Gifford Pinchot National Forest

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Gifford Pinchot
National Forest

Forest Headquarters
10600 N.E. 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682
(360) 891-5000
TTY: (360) 891-5003

Cowlitz Valley
Ranger District
10024 US Hwy 12
PO Box 670
Randle, WA 98377
(360) 497-1100
TTY: (360) 497-1101

Mt. Adams
Ranger District
2455 Hwy 141
Trout Lake, WA 98650
(509) 395-3400
TTY: (360) 891-5003

Mount St. Helens
National Volcanic
Monument

Monument Headquarters
42218 N.E. Yale Bridge Rd.
Amboy, WA 98601
(360) 449-7800
TTY: (360) 891-5003

Johnston Ridge Observatory
24000 Spirit Lake Highway
P.O. Box 326
Toutle, WA 98649
(360) 274-2140

Mount St. Helens
Visitor Center
at Silver Lake
3029 Spirit Lake Highway
Castle Rock, WA 98611
(Operated by Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission)

TTY: Phone for the Deaf

Current Conditions

Roads

Content Last Updated: September 16, 2008

[Last Updated: August 29, 2008]

Cold Springs Fire near Mt. Adams: Fire information available on Inciweb

[Last Updated: August 29, 2008]

Some roads on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest remain closed due to road damage. Please check our Current Conditions Reports or call the local Forest Service office for updates.

Spring / Summer Advisory: Some potentially unstable cornices (snow overhangs) remain on the crater rim of Mount St. Helens (please see Climbing page and scroll down to cornice photo for details). Flood and wind damage from Fall 2006 storms still affects access to some popular sites. Please use caution when venturing out on roads and trails.

Mount St. Helens

Johnston Ridge Observatory is Open Daily
Forest Road 99 (access to Windy Ridge) on the East side is closed at Bear Meadows Viewpoint due to winter road damage.
Attention Climbers: Forest Road 81-830 is open to Climber's Bivouac.
Forest Road 83 (access to Lava Canyon) remains closed at Marble Mountain Sno-Park
The lava-dome building eruption of Mount St. Helens that began in 2004 and continued for three years appears to have ended.
Forest visitors near the volcano should still be prepared for the possibility of ash fall .

General Roads Information

Always contact your local Forest District Office for the very latest Road conditions. Road conditions are subject to change without notice and the information presented here may not immediately reflect these changing conditions.

When on single lane Roads use extreme caution. Use turnouts, and make sure you can stop in half your sight distance. High clearance vehicles are required on many Roads. Most Roads are not patrolled, so be careful so you do not become stuck.
Helpful tips about Traveling on Forest Roads Adobe .pdf file (256 KB)
Weather Information
There are remote snow guage stations in the Forest. To see the amounts go to the Washington Snotell sites at;
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Washington/washington.html

Road	Road Name	Date & Status since conditions last changed
1270	To Jody's Bridge	Bridge Closed to all uses. NO EXCEPTIONS. No motorized access or use to the Backdone Ridge area.
1284	White Road	07/11/2008: no report of road conditions.
18	Oklahoma Paved - Two lanes	07/09/2008: Open
20	Smith Creek	07/17/2008: Road is rough high clearance vehicles only.
21	Johnson Creek Gravel - One Lane	07/03/2008: Open - Extreme Washboards, drive slow.
2130	Deception Creek	2008: Road is impassable, ok to be in the area.
2150	Snow grass Flats	08/15/2008: Open to Snowgrass, Chambers Lake and Berry Patch trailheads.
2160	To Walupt Lake Gravel - One Lane	06/27/2008: Open to Walupt Lake.
22	North Fork Paved / Gravel - One Lane	07/11/2008: Accessable to 2208 road.
23	Cispus section Paved / Gravel - 1&2 Lanes	09/16/2008: Babyshoe pass 2006 washout on road 23 work is comleted opening on 09/18/2008. At approximately milepost (MP) 38.6 (north of Trout Lake) there is a slump of the road surface which has dropped the road an additional 4 - 6 +/- inches over this past winter. Drivers need to be cautious of these areas, along with others on the 23 road, especially motorcycles/small cars.
2304	Pompey Peak Trailhead	04/28/2008: Washout at 5.6 mile marker, unsafe to drive through.
2324	Sunrise trail head	07/17/2008: Open to Trailhead.
2325	Table Mountain	04/28/2008: Bridge has been removed, no motorized use on road system. Accessible by foot or horse.
2329	High Lakes Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/12/2008: Open, Keenes Horse Camp, Divide Trailhead and Killen Creek Trailhead.
2329.022	Chain of Lakes	08/11/2008: Closed to motorize use.
24	Peterson Prairie Gravel - One Lane	6/20/2008: Open to Smokey Creek C.G.
25	Randle	08/15/2008: Open. Drivers and motorcycle riders should use caution on Forest Road 25 as some road areas may have settled; and rocks and other debris may be on the road bed. Secondary roads off of Forest Road 25 may have fallen trees, and rocks. On the north end of Forest Road 25, the Woods Creek bridge project will enable coho salmon to access additional habitat in Woods Creek. A temporary bridge bypass allows drivers to access Forest Road 25 with only minor delays at milepost 4, south of Randle, Washington. This bridge project is underway
26	Quartz Creek Paved/Gravel - One Lane	07/03/2008: Slides at mile post 9.4 closed between Norway Pass and Ryan Lake, also at mile post 14 and 14.3 road closed by slides.
28	Pinto Gravel - One Lane	08/14/2008: Culvert replacement work so for the next two weeks this road will be closed for up to two hours at a time. The work is being done at approximately Mile Post 10.
29	McCoy Creek Gravel - One Lane	07/11/2008: Open 13 miles.
2904	Lambert Saddle	08/31/2008: The road cleared.
30	Wind River Hwy Paved / Gravel - Two Lanes	07/31/2008: Open from Carson to Curly Creek Road and Lone Butte Sno-Park. Forest Service Road 30 is open to Berry Fields.
41	Lookout Mountain Gravel - One Lane	07/31/2008: Open entire length. Some washing in roadway and portions of the road are rough. Passenger cars use care.
42	East Fork (Cougar Rock) Gravel - One Lane	07/31/2008: Entire route is snow free. Significant damage has occurred at some water crossings in the first 5 miles. Motorists should not use this route from Cougar Rock to Forest Road 54, particularly in low clearance vehicles or any 2 wheel drive vehicle. Motorists may damage their vehicles and/or get high centered and unable to drive themselves out. Repair work may begin next week, or alternatively a detour route will be posted. Alternative route from Hemlock to Sunset CG is Road 43 to road 41, 41 to 4220, 4220 to 42, 42 to Sunset campground.
43	Trout Creek Gravel - One Lane	07/04/2008: Closed at times. Culverts being replaced. There is also snow at higher elevations.
45	Cortright Creek	08/06/2008: Open high clearance vehicles.
4510	Soda Springs	08/06/2008: Open high clearance vehicles.
46	Lava Creek	08/06/2008: Open high clearance vehicles.
4610	Purcell Creek	08/06/2008: Open high clearance vehicles.
4612	Bluff	08/06/2008: Open high clearance vehicles.
47	Willame Creek Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/06/2008: Access from the Randle side is restricted due to impassable slide. OK to be in the area. Access from Skate Creek Road #52. Open
4710	Skyo Road	08/06/2008: snow free no report of road conditions.
4730	Willame Lake	08/06/2008: snow free no report of road conditions.
48	Hager Lake Road Gravel One Lane	07/03/2008: Open.
51	Curly Creek Road Paved - Two Lanes	06/26/2008: Open.
52	Skate Creek Paved - Two Lanes	06/27/2008: Open. Travelers will encounter some gravel patches, and narrow shoulders, please drive with extra caution and observe posted speed limits.
5270	Butter Creek	08/12/2008: Open, washout on road two miles from Tatoosh Trailhead North.
54	Bare Mountain Paved /Gravel - 1&2 Lanes	07/31/2008: Open entire length.
56	Midway Gravel - One Lane	06/16/2008: Open through to the 2160 junction to Walupt Lake.
5603	Spring Creek Gravel - One lane	06/27/2008: Open, caution logging trucks are hauling logs off of the 56 and 23 rds.
57	Siouxon Paved - Partially	07/31/2008: Open, rough condition
5701	Trailhead Access	07/31/2008: Open, rough condition.
59	Copper Creek	08/15/2008: Open. Can get to the trailhead.
60	Carson-Guler Road Gravel - One Lane	07/31/2008: Open entire length. Good condition.
63	Davis Creek/Purcell Mtn	08/11/2008: Road closed to motorized use by washout at Silverbrook Road.
64	Dry Creek Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/07/2008: Open no report of road conditions.
65	Panther Creek Paved / Gravel - One Lane	07/31/2008: Open to the 65-60 junction and as far as the Falls Creek Horse Camp.
6507	Outlaw	04/28/2008: Gate will be open once it's accessible.
66	Willard Road Paved /Gravel - 1&2 Lanes	07/31/2008: Open.
68	Cedar Creek Gravel - One Lane	07/11/2008: Open no report of road conditions.
6808	Bear Creek Gravel - One Lane	06/24/2008: Open from the Wind River Hwy to Grassy Knoll.
74	Nisqually Loop Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/06/2008: Open 4x4 high clearance recommended due to numerous small slides.
76	Green Horn Paved / Gravel - One Lane	2008:Road has been cleared from the slide area at mile post 3 between Nash Creek and Falls Creek going east from the 25 road. Is narrow and one lane, watch for other traffic in this area.
77	Polepatch	08/06/2008: Open no report of road conditions.
78	Timonium Gravel - One Lane	07/07/2008: Open.
80	Mt. Adams Recreation Paved - One Lane	08/01/2008: Open. See link to Revised Closure Order Area (Map) affected by the Cold Springs Fire (Adobe Acrobat PDF format - 229 kb)
8040	South Climb Gravel - One Lane	08/01/2008: Open. See link to Revised Closure Order Area (Map) affected by the Cold Springs Fire (Adobe Acrobat PDF format - 229 kb)
81	Merrill Lake Paved / Gravel - Two Lanes	07/31/2008: Open from SR503S to road 8122 (east of Kalama Horse Camp, where road is washed out. East end open from Forest Road 83 to Climbers Bivouac Road. West of Climbers Bivouac, road has sustained considerable flood damage.
8123	Sheep Canyon Gravel - One Lane	MAJOR flood damage. Likely will be permanently closed.
8100830	Climbers Bivouac Gravel - One Lane	07/21/2008: Open to Climber's Bivouac. For more information about climbing Mount St. Helens, see the climbing page.
82	Bird Creek Meadows Gravel - One Lane	08/01/2008: Temporarily Closed at the Forest Boundary due to wildland fire. There is NO access to the Bird Creek Meadows Recreation area on the Yakama Reservation. Please see the link to the Yakama Nation Cold Springs Fire Closure - Committee Action Number 191-2008-8 (Adobe Acrobat PDF format - 66 kb) Also see link to Revised Closure Order Area (Map) affected by the Cold Springs Fire (Adobe Acrobat PDF format - 229 kb)
83	Lahar/Lava Canyon Paved - Two Lanes	07/31/2008: Open to Marble Sno-Park.
8303	Ape Cave Rd. Paved-One Lane	09/04/2008: Road open to Ape Cave parking lot.
84	Berry Creek
8440	Toehead Gap	08/17/2008: Slide area cleared one lane to Highrock.
85	Catt Creek Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/07/2008: Open high clearance vehicles only.
86	Guler Mountain Road Gravel - One Lane	07/04/2008: Open from the south to the Monte Cristo Trail Head.
88	Big Tire Paved - One/Two Lanes	07/31/2008: Open.
8851	Mosquito Lake Paved / Gravel - One Lane	07/31/2008: Open to Forest Road 24 and Berry Fields access.
90	Lewis River Hwy Paved - Two Lanes	08/13/2008: Open. Several scattered hazardous slump areas east of Curly Creek road. Drivers need to be cautious of these areas, along with others on Forest Road 90, especially motorcycles/small cars.
93	Spencer Butte Paved / Gravel - One Lane	08/11/2008: Open. Use caution going around corners. Marked and un-marked slumps and other road problems.
99	Windy Ridge Paved - Two Lanes	08/13/2008: Partial. Forest Road 99 is open to Bear Meadows. Visitors will only be able to access Windy Ridge on foot or by bicycle, as the road will remain closed to motor vehicles until further notice. Walkers and Bicyclist's: Beware of Administrative Traffic. News Release: Winter Road Damage Limits Access to Windy Ridge on the East Side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
SR 504	Spirit Lake Memorial Paved - Two Lanes	05/23/2008: SR 504 is open to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center is closed permanently.
Road	Road Name	Date & Status since conditions last changed

US Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Vancouver, WA
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Amboy, WA
Last Modified: Tuesday, 16 September 2008 at 18:30:20 EDT