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Harry's Ridge Trail

Parent Category: Hiking
Created: 20 March 2014

 

Location Harry's Ridge (#1.7), South Cascades -- Mt. St. Helens, USFS Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Roundtrip 8 miles
Elevation Gain 200 ft
Highest Point 4400 ft
Additional Information

 Northwest Forest Pass required; NO dogs allowed

Photo from Mount St. Helens Area, Harry's Ridge TrailPictures below will take you on a virtual tour along Harry’s Ridge Trail. Get panoramic views of the mountains and Spirit Lake!


Description:

Photo from Mount St. Helens Area, Harry's Ridge TrailHarry’s Ridge Trail is an incredible route that offers stunning views of the result and devastation from the eruption.  This hike takes its visitors in the heart of the eruption. Hikers enjoy the breathtaking and scary views of the crater. Most the way the trail takes hikers over the crater to Harry’s Ridge. This ridge offers spectacular views of Mount St. Helens’ crater, Spirit Lake and Mount Adams.

One part of the trail is sketchy; the trail runs along a steep hillside, but the views of Mount St. Helens from this part of trail are incredible.

Photo from Mount St. Helens Area, Harry's Ridge TrailThe trail was named after Harry Randall Truman. This 83-year old man was the owner and the operator of the Mount St. Helens Lodge at Spirit Lake. The man refused to evacuate in 1980 when the volcano became active. Unfortunately, Harry and his lodge didn’t survive and were buried under 150 feet of rock and ash.

Nowadays Spirit Lake is located 200 feet higher than it was before the 1980 eruption. The basin of the lake was covered with rocks and ash from Mount St. Helens. But today this beautiful alpine lake is full of life. In most cases the fish was returned to the lake by people, though restocking of the lake was against official policy.

Photo from Mount St. Helens Area, Harry's Ridge TrailIn the right season, this trail will open great possibilities to enjoy wildlife. For example, elk come into the valleys for the night, they feed and rest here.

It goes without saying that Harry’s Ridge Trail is a great hike with wonderful possibilities for taking pictures, for relaxation on the famous Harry’s Ridge and for elk feeding.

These pictures were taken on July 18, 2013

 

These pictures were taken on July 04, 2017

Map:

In order to get directions, click on the link below

Photo: Roma Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Pavlo Petryshyn, Juliana Voitsikhovska

Information: Marina Petrova