Day 7 - Mount St. Helens

Today we left the peninsula, driving South on Hwy 101 through the towns of Queets and Aberdeen. Then we turned East on Hwy 12, making our way back to Interstate 5 and then South to the town of Castle Rock. We stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor's Center and were greeted by two very entertaining gentlemen. There is a small museum with all kinds of personal memorabilia and many old photographs. We found our hotel, checked in and then headed East up Hwy 504, the Spirit Lake Highway, towards Mount St. Helens.

There are several major National Monument Visitor's Centers along Hwy 504. These are, perhaps, the best Visitor's Centers I have ever seen. The displays include models, photographs and movies - all of which were very interesting and entertaining. I suggest stopping at each location, since each one provides unique information. It gave us a real appreciation for the region affected by the explosive volcanic event. We spent most of the early afternoon in the clouds and we were doubtful of our chances of actually seeing the mountain. But as we climbed the road, increasing in elevation, the clouds and rain became thinner and we finally broke out of the gloom as we pulled into the Johnston Ridge Viewpoint. What a scenic overlook! We spent the rest of the afternoon touring the Johnston Ridge Visitor's Center and gaping at the awesome views of the volcano.

Our visit to Mount St. Helens was one of our trip's highlights and I highly recommend it, if you're in the area.

On our way back down the mountain, we stopped at The 19 Mile House Restaurant for a sandwich and some of their famous berry cobbler. Then we returned to our hotel for the night.