We decided to visit Mt. St. Helens on our way back from visiting our son in Portland.  We enjoyed the drive along  the Toutle River and remembered seeing the line of mud up in the trees that resulted from the eruption and mudflow in 1980.  We had visited the area 10 years ago and were curious to see how it had changed. .

     We stopped at Coldwater Lake, which was formed after the eruption, and visited the Birth of a Lake Trail.  We strolled along the .6 mile boardwalk that follows the shoreline of the scenic lake.  Interesting interpretive signs are displayed along the route.  We enjoyed the warmth of the sun, but a cool breeze came up and we glad to get back to the parking area.  There was an accessible restroom at the parking area.

     We continued up the road to the Johnston Ridge Observatory.  There are fascinating exhibits in the visitor center that describe the eruption and it's aftermath.  We were surprised at the amount of new growth of plants in the area since our last visit.  We started out on the paved Eruption Trail that followed the ridge line for about .5 mile and then in our typical style headed off on a dirt path as far as we could get.  The views of the blast zone were truly amazing and we got a good understanding of the forces of nature on our hike.

Directions: Take Highway 504 east from Castle Rock, for 43 miles to Coldwa                   52 miles to the Johnston Ridge Observatory.  A Northwest Forest Pass is required.

Trail information:

Birth of Lake Trail:

Length: .6 miles each way

Surface: boardwalk

Grade: flat

Difficulty: easy wheelchair accessibility

Availability: Late spring through fall

Eruption Trail:

Length:  .5 miles each way

Surface: paved,then dirt, rocks 

Grade:  Some moderate spots

Difficulty: easy to moderate wheelchair access

Availability: Late spring through early fall