Day Trip to Mount St. Helens

Driving Highway 504 towards Mount St. Helens in Washington State, you can almost picture the immense eruption that blew the lid off the volcano in 1980. The closer you get to the mountain, the more the blast zone comes into view: where vast evergreen forests once stood are now a moonscape that has been slow to recover from the eruption. And the mountain itself, once domed, is now smashed open to reveal its seething interior.

Mount St. Helens makes for an educational and exciting day trip from the Puget Sound area. Almost as soon as you exit I-5 for Highway 504, the trip begins. Mount St. Helens is still far in the distance, but the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center provides background information on the eruption.

Mount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory, Washington State © D. Wesley Enterprises | Dreamstime

Several other visitors centers are spread along the highway as you approach the mountain, including the Hoffstadt Bluffs Visitor Center, Forest Learning Center and the The Mount St. Helens Science and Learning Center. Each are worth stopping at, though you can skip them if you’re pressed for time.

Your ultimate destination is at the highway’s end, just five miles from the enormous crater. The Johnston Ridge Observatory’s world-class center offers hikes, views and exhibits on the mountain and the eruption.

If you’re in the mood to stretch your legs more, the Washington Trails Association details a range of hikes of varying length and difficulty in the area.