Hiking to Spirit Lake at Mt. St. Helens

When you think back to the eruption of Mt. St. Helens on May 18 1980, the destruction and transformation of Spirit Lake is one of the iconic visuals.  Gone was one of Washington state’s most beautiful and beloved recreational areas.  Gone was the infamous Harry Truman and his Spirit Lake Lodge.  Gone was all evidence of life.  Just…. Gone.

It’s pretty crazy to think that the bottom of Spirit Lake today is higher than the pre-1980 water level.

Such a crazy story around this lake, but it’s super cool that the hike to get there is remarkably simple!  It’s a relatively easy 2.5 mile out and back trail (so if you’re as bad at math as I am, that’s 1.25 miles each way). From the trailhead, you’ll descend approximately 700 feet before the trail levels out and takes you right to the shore of Spirit Lake. You supposedly pass Harmony Falls too, but I never saw it – too late in the season I guess.

Even if you stand at the top of the trailhead and don’t hike down at all, there are still amazing views to take in of Spirit Lake itself, along with breathtaking Mt. Adams.

It's crazy to see the thousands of logs that are still in the lake, and the views inside the crater of Mt. St. Helens are unparalleled.  This is definitely not the place I’d want to be on the morning of May 18 1980. Just, yikes. But anyway, here are some photos of the hike!