Lava Canyon @Mt. St. Helens: 6.6 miles, 1,400' gain, 2,930' max
Details
Enjoy beautiful waterfalls and dramatic geology - cliffs, columnar basalt, lava pillows - of a canyon scoured clean by Mt. St. Helens in 1980 on this hike.
Bring binoculars and cameras. This is an all day, stop-and-go ramble. Pace averages 1½ miles/hour, including lots of breaks. Feel free to stop and photograph the beautiful scenery.
Meet me in the Salmon Creek Park & Ride parking lot at 8 AM. We'll carpool to the trailhead. If you're not driving, please bring $12 - in cash - for your driver.
It's a one hour and 24 minute drive, 60 miles, each way, from Salmon Creek. We'll dine in Cougar WA on our way home. I estimate our return to Salmon Creek at 6:30 PM. Sunrise at the trailhead will be at 5:27 AM, sunset at 8:43 PM.
Trailhead weather forecast
Posted May 9 at 10:30 AM