Mount St. Helens summit
via Climbers Bivouac Trailhead
​Hike details:
Mileage: 8.8 miles round trip w/ 4,470 ft. elevation gain
Approximate hike time: 6 hours w/ an average pace of 1.5 mph (going much faster than is is difficult. Plan for anywhere between 6-8 hours for this summit hike).
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: High
Highest elevation: 8,363 ft. Lowest elevation: 3,717 ft.
General location: 42 miles northeast of Woodland, WA - National Volcanic Monument - Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Accessible: Late June through October
(Best time to go is September and early October for cooler temperatures).
Permits required: Climbers permits are required from April 1 - October 31 available via recreation.gov (released in one month increments on the first day of the preceding month. For example, April permits are released on March 1. All releases occur at 7:00 AM Pacific Time).
Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs but it's not recommended due to hot sharp lava rocks.
Possible dangers: Falling, climbing large boulders
Approximate hike time: 6 hours w/ an average pace of 1.5 mph (going much faster than is is difficult. Plan for anywhere between 6-8 hours for this summit hike).
Difficulty: Difficult
Trail usage: High
Highest elevation: 8,363 ft. Lowest elevation: 3,717 ft.
General location: 42 miles northeast of Woodland, WA - National Volcanic Monument - Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Accessible: Late June through October
(Best time to go is September and early October for cooler temperatures).
Permits required: Climbers permits are required from April 1 - October 31 available via recreation.gov (released in one month increments on the first day of the preceding month. For example, April permits are released on March 1. All releases occur at 7:00 AM Pacific Time).
Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Pit toilet at trailhead: Yes
Trail allows: Dogs but it's not recommended due to hot sharp lava rocks.
Possible dangers: Falling, climbing large boulders
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Description:Mount St. Helens is an active volcano located in southern Washington. It is a very popular mountain to summit in the summer and early autumn months, especially via this route (called the Monitor Ridge route starting at the Climbers Bivouac trailhead). Because of its popularity, climbing Mount St. Helens does require a permit from April 1 through October 31 and there are 100 individual permits available per day. All of the permits for the month are released on the 1st of the previous month, so it is a good idea to plan ahead. Because the Climbers Bivouac Trailhead is pretty remote, you are allowed to overnight camp (there are a few flat spots to set up tents, or you can sleep in your car). Many folks drive to the trailhead in the evening, camp and then get up before dawn to start climbing. This is highly recommended due to the fact that there is only tree cover for the first 1.5 miles and then you are completely exposed and it can get extremely hot on the lava rocks in the middle of summer. This climb is not easy and should not be rushed, so make sure to plan a solid 6-10 hours for the entire trip up and down.
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The trail starts out meandering through the forest at a fairly easy grade. You will skirt the Swift Creek lava flow and then after 1.7 miles you cross seasonal Swift Creek. Shortly after that, you will come to a junction with the Loowit Trail (which is the trail that circumnavigates Mount St. Helens). This is where the timberline is and from here on out there is no shade and the views start to get really good. To the south you will see Mount Hood, and straight in front of you is Monitor Ridge, which looks very intimidating. The "trail" is made up of sand-like scree with lots of loose large rocks as well, and it quickly turns into having to climb over large lava rocks and navigation becomes more difficult. Look out for large wooden posts that mark the route. Pro tip: the boulders feel like sandpaper on your hands, so packing gardening gloves is a game changer!
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(Mount Adams)
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After climbing over what seems like an endless sea of boulders, you will arrive at the seismic monitor station (around 7,000 ft. elevation). This is a good point to take a break. The views from here are great and there is a relatively big flat spot to sit and rest for a bit. After a much deserved break, you still have 1,300 feet of elevation to climb in just 1 mile. This part of the hike is very similar to South Sister's "red mile". The scree is loose and the grade is steep, making it so that every step you climb up, has you sliding half a step back down. The hiking is very slow going during this last mile, but the views are incredible! To the south you have Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson across the Lewis River and Swift Reservoir. To the east you can see Mount Adams and to the west you see endless rolling hills and ridges.
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(seismic monitor station)
(Mount Adams)
Once you arrive at the rim, you can sit and take a break before heading up along the rim to the true summit. Looking into the crater of this massive volcano is an incredible experience and oftentimes you can see steam rising from the crater. Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the indigenous Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat people) erupted on May 18, 1980 and caused massive destruction to the surrounding landscape which you can still see today. Across the crater lies Spirit Lake and looming to the north is Mount Rainier, Washington's largest volcano. To get to the official summit, continue along the rim to the west for 0.4 miles. The views don't change much here, but you will be on the mountain's highest point and see the survey marker if that is important to you. The ridgeline is quite narrow, so if you are afraid of heights, going to the official summit may not be the most fun for you.
(Spirit Lake and Mount Rainier)
Summiting Mount St. Helens is quite the accomplishment. If you are summiting in the summer or early fall, you do not need mountaineering experience or special equipment to summit. Just make sure you are carrying the 10 essentials and carry enough water, sun protection, extra layers (as it can get cold on the summit), and lots of food for the day. This climb will test your strength and endurance, so training beforehand is a good idea (hikes like Mount Defiance, South Sister Summit and Eula Ridge are great training options).
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(people standing on the official summit of Mount St. Helens)
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Directions:
From Woodland, WA
- From I-5 take the exit towards Lewis River Rd./NF-83. At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit and stay on Lewis River Rd. for 31.4 miles. This road turns into Rd. 90, continue for another 2.6 miles. Turn left onto NF-83 for 3 miles, then by Cougar Sno-Park turn left onto FS-81 for 1.7 miles. Turn right onto 830 Rd. for 0.4 miles, then turn left to stay on 830 Rd. for another 2.2 miles to the circular trailhead at the road's end. (Total of 42.3 miles)
- Total of 71.4 miles via Woodland, WA.
- Total of 117 miles via Woodland, WA.
- Total of 180 miles via Woodland, WA.
- Total of 217 miles via White Salmon and Carson, WA.
- Total of 343 miles via Woodland, WA.
-This trail write-up was last updated August, 2022-
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer
*Disclaimer: The trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.