CANCELED - Mt. St. Helens Car Camp

Enjoy the two most popular hikes by Mt. St. Helens on the same weekend, camping Saturday night at beautiful Seaquest State Park. 

We meet Saturday at 9:30 AM at the Coldwater Lake Boat Launch parking lot, where each car must display a Northwest Forest Pass or National Park Pass, and hike from there to Sandy Beach at the north end of the lake, where we eat lunch and swim in the lake before returning by the same route.  Then we drive to Seaquest State Park, set up camp at two reserved adjoining campsites and have a camp dinner together, followed by smores roasted over a  campfire. and lively conversation before bedtime.

Sunday morning we will have a camp breakfast, pack up camp  and drive to  the Johnston Observatory parking lot, reassembling by the entrance to the Observatory.   From there we hike to Harry's Ridge, our lunch stop and turnaround point, where there is a magnificent view of both Mt. St. Helens and Spirit Lake, with Mt. Adams in the background.  If Johnston Observatory has reopened for the season, we will have time to visit it before driving home.  On the drive home, we will have the option to stop for a group dinner at the Fire Mountain Grill, eating on their covered deck overlooking the Toutle River.  It is located where a logging camp was located before the eruption.

Registration for this car camp is by registering for both of the related day hikes, in the DAY HIKE section of the web site.  Anyone registering for one of the day hikes must also register for the other one and participate in the Saturday night encampment at Seaquest State Park.  Compliance is monitored by requiring leader permission for the two day hikes.