Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Washington

Visit the long dormant volcanic mountain that erupted and collapsed in a massive avalanche of rock debris outside Seattle.

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens lasted nine hours, but the surrounding landscape was changed within moments where the forested slopes of Mount St. Helens once grew. Today, the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument allows scientists and visitors to witness the changes in the landscape and the volcano, where the environment has responded beautifully to the eruption.

Visitors to Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument can enjoy many hiking trails and a variety of diverse landscapes with crater views, new lakes, ancient lava flows, blown down trees, mudflows and old-growth forest. Trails vary in difficulty from short, interpretive loops to longer, steep narrow trails, so even experienced hikers are in for a challenge. Have fun exploring Lava Canyon, the Plains of Abraham, Spirit Lake, Ape Cave, Johnson Ridge, and the 27 mile Loowit Trail, which circles Mount St. Helens and is a rugged and challenging trail for experienced hikers.

For nature lovers, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a fantastic place to see how surviving plants and animals rise out of the ash, and how birds and animals find a niche in the forest on the slopes of Mount St. Helens. Keep your eyes peeled for steam emissions at the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center, or get closer to the volcano at the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

Camping is available in the vicinity of Mount St. Helens, although some campgrounds require a permit year-round. No fires are allowed in the blown down forest, so take along your own camp stove if you do plan an overnight stay. And remember, campgrounds can quickly fill up, so make your reservation early. Mount St. Helens is a two-hour drive south of Seattle and an hour's drive north of Portland, Oregon.