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Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake is located 5 miles east of Castle Rock on the shores of Silver Lake. This center inroduces visitors to the history of the mountain, and the eruption of May 18th 1980. Visitors may walk the 1 mile Silver Lake Wetlands Trail and learn how this lake was formed by a previous eruption, and how aquatic life continues to change the lake up the present day. Services include a 16 minute theatre presentation, interpretive exhibits, a staffed information desk and book sales.
Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center is located within the boundaries of the National Volcanic Monument and is subject to winter conditions. Snow depth may determine outdoor opportunities. Services in the center include a video presentation, interpretive exhibits, staffed information desk, and a restaurant. The restaurant offers a limited menu during the winter months.
Coldwater Lake! Coldwater Lake Recreation Area is located 45 miles east of Castle Rock in the blast zone. Walk the quarter-mile intrepretive trail and enjoy close-up views of this young lake. Picnic tables, restrooms, fish cleaning station, boat launch and a hands-on discovery area. This area is day use only. Please inquire about fishing regulations at the visitor center.
Johnston Ridge Observatory is located at the end of State Highway 504 and is 52 miles east of Castle Rock. Located in the heart of the blast zone, this site is named for USGS Geologist David A. Johnston, a USGS volcanologist who was the only person to accurately predict the nature of the eruption, and who was the first to report the eruption with the now famous radio transmission "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!" before being swept away by the lateral blast. The center hosts interpretive displays that portray the geology of the region and how the eruption has opened up a new era in the science of monitoring active volcanoes. Visitors may take a .5 mile walk on the Eruption Trail and learn how the eruption shaped the landscape. Services include a wide-screen theatre presentation, interpretive exhibits, a staffed information desk, and book sales.
Cowlitz Valley Ranger Station is located 1 mile east of Randle on Highway 12. Stop here for ingormation on winter recreation and facilities in the Cowlitz Valley District and the Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument. Books and videos are available for purchase here.
Blast Edge Viewpoint is a place to pause and consider the effects of the blast. Marvel at the standing dead trees that mark the edge of the lateral blast zone, 6.5 miles west of 25/99 junction.
Meta Lake Walks allow visitors to stroll to this emerald lake teeming with life, and to hear stories about plant and animal survivors and new arrivals. The trailhead is at the junction of Forest Roads 26 and 99. Visitors are encourages to allow 30 minutes to explore. Forest interpreters are present at various times throughout the day.
Ape Cave Lantern Walk is a popular attraction for volcano visitors. Formed about 2000 years ago during an anomalous basaltic eruption. During this eruption, fluid basaltic lava poured down from the mountain and melted into pre-existing rock and soil. The thermal erosion deepened and widened the channel of the flow. Eventually this flow created a 13,042 foot long lava tube, the third longest in North America. This lava tube was discovered in 1947 by a logger named Lawrence Johnson. The cave was explored for the first time in the early 1950's when a local scout troop explored the cave, and subesequently named the formation Ape Cave after their troop sponsor, The St. Helen's Apes. The cave is divided into two sections, the easier Lower Cave (about 3/4 mile each way) and the more difficult Upper Cave (about 1.5 miles). Visitors are asked to be mindful of the fragile nature of the cave, and to practice leave no trace principles during their visit to the cave. There is no lighting built into the cave, so visitors must bring their own sources of light. Lanterns are available for rent at the Ape Cave Center, near the entrance to the cave.
Monument Headquarters is located four miles north of Amboy on State Highway 503. Monument and Forest info is available. Books, maps, and other media are also for sale.
Lahar Viewpoint and Lava Canyon are both east of the junction of Forest Roads 83/90. At the Lahar Viewpoint visitors can observe a mudflow scoured landscape and marvel at the resiliency of life springing forth from the ashen plain. The viewpoint is located 10.5 miles east of the junction of Forest Roads 83/90. Lava canyon is located 11 miles east of the junction of Forest Roads 83/90 and offers a wheelchair accessible trail that explores a mudflow scoured canyon and a waterfall plunging over an ancient lava flow. Opportunities for more challenging hiking are available in the area.
