Mt. St. Helens

The mountain is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington state. The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument preserves its forests, meadows, glaciers, and crater rim. The drive toward the crater is beautiful, and Mt. St. Helens visitor centers educate you about the blast and the area's recovery. Visitors can pick from among numerous hiking trails ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging. You can also climb Mt. St. Helens via the Monitor Ridge Climbing Route from Climbers Bivouac. 

Most full-day Mt. St. Helens tours from Seattle visit the blast site and the Johnston Ridge Observatory and a walk along Eruption Trail. Some also include a gourmet picnic.

• Visiting Mt. St. Helens will enthrall a range of travelers, including families with young children, serious hikers, photographers, and geology buffs.

• Mt. St. Helens tickets are not required, and admission to the monument is free. However, you'll need to obtain a Mt. St. Helens climbing permit if you want to climb Mt. St. Helens.

• Wear layered clothing, as alpine weather can change quickly. The Pacific Northwest is often rainy, so a raincoat is advisable.

• Mt. St. Helens' visitor centers are easily accessible by car. Visitor centers have restrooms, helpful staff, and gift shops.

Mt. St. Helens is located 96 miles (154 kilometers) south of Seattle and 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Portland. Take I-5 to the Castle Rock exit (Highway 504). This will take you to the Monument Visitor Centers and the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

Mt. St. Helens and the surrounding area see significant snowfall in winter; summer is the best time to visit. The visitor centers close seasonally during winter and reopen during late spring. The area is busiest on weekends in July and August; to avoid crowds, visit on a weekday.

To view the blast zone, walk the Hummocks Trail, a flat 2.3-mile (3.7-kilometer) round-trip hike. For a longer stroll with crater views, trek the 8-mile (13-kilometer) Harry's Ridge trail near Johnston Ridge Observatory. 

Duck into Ape Caves, eerie lava tubes on the mountain's southern flank. A 10-mile (16-kilometer) adventure, requiring knowledge of alpine environments and snow travel, brings you to the peak. Obtain a permit through the Forest Learning Center located off Highway 504.

No, you don't need a reservation, but you do need a climbing permit to climb Mt. St. Helens. Some areas, like the Westside's Johnston Ridge Observatory and the visitor center at Silver Lake, require a fee. Washington state parks mandate that vehicles have a National Forest Recreation Pass.

One day allows visitors to drive the scenic Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, visit the blast zone, explore Johnston Ridge Observatory, and walk Eruption Trail. However, a few more days lets you experience other sides of the mountain, such as the southside Trail of Two Forests and Ape Cave (reservations required).

Layers are a crucial component to any visit to Mt. St. Helens, even in summer, which can bring serious heat. There is little shade surrounding the blast zone and Johnston Ridge Observatory. Weather can change quickly and temperatures are cooler at high elevations. In winter, expect snow and freezing temps.

No, you can't drive around Mt. St. Helens itself. Technically you can drive a circle around the area, although some National Forest roads are seasonal and other roads are very far from the mountain. The 52-mile (84-kilometer) in-and-out Spirit Lake Memorial Highway to the blast zone is the usual approach.

The most popular way to experience Mt. St. Helens is to take the scenic 52-mile (84-kilometer) drive along Highway 504 to the blast zone. Here you can see the devastation of the 1980 eruption, explore Johnston Ridge Observatory, and walk Eruption Trail. Longer day hikes further showcase the area's scenery.

The Johnston Ridge Observatory—at the heart of the Mt. St. Helens blast zone—has a large parking lot. With most of its large trees decimated in the 1980 eruption, there is little shade in the lot and surrounding area. For this reason, it is suggested that pets be left at home.