Washington Cascades - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 352

Westside Entrance
Sights
The plethora of Mt St Helens visitor centers on this side of the mountain can be a little
confusing on paper, but they line up nicely on the road. Here we list the sights in order
from west to east as you'll come upon them on Rte 504. You'll also come across several
magnificent viewpoints which are well worth pulling over for, especially on a clear day.
Mt St Helens Silver Lake Visitor Center INTERPRETIVE CENTER
(3029 Spirit Lake Hwy; admission $5; 9am-5pm; ) Situated 5 miles east of Castle
Rock, the Silver Lake is the best introduction to the monument. There's a classic film
and various exhibits, including a mock-up of the volcano where you can duck beneath
the cone for displays on the subterranean workings of the mountain. Outside is the 1-mile
Silver Lake Wetlands Trail .
Hoffstadt Bluffs Visitors Center INTERPRETIVE CENTER
( www.hoffstadtbluffs.com ; 15000 Spirit Lake Hwy; 9am-6pm) At mile 27 on Hwy
504, this impressive post-and-beam structure has a good restaurant - the Fire Mountain
Grill - and panoramic views of the Toutle River Valley. Exhibits focus on St Helens'
ecology pre-blast. This is where you can organize helicopter tours (per person $179) over
the crater.
Charles W Bingham Forest Learning Center INTERPRETIVE CENTER
(17000 Spirit Lake Memorial Hwy; 10am-4pm Fri-Sun mid-May-Oct) Situated at mile
33 on Hwy 504, the learning center is basically a showcase for the lumber industry,
though it does run another interesting film about the eruption. There are restrooms and a
gift shop on site.
Coldwater Lake LAKE
Coldwater Lake, 43 miles east of Castle Rock, was created in 1980 when water backed
up behind a dam caused by debris was brought down by the eruption. The recreation area
here (restrooms, phone, boat launch) is the starting point of the 0.6-mile Birth of a Lake
Trail , a paved interpretive hike that seeks to demonstrate the regrowth of vegetation in
the area.
Johnston Ridge Observatory LOOKOUT