The Best Ways to Experience Mount Saint Helens

A visit to Mount Saint Helens is an incredible experience. There is no other place like it on Earth. Scientists have an actual living laboratory where they can see first-hand how nature is able to recover after an explosive volcanic eruption. In 1982, over 100,000 acres were set aside for this purpose. Today, thousands flock to the Mount Saint Helens National Monument to catch a glimpse of this violent volcano.

You can hike, climb, or even explore underneath this massive volcano. There are plenty of overlooks for the less adventurous to enjoy too. Here are a few of our favorite ways to experience Mount Saint Helens.

•Johnston Ridge Observatory – This is one of the best places to start your visit to the volcano. The observatory, named after late geologist David Johnston, is built on the site were David uttered his last words about the volcano. On the morning of May 18, 1980, he shouted into his radio, “Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it" - just as the mountain began to erupt. The observatory provides a great overview of the eruption, geological history, and a movie. You can take a slightly strenuous half-mile hike to see a stunning view of the mountain.

•Windy Ridge Viewpoint - This will be your best vantage point of the volcano and famed Spirit Lake. At this point, you are only 4 miles from the volcano’s crater. It’s as close as you can get without climbing the mountain or taking a very long hike. You will have to do a little work though to see this spectacular view - climb 392 wooden stairs. The huffing and puffing is totally worth it. Rangers are often on-hand to give short talks and answer questions about the volcano.

•Harmony Trail – Spirit Lake was once a glittering shimmering lake that provided a perfect reflection of Mount Saint Helens. May 18, 1980 changed the lake forever. It is now hundreds of feet higher and is littered with fallen trees that were blasted off the ridges. But, it still has its beauty in this moon-like landscape. The trail will take you right down to Spirit Lake’s shoreline and provide some terrific views of the volcano and crater. Imagine how it looked just 31 years ago when century old fir trees lined this lake! The trail does descend quite quickly (600 feet), so you should be in pretty decent shape. Bring plenty of water too – there is no shade since all the trees were blasted away.



•Meta Lake Trail #210 – Meta Lake was one of the few survivors of the May 18th eruption - primarily because it was still covered with snow and ice. A short, easy ½ mile trail takes you to the lake’s shoreline. Near the trail-head is the Miner’s Car. The car is a twisted heap of metal, courtesy of being in Mount Saint Helen’s way the morning of May 18th.

•Ape Cave – For the ultimate underground St. Helen’s adventure, take the Lower Ape Cave trail. Ape Cave is one of the country’s longest lava tubes, stretching over 13,000 feet. Lava coursed underground here over 2,000 years ago. This adventure is not for the faint of heart. It’s pitch dark, cold, and dank. You will need to dress warmly, bring strong sources of light, and not be completely afraid of the dark. Sturdy shoes are a must too – the trail is bumpy and rocky. Take the down-slope part of the trail – it’s about a 4,000 foot walk and will provide plenty of adventure!

You can keep tabs on the volcano from your home computer by visiting: http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/. You are able to see real-time data about earthquakes striking near and on the mountain, along with current volcanic activity in the area. It’s your chance to become a budding volcanologist or geologist. There is even a link to the Volcano Cam – providing live pictures of the restless volcano.

Visit One of America’s Most Explosive Volcanoes

Mount Saint Helens was once one of America’s most beautiful mountains. Soaring 9,677 feet, this perfectly symmetrical snow-covered mountain was often called “America’s Mount Fujiyama.” Century old fir forests lined her mountain side. The beautiful, blue shimmering waters of Spirit Lake reflected her image perfectly. Thousands of people came to enjoy hikes, fish, and climb the mountain. But, this beautiful mountain was hiding her darker side. She was a volcano just waiting to erupt.

Most Americans had never witnessed a volcano erupt. People in the Pacific Northwest had been warned that the mountain could erupt at some point. Most just shrugged off the warnings. They never could have imaged the utter destruction that was about to be unleashed in May 1980.

It all started rather innocently. On March 20, 1980, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck directly below the mountain. Seismologists were rather alarmed, but were not too overly concerned. On March 27, 1980, Mount Saint Helens erupted. It wasn’t a major eruption, just a little ash and steam. But it was a big deal. The lower 48 hadn’t seen an eruption since Mount Lassen erupted in the early 1900’s.

People began flocking to Mount Saint Helens. She erupted on and off throughout April and it was quite a show. Brief bursts of ash and steam blocked an otherwise beautiful view of the Pacific Northwest. Then, scientists grew increasingly concerned. Mount Saint Helens was literally bursting at the seams. The mountain was bulging out, at a rate of about five feet per day. She had turned into a larger than life pressure cooker. Scientists predicted a huge eruption, but weren’t sure when.

On May 18, 1980, the unimaginable happened. At 8:32AM PST, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook the mountain. That was all it took to loosen the bulge and start the largest recorded landslide in history. The mountain was literally tearing herself apart. The avalanche tore down her northern side at record speed. The pressure inside the mountain was too much - she began to erupt laterally – not vertically. Ash, rocks, and glacier debris filled the ash cloud, which was travelling at the speed of sound. Nothing in her path was safe. The beautiful fir forests that lined her slopes were blasted away. Trees were stripped of their leaves or snapped like toothpicks. Mudflows raced down the mountain slopes and flowed into Spirit Lake. The intense speed created a tidal wave, causing the lake to rise and become a churning pool of mud. She wasn’t even close to being done. A vertical eruption shot up 15 miles into the atmosphere sending rock and ash across the Pacific Northwest. By nightfall, the eruption had subsided.

When the eruption was over, Mount Saint Helens was over 1,300 feet shortly. Before the eruption, she had been Washington State’s fifth highest mountain peak. On May 19th, 1980, she was the state’s thirtieth highest peak. Her beautiful landscape now resembled the surface of the moon. Everything within a 17 mile radius northeast of the crater was destroyed or pulverized. Scientists had never before witnessed such an event. They had no idea how long it would take the area to recover.



A visit to Mount Saint Helens National Monument is absolutely amazing. You are able to stand in front of the mountain wondering when she will erupt again. You can walk down to the shore of Spirit Lake and imagine just how beautiful this area once was. You can explore lava tubes below the mountain. And you can see just how amazing Mother Nature truly is. Green shrubs now covers hillsides that were stripped bare. Elk saunter by the crater. Birds chirp and perch themselves on tree trunks. Fish now swim in Spirit and Meta Lake.

Next week, we will tell you how to make the most of your trip to Mount Saint Helens National Monument. We’ll give you hiking suggestions, tell you where the best viewpoints are, and let you know how to keep tabs on America’s most explosive volcano!