Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Trail #210 Meta Lake

Area Status: Unreachable

Summer hike at Meta

Starting at Meta Lake parking lot, travel this short 0.3 mile interpretive trail and discover how life survived in the blast zone. The forest you see today survived the 1980 eruption, buried under a blanket of snow.

To protect fragile lakeshore habitat, please stay on the trail and lakeshore-viewing platform.

At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Forest Road 99 is gated for the winter just past Wakepish Sno-Park. Forest Road 99 normally melts out and opens around the end of June.
Fees	$5/vehicle/day or valid Recreation Pass required at Meta Lake Interpretive Site. See Mount St. Helens Map for fee and payment sites.
Closest Towns:	Randle, WA
Operated By:	Forest Service
Information Center:	Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Administrative Headquarters (360) 449-7800 Gifford Pinchot National Forest Offices/Visitor Centers

General Information

Directions:

From Cougar, WA take Lewis River Road east for 2.8 miles. The road then changes to Forest Road 90. Continue on Forest Road 90 for 16 miles and stay to the left on Forest Road 25, pass the Pine Creek Information Center. Drive Forest Road 25 for 25 miles to the junction of Forest Road 99. Turn left onto Forest Road 99 towards Windy Ridge. Drive approximately 9.4 miles to Meta Lake Interpretive Site.