Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake is on the shore of Silver Lake, 5 mi. e. of I-5 exit 49 to 3029 SR 504 (Spirit Lake Memorial Hwy.). A walk-in model of the volcano illustrates its composition; pictorial and interpretive material and a film highlight the May 18, 1980, eruption. A short trail outside the center leads to a viewpoint overlooking Silver Lake and, 34 miles east, Mount St. Helens. The vegetation along a 1-mile wetlands trail is representative of the local ecosystem's ongoing recovery.

Time: Allow 30 minutes minimum.