Spirit Lake (Washington) Lake

Address: Spirit Lake area, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, USA

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens

Hours: Access to public viewpoints and visitor centres varies seasonally; Johnston Ridge Observatory hours often extend in summer

Admission: Free (park access); some facilities at nearby visitor centres may charge

Spirit Lake is a mountain lake in southwestern Washington state at the northern base of Mount St. Helens that was dramatically changed by the 18 May 1980 eruption.

The shoreline and surface are notable for extensive floating log mats and standing dead trees left by the debris avalanche and blast; the lake and surrounding area are now part of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Before 1980 the lake was a clear, forested mountain lake; the eruption buried the old shoreline, raised the lake level with debris and logs, and created a long-term ecological and geomorphological research site.

The lake lies within Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in southwestern Washington, with viewpoints and visitor facilities on the volcano’s northern side.

• 1980 eruption: The volcano eruption of 18 May 1980 catastrophically altered the lake - a massive landslide and blast filled the basin with logs and debris and raised the water level.
• Viewing and access: Key viewing points for the lake and the volcanic north face include the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument overlooks such as Johnston Ridge Observatory and nearby designated viewpoints.

Drive on Forest Service roads within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument; Johnston Ridge Observatory and other official viewpoints offer the safest views and interpretive material-check the Forest Service website for current road and trail conditions.

• For the best views of Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake, combine a visit with stops at official viewpoints-Johnston Ridge Observatory offers comprehensive interpretation.
• Road access can be seasonal-check Gifford Pinchot National Forest alerts for closures and conditions.
• Spirit Lake itself is within a restricted area-respect closures and signage; much of the direct shoreline is hazardous due to logjams and unstable banks.