Mount St. Helens Medley #1 Butte Camp

Activity Notes

This is one of 6 hikes we will do on July 20th to 25th. Come and camp in the area or drive up and meet us there. We will leave the Cougar Washington Rest Area at 9:30

Mileage:7.5  Elevation:1700  Drive:30  Meeting Location: Cougar Rest Area

 This 7.5-mile round-trip hike follows Butte Camp Trail #238A from Red Rock Pass trailhead to the Loowit Trail junction, starting with a climb through a 1,900-year-old lava bed with majestic views of Mt. St. Helens before descending into forests of pine and fir dotted with lupine, beargrass, and wildflowers. The route crosses ancient lava flows covered with seasonal huckleberries, climbs gradually to Lower Butte Camp's inviting meadow with water and camping opportunities, then ascends through switchbacks in old-growth mountain hemlock and noble fir forest with views of Mount Hood and the Lewis River valley. The trail levels into parkland before reaching the alpine meadow at the Loowit Trail junction, where hikers enjoy spectacular views of Mt. St. Helens decorated with thousands of colorful wildflowers and Mt. Hood in the distance, making this an excellent turnaround point that offers impressive ecosystem variety and volcanic landscapes in a relatively moderate 1,700-foot elevation gain to 4,750 feet.