COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. — Saturday, May 18 marks the 44th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens.
For the second year, visitors to Mount St. Helens won’t be able to drive to the closest observation center due to a road closure caused by a landslide in May of 2023.
Mount St. Helens Institute volunteer Allen Bennett, who considers May 18, the "erupt-iversary," said the closure is no reason to skip a trip to the volcano.
”There’s miles and miles and miles of trails if you are so inclined to hike,” said Bennett, minutes before heading out on a 5-mile trek to the Johnston observatory, which is still accessible by trail.
He said there are more mountain goats than people there these days.
The highway provides lots of views of the crater - weather permitting - and several stops along the route have interpretive centers.
”If you’re not a trail hiker, if you’re not a mountain climber, head to the Science and Learning Center,” said Bennett.
The visitor’s center at Coldwater Ridge is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this May 18-19. It opens daily for those same hours starting May 24.
In May of 2023, 300,000 cubic yards washed out a stretch of State Route 504, wiping out a bridge and a section of roadway.
The Washington Department of Transportation installed a temporary road in the summer, but removed it in November “due to culvert failure and slow erosion for reasons related to the geographic and hydraulic realities of the location,” said a state spokesperson.
A permanent fix is being designed, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026.
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