Mount St. Helens area

Area Status: Open

Visit Mount St. Helens from any direction! View areas below for current information.

Mount St. Helens West

From I-5, drive into the heart of the blast zone. Spectacular crater views, visitor centers, picnic areas and hikes await. Learn what's open along State Route 504!

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Mount St. Helens East

This summer and fall route offers views of the crater and Spirit Lake, interpretive sites, and easy or rugged hiking.

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Mount St. Helens South

Lava flows, waterfalls, caves, and lush forest abound. Plenty of year-round recreation options.

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Mount Margaret Backcountry

Rugged, steep trails and amazing landscapes typify the Mt. Margaret Backcountry. Permits required for overnight camping.

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At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Always make sure to check road conditions before your trip. View the list of key roads in the Mount St. Helens area and select the link to view current road conditions: West Side: State Route 504 South Side: Forest Road 83, Forest Road 81, Forest Road 81-830 East Side: Forest Road 25, Forest Road 99, Forest Road 26
Operational Hours:	View current office hours
Reservations:	Teachers Corner: Field trips to Mount St. Helens start here
Fees:	$5/vehicle/day at developed recreation sites or valid pass. See Mount St. Helens Map for fee and payment sites. Johnston Ridge Observatory: $8 per person
Permit Info:	Washington State Sno-Park Permits required at Trail of Two Forests, Cougar and Marble Mountain Sno-Parks Dec. 1 through March 31. Permits are NOT available on-site. Purchase on-line or find a vendor. Climbing Mount St. Helens requires a climbing permit from April 1 to October 31. Camping in the Mount Margaret Backcountry requires a backcountry permit.
Information Center:	Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Administrative Headquarters (360) 449-7800, Amboy WA Gifford Pinchot National Forest Offices/Visitor Centers

General Information

Directions:

Mount St. Helens Science and Learning Center at Coldwater: From Castle Rock, WA take State Route 504 east for 42 miles to the Science and Learning Center.

Johnston Ridge Observatory: From Castle Rock, WA take State Route 504 east for 52 miles to Johnston Ridge Observatory at the end of State Route 504. (CLOSED 2024)

Windy Ridge Interpretive Site: From Randle, WA travel south on State Route (SR) 131 until the road forks (1 mile). Stay to the right on State Route 131 which becomes Forest Road 25. Travel south on Forest Road 25 for 19 miles to Forest Road 99. Turn right on Forest Road 99 and drive 16 miles until it terminates at Windy Ridge.

Vicinity map showing key site locations: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (.pdf)

General Notes:

Mount St. Helens 1980 Eruption & Aftermath

On the morning of May 18, 1980, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered the collapse of the summit and north flank of Mount St. Helens and formed the largest landslide in recorded history. In 1982 Congress designated the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The following decades have offered insight into the biological recovery of ravaged landscapes.

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Activities

Mountain Biking

Areas for Mountain Biking at Mount St. Helens area

Campground Camping

Areas for Campground Camping at Mount St. Helens area

Mountain Climbing

Mount St Helens Rim Climb and explore one of the best lunch spots in the Northwest, but, you will have to work for it! A 4 to 6 hour climb up will reward you with spectacular panoramic views from the rim of Mount St. Helens. On a clear day you can see Spirit Lake, the crater, Mount Rainer, Mount Adams and Mount Hood.