Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument -

Attractions

[Last Updated: January 09, 2009]

For updates on 2009 storm damage click here.

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.

Fall / Winter Advisory: Most forest roads are not maintained for winter travel so it is important to use extra caution, carry and use approved traction devices and carry recommended safety equipment. Tell a friend or loved-one about where you are going so they can confirm your safe return or notify authorities should you need assistance.

Mount St. Helens

Johnston Ridge Observatory is closed for the season.
Attention Climbers: Forest Road 81-830 to Climber's Bivouac is closed for the season by snow at Cougar Snopark.
Forest Road 83 (access to Lava Canyon) is closed by snow at Marble Mtn Snopark.

Monument Fees - Pass sales help maintain recreation facilities.

Download a full-color Visitor Guide to Mount St. Helens.

West Side - State Highway 504

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake
Elevation 505 Feet / 154 Meters

Click here for current hours

Closed New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day

This facility is now operated by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. A fee of $3.00/adult is charged to visit this site. Separate fees are charged to visit sites within the National Volcanic Monument

Located 5 miles east of Castle Rock on the shores of Silver Lake, the Center introduces visitors to Mount St. Helens' history and to the powerful events that took place on May 18, 1980. Take a walk on the 1 mile Silver Lake Wetlands Trail and discover how this lake was formed by a previous eruption and how the aquatic life continues to change Silver Lake today! Visitors can enjoy distant views of Mount St. Helens, and Silver Lake while identifying native plants, birds, and other wildlife.

Services include a 16 minute theater presentation, interpretive exhibits, a staffed information desk, and Northwest Interpretive Association book sales area. You may continue your hiking adventure into Seaquest State Park, located directly across Highway 504 from the Visitor Center. Seaquest offers camping, hiking and picnicking.

Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center - Closed Limited resources are being focused on serving the public at the Johnston Ridge Observatory

Discover Coldwater Lake!
Elevation 2,523 Feet / 769 Meters

Purchase monument passes (wrist bands) at the Johnston Ridge Observatory

Birth of a Lake Interpretive Trail

Coldwater Lake Recreation Area is located 45 miles east of Castle Rock in the heart of the blast zone. Experience the effect the May 18, 1980 eruption had on the Coldwater Valley. Walk on the .25 miles Birth of a Lake Interpretive Trail and enjoy close up views of this 20 year-old lake.

Facilities at Coldwater Lake include picnic tables, restrooms, a fish cleaning station, boat launch and a hands-on discovery area. Coldwater Lake Recreation Area is DAY USE only. CAMPING IS NOT PERMITTED.

Coldwater Lake Fishing Information: Shoreline access is limited, but a boat launch and fish cleaning station are available. WA State fishing liscense required. Gasoline motors are prohibited, but electric fishing motors are allowed. Rainbow trout stocked in the late 1980s are reproducing on their own; no additional planting is planned. Cutthroat trout , both coastal and westslope (and hybrids) also inhabit the lake. Single barbless hook, artificial lures only (no bait), with a 16-inch minimum size and one-fish daily limit. Although the lake is open to fishing all year, road may not be plowed and access may not be available during winter. Disabled accessibility - Level 2 at the boat ramp.

Johnston Ridge Observatory
Elevation 4,255 Feet / 1,297 Meters

Winter: Closed in winter, the observatory will reopen in mid-May, 2009

Purchase Monument Passes (Wrist Bands) Here

Located at the end of State Highway 504 and 52 miles east of Castle Rock, in the heart of the blast zone, the Center's state-of-the-art interpretive displays magically portray the sequence of geologic events that transformed the landscape and opened up a new era in the the science of monitoring an active volcano and forecasting eruptions. Read amazing eyewitness accounts from eruption survivors.

Take a .5 mile walk on the Eruption Trail and learn how the eruption shaped the surrounding landscape. Visitors can expect to see views of the lava dome, crater, pumice plain, and the landslide deposit.

Services include a wide-screen theater presentation, interpretive exhibits, a staffed information desk and a Northwest Interpretive Association books sales area. There are no food services at Johnston Ridge.

Crater view at Johnston Ridge

Interpretive Talks are Offered Daily (during the summer season)
Times are posted at the Johnston Ridge Observatory

Forest Interpreters share the magic of the geological events surrounding the 1980 eruption through a variety of formal talks and guided walks. Experience how volcanoes are monitored and discover how Mount St. Helens has taught us new answers to old mysteries.