A complete guide to visiting Mount St Helens in 1 day - Travel Eat Enjoy Repeat

A complete guide to visiting Mount St Helens in 1 day

Mount St Helens is an active Pacific Northwest volcano and part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc (a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire). It lies more or less between Seattle and Portland. It is most famous for the big eruption on May 18, 1980. Up until 2008, there was continuous volcanic activity but that doesn’t mean it can’t erupt anymore in the future. Today, it is a popular hiking spot and proof that nature can recover after such an eruption. 

Mount St Helens

 

Planning your Mount St Helens day trip 

Getting to Mount St Helens 

There are three sides of Mount St Helens that you can visit. They all have something different to offer. The side you plan to visit also affects the driving time from the major cities nearby: Portland and Seattle. You can only reach Mount St Helens by car, so you would need to rent a car at the airport to get there. We booked our car with AutoEurope from Seattle for our road trip through the Pacific Northwest. On Skyscanner or Momondo, you can find the best flights to Portland or Seattle 

The different sides of Mount St Helens are:  

  • West side: you can have amazing views of the crater, visit exhibits and do some hiking (1.5h from Portland; 2.5h from Seattle) 
  • East side: explore the forests affected by the eruption, nice views of Spirit Lake and the valley north of the crater (in the heart of the blast zone) (3.5h from Portland and Seattle) 
  • South side: Explore the Ape Cave lava tube, see casts of trees entombed by lava and stunning waterfalls and lava formations (1.5h from Portland; 3h from Seattle) 

Visiting Mount Saint Helens is nice as a day trip from Portland, but you will have to make choices. If you want to visit multiple parts of the monument, it is better to visit for two days and book a hotel in Castle Rock.  

Best time to visit Mount St Helens 

The upper part of the main road accessing Mount St Helens (State Route 504) is open from May to October. So summer and early fall are the best times to visit Mount St Helens. In summer, beautiful wildflowers are blooming. Because there is no shade, it can be very hot during summer. Do you prefer milder temperatures? Then fall will be the best time for your visit!  

To know more about the conditions, you can always check the Forest Service. 

Entrance and fees 

In contrast to Mount Rainier, Mount St Helens is not a National Park; it is a National Monument.  

Visiting Mount St Helens National Monument is free except when visiting specific locations. Locations located on the west side of the volcano require a Monument Pass ($8 per adult). Things to do on the East and South sides of the monument require a National Forest Recreation Pass ($5 per vehicle per day or $30 per year). This is the same Recreation Pass as the one for North Cascades National Park.

All these passes can be bought at the visitor centers and ranger stations.  

Food and drinks 

There are no restaurants at Mount St Helens but there are a few in Castle Rock. The best thing to do is bring your lunch and have a picnic on one of the benches.  

Top things to do in Mount St Helens 

Depending on which side of the volcano you decide to visit, there are different activities you can do. But a visit to one of the visitor centers is a must for me because you learn so much about the history of the volcano and the effects of the eruption.  

Learn more about the eruption history of Mount St Helens 

There are several visitor centers in Mount St Helens. The biggest one, the Johnston Ridge Observatory is currently unreachable due to a landslide. Also, the visitor center in Castle Rock is closed until mid-2025 for renovations. At this visitor center, there was a permanent exhibition about the 1980 eruption of the volcano. Admission was $5 for adults. 

The Forest Learning Center is the most interesting visitor center for children. There are different rooms where they can learn more about the volcano and the ecosystem and there is even a helicopter they can fly. Admission to this learning center is free.  

 

Explore the best Mount St Helens hikes 

We didn’t have time to do any hikes but these were on our list: 

 

Take in the best views of Mount St Helens 

On the west side of the monument, you normally should have the best views of the crater. I say, normally, because there is a very high chance that the crater is hiding in the clouds. We were unlucky and didn’t see it, but got beautiful views over the landslide caused by the eruption. 

Mount St Helens

Mount St Helens

 

See the effects of lava 

Visit the Ape Cave 

If you are up for some adventure during your visit to Mount St Helens, then a visit to the Ape Cave is a must. This is a 2.5-mile lave tube formed by eruptions of Mount St Helens around 2000 years ago. There are 2 trails to explore the Ape Cave: one family-friendly and one challenging.  

  • Lower Cave Trail: a 1.5-mile out-and-back trail that is easy and family-friendly 
  • Upper Cave Trail: a 1.5-mile difficult trail where you will climb over rock piles. At the end of the cave, you will need to hike another 1.5 miles to return to the entrance. This hike is not suited for children younger than 8 or if you don’t like small spaces.  

To visit the Ape Cave, you need to make a reservation and a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass. Dress appropriately (it’s about 42 F / 6°C in the caves) and take at least 2 light sources per person (that is not your mobile phone). You can take a headlamp and something like a camping light. Also, a small backpack for a water bottle, your keys, phones, … . Snacks are not allowed in the cave. 

Hike the trail of Two Forests 

This 0.25-mile loop is close to the Ape Cave. This interpretive trail tells the story of volcanic eruptions. Lava from an eruption around 2000 years ago covered this area and created molds around trees. There is a tree cast with a ladder that is connected to a tunnel that reemerges about 30 ft away. The perfect place for children to play!  

Is Mount St Helens worth visiting? 

For me: yes! I was always fascinated by volcanoes as a kid, so seeing an active volcano will always be on my list when I am close by. It was also interesting to learn more about volcanoes, Mount St Helens, and its eruption. It’s also amazing to see how nature has recovered 40 years later! 

If you are more of a hiker person: there are numerous hiking trails in Mount St Helens. And also, kids will love visiting this National Monument. 

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Mount St Helens

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