Circle Hike of Mount St. Helens

September 1997

A blueberry patch on a southern slope of Mt. St. Helens

Trail Description:

This most interesting trail circles Mount St. Helens, allowing you to experience the effects the 1980 eruption had on the mountain and the surrounding area. It is a challenging hike across rock fields, canyons of every size, many dry washes and gullies, and chunky lava flows. Most of this trail is at or above timberline. There is no water at the trail heads and water availability on the trail is limited.

A chunky lava flow

Trail Facts:

• Loowit Trail #216 Length: 27 miles One Way
• Side Trails Total Length: 9.8 miles Loop
• Total Distance Hiked: Loowit Trail #216, Side Trails Length, and Feeder Trail: 36.8 total miles
• Hiking days: 2.5 days
• Total Elevation Gain: 5,000 feet plus
• Lowest Point: 3160 feet
• Highest Point: 4900 feet

The 750 feet climb up Castle Ridge

Trail: Loowit Trail #216

Trail Segments:

Butte Camp Trail #238A to Ptarmigan Trail #216A segment

• Length: 2.2 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4700 to 4800 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

Ptarmigan Trail #216A to June Lake Trail #216B segment

• Length: 3.1 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4700 to 3400 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Difficult

June Lake Trail #216B to Ape Canyon Trail #234 segment

• Length: 4.7 miles One Way
• Elevation: 3400 to 4200 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

Ape Canyon Trail #234 to Windy Trail #216E

• Length: 3.7 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4200 to 4850 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

Windy Trail #216E to Castle Ridge Trail #216G Segment

• Length: 7.8 miles One Way
• Elevation: 3800 to 4560 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

Castle Ridge Trail #216G Segment to Sheep Canyon Trail #240

• Length: 2 miles One Way
• Elevation: 3250 to 4700 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

Sheep Canyon Trail #240 to Butte Camp #238A Segment

• Length: 3 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4700 to 4800 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Easy

Looking down on the mile-wide lahar from the Loowit Trail

Loowit Trail #216 Side Trails:

June Lake Trail #216B to June Lake

• Length: .3 miles One Way
• Elevation: 3160 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Easy

Loowit Falls Trail to Loowit Falls

• Length: .3 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4400 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Easy

Ape Canyon Trail #234 to Ape Canyon

• Length: .3 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4200 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Easy

Abraham Trail #216D and Truman Trail #207 to Windy Ridge Trail head Forest Road 99

• Length: 4.0 miles One Way
• Elevation: 4000 to 4500 feet above sea level
• Difficulty: Moderate

|| Return to backpacking at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument ||

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