Destinations

Mount St. Helens from Clearwater Viewpoint.
Forest Service photograph by D. Lapcewich

• Mount St. Helens Visitor Center
• Coldwater Lake Recreation Area
• Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center
• Hummocks Trail
• Johnston Ridge Observatory

West of Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center

Located five miles east of Castle Rock, Washington, 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. Visitors can enjoy distant views of Mount St. Helens, and Silver Lake while identifying native plants, birds, and other wildlife.

Coldwater Lake Recreation Area

• A one-fourth mile paved loop walk at Coldwater Lake Recreation Area.
• Seek out the reasons why and how Coldwater Lake formed.
• Picnic in the midst of the avalanche deposit.

Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center

Situated within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and 43 miles east of Castle Rock, Washington, on State Route 504, the Center paints an amazing picture of how plants and animals survived the blast and the magic of their recovery throughout the blast zone.

Hummocks Trail

• A 2 ½ mile loop trail
• Practice the techniques of environmental ethics.

Johnston Ridge Observatory

Located at the end of State Highway 504 and 52 miles east of Castle Rock, Washington, the Johnston Ridge Observatory lies in the heart of the blast zone. The Observatory'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.