Photo Traveler's Guide to . . .
Mount Rainier & Mount St. Helens National Parks
Photo Traveler
PO Box 39912
Los Angeles, CA 90039
800-417-4680
323-660-8600
fax 323-660-0473
phototravel@phototraveler.com



Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens are located in Washington State. Both offer terrific scenic opportunities that include a spectacular mountain centerpiece, wonderful summer wildflower displays and wildlife opportunities. In addition to the two parks, the guide covers the waterfalls of the Lewis River south of Mount St. Helens.

1999, 26 pages, $9.95
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Excerpt from guide . . .


Mount St. Helens
Spirit Lake Memorial Highway

Coldwater to Johnson Ridge
  After traveling 43 miles you reach the Coldwater Ridge visitor center surrounded by moon-like landscape. From the deck of the visitor center you have views of the volcano, the newly formed lakes and the debris-filled Toutle River Valley. From this vantage point Mount St, Helens rises from the pumice plain just seven miles away and you are looking into the crater through the blasted side. The quarter-mile Winds of Change Trail follows the ridge just west of the visitor center. There are exceptional views from the trail of Mount St. Helens and the Toutle River Valley
   Continue along the road another two miles from the visitor center where it drops down to the lake and turn left to the picnic area and boat ramp at the west end of Coldwater lake. From the picnic area you can take the easy boardwalk Birth of lake Trail out over Coldwater lake. From the boat ramp, the Lake Trail follows the north shore of the lake. It is three miles to the east end of the trail. Along the way you will encounter fields of wildflowers in summer.

   Drive a little farther and on the right is the parking area for the Hummocks Trail. This is a 2.3-mile loop trail that takes you through the devasting landscape of ash, rocks, over hummocks formed by the landslide, past ponds and meadows, and views of the Toutle Valley and Mount St. Helens. There is a good overlook just a short distance along the trail. Elk may also be seen in this area
   The Boundary Trail also leaves from here. You can hike part of this trail four miles to a viewpoint above the hummocks. You can also reach the viewpoint via a 0.8-mile trail fro Johnston Ridge..

Johnston Ridge Observatory
   The road then climbs to Johnston Ridge, seven miles from the Coldwater Visitor Center. here you are only five miles from Mount St. Helens and you have spectacular views of the crater, the steaming lava dome, the pumice plain and landslide. From the observatory you can walk the 0.3-mile Eruption Tail to an overlook and then along the ridge back to the parking area. This is a good spot to photograph the volcano and the barren landscape.

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