled trees speckle the surface and create a floating refuge for young plants and animals. You'll know when you're there; if you took one more step, you would lost over 400 feet of elevation, falling into the crater. The Upper Ape Cave Trail is a little more demanding, featuring 1.5 miles of underground rock scrambles and an eight-foot lava wall, which requires moderate climbing skills to overcome. Entering Ape Caves | Photo Copyright: Brad Lane. The trail climbs through a mixed conifer hardwood forest, continues along a steep side slope before ending within 20 feet of the waterfall. Technical climbing skills aren't required to reach the summit, though the route should only be attempted by fit and able hikers. A summary of what Mount St. Helens has to offer. Distance: 3 miles, The 28-mile Loowit Trail is the single route that circumnavigates the entirety of Mount St. Helens, and is breathtaking for its sheer diversity of terrain. Vancouver, WA 98661 (360) 891-5000 Mailing Address: 501 E. 5th St., #404 Vancouver, WA 98661. The near 2.5-mile Hummocks Trail gives the best views of these unique geological features, alongside great views of Mount St. Helens itself. With three connecting trails that increase in difficulty with distance from the trailhead, visitors to Lava Canyon can choose their own level of adventure when exploring this cascading landscape of water and time. Simulate the slope of Mt the Free visitor guides for Washington area 5th St., 404. Easy Lodging Search to find exactly the type of accommodation you are looking for a new adventure Washington. Well, encompassing rocky terrain and areas prone to landslides closer views with considerably more effort over miles. 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