Mount Saint Helen’s Volcano Tour

The Awesome Effects from the Eruption Must be Seen to be Appreciated!

On the Mount Saint Helen’s Volcano Tour, our guests will learn about the “blast zone,” mud-flows (lahars), pyroclastic flows, biological regeneration and the largest avalanche recorded by man. The immense effects from the eruption of Mount Saint Helen’s on the surrounding region must be seen to be appreciated. We will make many incredible photo stops.

Full day $129.00. Group discounts available for 30+ guests.

The Mount Saint Helen’s Volcano Tour is normally scheduled from 9 AM to 5 PM, but we’re flexible! Because we travel in small groups, options may be available to adjust our itinerary according to your wishes as the day progresses. The following is a sample itinerary.

Typical Itinerary

9:00 AM: Pickup at your hotel or residence. Travel north from Portland crossing North America’s second largest river, the Columbia. We will journey alongside the Columbia River for nearly an hour learning about the geological forces which created Mount Saint Helen’s and the other Cascades Mountains. Occasional views of Mount Saint Helen’s may be seen to the east.

10:10 AM: A rest stop is made in Castle Rock, Washington for restrooms and to purchase our picnic supplies before we head east towards better viewing areas. Guests are welcome to bring their own picnic lunch also.

Read more: Silver Lake Visitors Center

10:30 AM: The views become more and more amazing as we travel up the North Fork of the Toutle River. Stops will be made along the way to view the mile wide remnant ash mudflows and debris which crashed down the river valley in the largest avalanche ever recorded by man.

As we enter the “lateral blast zone” you will see the hillsides which are still covered with the shattered trees and stumps. 600 mph super-heated winds decimated everything to the north up to 17 miles away! The new road, built 3,000 feet above the valley floor in case of future eruptions, offers colossal views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

12:00 PM: We break for lunch at the Coldwater Lake picnic area. We will stop in Castle Rock to buy sandwiches or guests may bring their lunches. The “blast zone” makes for a unique picnicking experience.

12:45 PM: From the Science Learning Center Observatory we get our best views of Mount St. Helen’s and the surrounding area. Your naturalist  guide will set up telescopes to look into the crater of the volcano. Often, we can see steam from the active fumeroles on the lava domes that grew after the 1980 eruption left a 2000 foot crater on the north side of the north side of the volcano.  Note: Once Johnston Ridge and the Observatory re-opens, we will be spending time there. It has been temporarily closed, due to a road wash out.
EcoTours guides will have wildlife spotting telescopes on hand for visitors to see the immense area and wildlife such as Roosevelt Elk up close.

2:30 PM:If notified before the tour, tour options may include: taking a short nature walk through a devastation area to observe the natural regeneration, taking a short walk down onto the mudflow/lahar of the Toutle River, hiking a short distance through the hummocks created from the eruption’s giant debris avalanche, or stopping at an A-frame house which had volcanic mudflow/lahar ooze into it about five-feet deep.
Link: Kelso-Longview.

5:00 PM:Arrive back at your hotel or home.

The cost of Mount Saint Helens Volcano Tour is $129.00 Cost includes door-to-door transportation and the interpretive naturalist services of your Ecotours guide. Group discounts available for 30+ guests.