From Woodland (Exit 21 on I-5) , drive east on Washington 503, the Lewis River Highway for 27.5 miles to Cougar. This is the gateway to the area south of Mount St. Helens, which was little affected by the 1980 blast. You will pass by three dams on the North Fork of the Lewis river through old-growth and second-growth forest and the remains of old lava flows. The first dam is Merwin. There is a nice park here if you want to take a little rest stop and view Lake Merwin. Driving on up the highway you will have access to beautiful view points suitable for taking pictures or just looking out at the scenery. The next reservoir is Yale. Keep on driving and you will come to Swift Dam and reservoir. On the Eastern end of Swift you arrive at Eagle Cliff Park and cross over the river. From here on up the river is unaffected by any dams and is free flowing all the way to Mt. Adams. [Gifford Pinchot Map]

Trail of Two Forests

Directions:
From Wooland, drive east on Wahington 503 for 27.5 miles to Cougar. From cougar drive east to Forest Road 90 for 6.8 miles to the Junction with FR 83. Turn left of FR 83 and follow it for 2 miles turning left on FR 8303. Follow it .2 miles to the trailhead.

Features:
An easy wheelchair accessible trail less than a half mile long that's takes you over a two thousand year old lava flow. After Mount St. Helen blew her top in '81, this whole area was a desolate wasteland. The mudflow took out a centuries-old forest and replaced it with mud and exposed old volcanic rock beneath. The interpretive boardwalk trail winds through that old forest, and points out through signs and pointers where the new forest is beginning to reassert itself. There is a picnic area. For those that can walk there is also an open cave called 'The Crawl' to explore. The Crawl is a horizontal tree mold formed when hot lava engulfed a huge fallen tree. The tree burned and rotted away, leaving the lava cave. For safety, you might want to bring a flashlight although the cave is straight and you can see 50 feet to the end of it.

Here's an excellent website on this trail with (more photos) done by students visiting the area.

Lahar Viewpoint

Lahar Viewpoint

Directions:
From I-5 at Woodland, take exit for SR 503. Take SR 503 past the town of Cougar. SR 503 changes to FS 90. Turn left (W) onto FS 83 6.8 miles east of Cougar. The viewpoint is near the end of Road 83 just 1 mile before you reach Lava Canyon.

Features:
Lahar Viewpoint is on the wide barren deposit where the flood of water, mud and stones swept down Pine Creek on May 18, 1980. A short walk to the east brings you to a small hill and the viewpoint, which show the power of mudflows.

This area was swept by a lahar within 15 minutes after the onset of the May 18, 1980, eruption. At this point, the speed of the lahar was estimated at about 44 miles per hour. All trees were destroyed by a big lahar caused by melting of snow and ice during the eruption. The eruptive blast was directed towards the North and forests survived on the volcano's South side apart from those areas affected by lahars.

Many geologic features are within walking distance of the parking areas. Fragmental material and lava flows from older eruptions of Mount St. Helens and dramatic effects (deposits, scarred and killed trees, mudlines, and stream channel adjustments) of the 1980 eruption are visible here. Walkers can take the short (several hundred yards) trail over bouldery terrain to the east toward a small hill (not ADA accessible). Near here the lahar split, one branch flowing down Pine Creek and the other down the Muddy River gorge. A large, lone tree south of the road is scarred on its upstream side, showing the maximum height of the lahar in this location.

Interactive Map of Mount St. Helens area focusing on geologic observations. See a great photo of Lahar Viewpoint.

Lava Canyon

Directions:
From I-5 at Woodland, take exit for SR 503. Take SR 503 past the town of Cougar. SR 503 changes to FS 90. Turn left (W) onto FS 83 6.8 miles east of Cougar. Travel FS 83 for 11.7 miles until it ends at Lava Canyon Trailhead.

Features:
Lava Canyon is an old valley on the side of Mount St. Helens that was filled by a lava flow about 3,500 years ago. Stream erosion then cut deep channels and potholes into the lava, and these were subsequently buried beneath later explosion and mudflow deposits. Melting snow and ice on May 18, 1980, sent a mudflow through here that ripped away some of these older deposits and exposed the ancient channels and potholes. Whether mudflows erode or deposit depends on their speed. At high velocities they erode; on slowing down they begin to deposit their load of mud and stones.

View this ancient lava canyon on a 0.5 mi of accessible, but progressively challenging, trail. The paved tril leaves the south side of the parking area decending gently. You will make a couple of switchbacks and pass some benches before reaching an interpretive viewpoint. The viewpoint is a wooden platform with a handrail and information sign. Past the viewpoint the trail continues to descend gently to the upper junction of a rough Loop Trail. Stay on the main trail. A short distance ahead is the end of the barrier-free section of the trail and another interpretive viewpoint. Accessibility is rated as difficult and wheelchair users will need assistance due to a series of winding 8-12% grades and one short 20% grade.

For those slow walkers or able-bodied companions who can continue on, the Loop Trail makes a nice fairly-easy day hike. It turns right (southeast) and drops to cross a bridge over the Muddy River. From here it decends for .5 mile (sometimes steeply) to rejoin the main trail at a suspension bridge. The casual walker should stop here as it becomes much more difficult beyond this bridge. From here you can retrace your steps back to the trailhead. Here's a great web site with photos on the Lava Canyon.

Other:
Accessible viewpoint; partially accessible picnic tables. Pine Creek Information Center on FS 90 18 mi past Cougar has accessible restrooms and water.

Cedar Flats Nature Trail #32

Directions:
Cedar Flats is 20 miles east of Cougar on Roads 90 and 25.

Features:
Cedar Flats Nature Trail takes you through a 1-mile loop forest of majestic western red cedar and Douglas fir trees that have lived undisturbed for hundreds of years growing on a terrace above the Muddy River. You will see everything from the high canopy through the understory of hardwoods like alder and maple to the lush forest carpet of ferns and mosses is in soft shades of green; soothing to the eye after viewing scenes of volcanic destruction. Discover how from death there is rebirth, as new seedlings rise up from and are nurtured by the decaying remnants of the fallen trees. Straight rows of larger trees probably grew on a nurse log that has long since disappeared.

Meta Lake Trail #210

Directions:
Highway 503 and USFS Road 90, approximately 52 miles to junction of USFS Roads 25 and 90.
Continue north (left) on USFS Road 25 another 25 miles to the junction USFS Roads 25 and 99.
Turn west (left) on USFS Road 99 and continue 9 miles to the junction of USFS Roads 26 and 99.
Turn west (left) on USFS Road 99 and continue 0.2 miles to the Meta Lake Viewpoint.

Features:
Meta Lake Trail #210 is a wheel chair accessible .25 mile (one way) trail that begins at Forest Rd. 99 Miners Car Viewpoint. From the Miner's Car, enjoy this paved trail through downed timber and discover small evergreen trees, fish and frogs that survived the eruption buried beneath snow and ice. Search for signs of beaver and other life that have returned to the blast area. This maintained trail follows a level grade to Meta Lake. The paved surface is 3 1/2 feet wide. The trail returns via the same route. This site is within the May 18, 1980, blast zone, about 8.5 miles from the volcano; to the northeast, the blast swept out to a distance of 13 miles.

Other:
The Forest Service has plans to reconstruct the trail at Meta Lake in 2004.

Lower Falls Recreation Area

Directions:
From I-5 at Woodland, take exit for SR 503. Take SR 503 past the town of Cougar. SR 503 changes to FS 90. Travel FS 90 to FS 9054 to campground. It is 60 miles from Woodland to the Lower Lewis River Falls.

Features:
River setting with short, accessible 0.16 mi trail to the lower falls.

Other:
Accessible restrooms. Partially accessible camping, picnic tables, and water (handpump). Click here for great photos and comments on this area.

Lewis River Trail #31 (Overview)

Directions:
Curly Creek Falls Trailhead can be reached by following Forest Service Hwy 90 at the east end of Swift Reservoir.Trailhead is where the North Fork of the Lewis River Crosses FR 9039 near Curly Creek Falls. This is a popular trailhead for Lewis River trail No. 321.

Crab Creek Trailhead is where Lewis River FR 90 and Lewis River trail No. 31 cross a mile or so downstream from Lower Falls Recreation Area.

Features:
This lowland trail follows the course of the Lewis River as it meanders through a magnificent old-growth forest of Douglas-fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple. Five spectacular waterfalls will delight you as you explore this route. The trail totals 14.4 miles in length, but can be accessed at five different points: Curly Creek viewpoint on Forest Road 9039, the Upper Lewis River bridge on Forest Road 90, Lower Falls Recreation Area on Forest Road 9054, Middle Falls Trailhead on Forest Road 90 and Quartz Creek Trailhead on Forest Road 90.

The trail description is broken into three sections. The first section is the barrier-free portion that takes you to views of Curly Creek and Miller Creek falls. The second section starts at Curly Creek viewpoint, heads north and ends at Lower Falls Recreation Area. The third section describes the trail from Lower Falls Recreation Area to the trail's end at its junction with Quartz Creek Trail #5. See this great website on this trail with photos.

Lewis River Trail #31 - Curly Creek Falls to Miller Creek Falls Trail

Directions:
Trailhead is located at Curly Creek Falls Road 9039 and has restrooms, viewing areas and is barrier-free for wheelchair access. The Curly Creek Road branches north off of the Lewis River Road #90. About 1/2 mile down the road, cross the Lewis River and then continue a short distance to the well-signed trailhead.

Features:
The Curly Creek to Miller Creek Falls Trail is a 1/8 mile (one way) wheelchair accessible trail. Catch a glimpse of the jade green Lewis River flowing through a basalt channel 50 feet below, marvel at Curly Creek as it cascades beneath two graceful lava rock arches, and Miller Creek as it plunges into the Lewis River over a moss and fern laden cliff. The forest here is regrowth from fires early in the century, so there aren't a lot of ancient trees here. In late summer some years, Curly Creek may be no more than a trickle. It's in spring that it can be seen and heard at its best.

Curly Creek is one of the most unique falls in the Northwest. As you can see from the picture, two arches have been cut from the eroding force of the water. This has happened because softer layers of rock erode faster that the more stubborn basalt (lava) rock that remains as the arches. The second arch is in the process of being cut. During peak water periods water can be seen shooting through and over the arches making this even more of a spectacle.

Lewis River Trail #31 - Lower Falls Campground to Forest Rd. 90 and Quartz Creek Trail #5

Directions:
Access this trail at the Lower Lewis Campground.

Features:
This easy 3.25 miles (one way) maintained trail might be OK for some walkers, but it is not considered accessible. It leaves the Lower Lewis Campground and climbs above the River through a 2nd-growth Douglas fir forest. It crosses Copper Creek and comes to Middle Falls. The trail circumvents a cliff above Upper Falls, providing excellent views to the Falls. It crosses Alec Creek and terminates on Forest Road 90, near Quartz Creek Trail #5. This part of the trail is not accessible. See the Curly Creek Falls trail above for the wheelchair accessible section of the Lewis River Trail #31. Rocks at the water's edge can be extremely slippery.

More Camping and Fishing

Along with hiking all the trails shown here, the Lewis River area is an excellent camping and fishing area. A potential base camp for your exploration of the trails is a newly renovated small campground at Merrill Lake. Camping is mostly walk-in, but there are a few accessible sites. There are also accessible restrooms and picnic tables, and a campground host site. This 114-acre Natural Resources Conservation Area (NRCA) consists of a forest cover of mixed conifers and hardwoods along a shoreline of statewide significance. There are several huge old growth Douglas fir. The NRCA is prime habitat for birds of prey, including osprey. A regionally popular fly fishing spot, Lake Merrill also has a boat launch. Start at I-5 exit 21 at Woodland. From Woodland, go E on SR 503 for 23 mi. Go N on Cougar Rd approximately 5.5 mi. Turn left on Forest Service Rd 81 and go 4.7 mi. Turn left for access road to camp. (The area is subject to flooding Winter and Spring.) The drive to Merrill Lake is spectacular. The 344 acre lake is surrounded by beautiful wooded hillsides. There is an ramp where you can launch your boat but internal combustion engines are prohibited. This lake contains coastal cutthroat, brown trout to several pounds, and some rainbow trout. Fly fishing only. Fishing is best in the evening. The lake is open year around. This site fills up fast and is on a first come first serve basis.

Lake Merwin has several day use and camping facilities run by Pacific Power. Merwin Park at Lake Merwin is a day use area consisting of 135 picnic tables, parking for 250 vehicles, and a beach swim area. Open year around. Speelyai Park at Lake Merwin is a day use area consisting of 25 picnic tables, parking for 250 vehicles, a two-lane boat ramp and a beach swim area. Cresap Bay Campground has 58 individual campsites, (lots of RV Sites)1 group campsite, restrooms and shower, 20 picnic tables, a two-lane boat ramp and a beach swim area. Turn off to the right at Jack's Store to go to Cresap Bay Campground and the Saddle Dam Recreation area.

Symbols

	An agency or a trip evaluation has rated all or part of the trail as wheelchair accessible.
	There is some terrain greater than a 5% grade. A wheelchair user may require assistance on portions of this trail. Suitable for power mobility devices.
	No Dogs are allowed on the trail.