---
id: "2237"
name: Spirit Lake Memorial Highway
distance: "51.7"
duration: 2 hours to drive, 1 day to explore
description: This byway takes travelers through land devastated by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens into the very heart of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
path:
  - oeoyG`bcmV}BeDe@o@KQIKiA_Be@s@MQoDsF}BcD_BqAaAg@oAg@oAYeBQ[AqIQwBEGAuA?cACaBGQAeBYaBe@uAy@q@q@qBkBS[aFcIsAoAc@_@g@a@aA_@[MgBi@}Bs@iBu@cAgA}AsAyAsBqDaFs@oA_AqB}CeG}AwDm@sBY_Ai@oC[gBWsCAICeACaA@iCBuAVgC@GZ{BDWfDuOReCFkC?wPBeCLqBj@eGp@mF\yCj@eBp@}AbAqBvAmAFGfGaFbDmCxIwGpIsGfBaBdBsBnCwDT]hCcEfC{Er@uBr@}Bd@oDVgDN_DPkDD}@?IHyCDaDKgC]oDO_Bo@mGQmBOmE@wG?eB@{C@_O@eA?sC@{A?w@DgDJoBf@mClA_Ej@iApAwC@GTk@p@eBBGZcCPgBH_ABaCFiDMkDYoBWuAmAkD_CcDqByB}@aA_CgCa@c@uA_BOU??[i@KQMY[{@[cAWmAOoAGu@Cy@AaA@uAJmCLeED{B?sEK}DCi@Cg@Co@Gw@KoAMgA_@kCu@eEaAwFCQGa@G_@C[Ga@EgAAQAM?U?[?]@_@@a@Bc@@[LcBDk@@_@Bg@@_@?a@?y@Ae@Aa@Ac@Gw@E_@CWOcAKq@Sy@I_@Ww@O_@M[Ue@OYGKYi@OUq@_AMQsBmCuDiF{@yAeCcDoBqCeE_GGIsEsE}BsBiCgBy@a@eAOmOYuACkD]cBy@k@UUO[So@m@OQWYY_@k@_A_@u@Q_@Qc@So@KYW_AWcA]}DC[Eq@KwAEgBC_BAgA@iBDqABkB?uAE}@Cm@Gu@M}@OaAGWMi@Qq@{@cCaBiEmHmScAeCeAkAyNwPcBiCe@qBg@uCOiCq@wL[oFMyBQiFCoFD{P@sC?cCCkAE_AImAO{Am@aEuAwIsAyJ_CiNw@qEO}@[yBWgBMgAEiAEsAAqA@gJ?wG@uI?OMcDCg@Ek@OuA{@qGWmBc@gDOcAKw@AIi@yEg@cEIk@c@{Da@cGaAmPUaDEc@Q}@Sk@Sc@{@qAq@u@gM_P{KqNe@m@aFsGqGiIqD_FoBaDgBeD_G_MaBmDsBqEuBgEcBwC[g@kAeBkEeGiE_GqDeFaBcByAaAgBu@eB]_D]wA]aBs@mAy@yBgBuAw@mA_@aAUu@ImAEaC?cDAwAMeAWmAc@cAg@gAy@mAoAcAqAuIqLgGoIeDsEeHqJ[a@wIqKkAiBe@y@gAgD{AqHeCcNkC}NOy@c@iDOwC@{CRyJV_NPqGP}HLiF?_@HiDV_MFkCNcGNsGD}AJ_BLqAZiBf@{ChByKtAgId@qCvAoInBiKnAqGr@qDf@eBh@yA^w@hAuB`BuCj@sAb@uAXuARyALgBDyACkBI}AO_Bc@mD[_CUqA]oAa@eAg@aAw@iAoLaOoMiPs@y@q@i@s@c@mCcAaC}@yAm@y@i@o@i@k@q@e@q@o@kAe@cAe@iA_@gAYgAScAWyAOyAKqAGgB?cB?eB@{FC_BEwAMsAOuAMu@Ii@]wA]qAk@gBkCoIa@oA[}@K[[u@g@_Ae@u@{@cAoAwAk@w@e@w@a@}@_@gAW{@Qu@qAsFi@{Be@yAa@aAe@w@y@kAy@kA[k@_@s@[}@YgAQ_AK{@KiAEuA?y@BeA@oABcCAaAEeAGw@K}@Q}@W_Ac@qAaAkCUw@Q_AK_AIiAAcA@_B?qAA}@Ew@McAKg@EUMc@EOa@cA]o@e@o@i@g@aCeBa@]a@c@[e@w@mA{AcCq@iAa@y@Yy@g@eBkAgEe@eBS}@O}@Gy@Ey@?s@@aADs@Hu@Jm@Lo@Ts@Vq@\o@`@k@lBkCt@eAd@s@f@q@|@mAj@m@ZWj@_@PIRKj@Un@Ot@Ix@E|@FlAHrE`@J@|ALvCJpEDjB?xAGpB]tB_@jDo@tBa@t@Sx@]t@a@jAy@pAaAf@_@h@q@Vg@l@}APy@N}@JgA?{@Q_CWsDSwASyAW}AScAWy@m@qAuBcEgBiDwBgEkA{BiAeBsAiBiBiCgBeCeBcC{@oAg@eA]}@YeAQcAOmAKqAAaA?cADsAJiAVeCTaCPmBJ}@HmAFaABcABuA?{@CmACs@C}@Eu@Gy@KaAK{@OiA{@cGWaBe@gCE[Kg@i@kDIo@W_Bg@}Co@yDm@aDWoAeA}FQkAKoACoA@sAD_BLoAVyAdBoHVsAP{AHuA?eCQkESeEIiB?yABw@Fy@LcATiARq@n@aB|@sB|@{Bb@sAViARwALwAViJ\_LJoBN_BRyAVkAP{@Rs@\cA`@aA`@y@`@s@bA{AbBcB`BcBj@u@x@oAn@qAv@uB`@}Ah@aCd@sBXmAZeAb@iAVm@Zm@f@y@f@u@j@q@r@s@p@i@fAu@|AiAl@m@z@aAtB_DvByC\a@^_@l@g@h@_@d@[z@c@tAc@`B]pBe@tAg@nAo@x@i@lA}@tAsArAeB`A{AjA{B~@}B~A_EXm@BEv@sA`@k@j@u@n@q@b@a@b@_@v@k@`Ao@h@Wn@Un@Qv@Qh@Gf@GhAIxA?h@@bALbAPfATlAVt@Jf@@`@Ad@At@Mx@Wf@Uv@g@v@u@j@s@zEeIxDwGxCeF~@}Ab@m@^g@j@o@p@m@nA_AhAw@b@[\Yj@k@p@u@\g@Xe@d@}@`@{@f@}Ad@{AdByG`AsDn@mB^_Aj@gAZi@b@k@r@}@`AoAxAkBjA_Bj@cAn@oAvAwCbCgFrCkGtCiHfAoChA{CrC_IhEsKlC{GxAqDpCcHvCwIzAiFv@yCZuAPgAFq@F}@DaA?cACkAIkASwBScCMsAk@cGW{A]sA_@kAc@cAm@cAm@{@{AuB_AoAe@w@a@{@Yu@Sq@Me@Ou@OmAKoAEcAMiKAk@AmAIwAEm@Eg@O{AUeBmA}FkBqIkAmFaAuFiA{G_AeHc@oDc@oDSqCIoCAyB@{AFeBL{AN}AVeBXgBx@mDjAwE`@mBN{@LmAFqAB{B@}FAaGOwKMiFCa@AYIsCCqBDuBJqBR{Ab@mCZiATo@J]L[Pc@T_@^m@\i@x@kAv@cAj@y@\i@`@s@`@w@`@w@t@iBTi@^gAb@{Ax@oCfSkr@pAmEn@yBp@}Br@cCVcARcAN}@LgAHgADcABs@?{@?y@Cy@Eo@IgAMiAMu@S}@[qA[_AYs@a@w@Yg@]i@e@m@e@g@qC}BuAoAe@c@_@k@[a@]m@s@wA_@}@Sm@_@mAQu@Ka@QeAQmAGi@C[OmBCm@CeB?w@@{@B_AHqAL}ARyATuAXqAZeAh@wAVq@p@sAd@s@V_@d@m@j@i@z@s@b@]n@]f@Wx@[|@Wl@Kt@I|@Gv@?t@DfAJl@Nh@Nn@TzAp@pChA`R~HrAf@tB~@x@Xr@`@d@\h@n@t@|@pA`B^d@b@b@b@X`@Rl@Rl@Hf@Bb@An@It@Ud@Wj@g@h@k@Zi@Vi@Pc@Ro@Jg@Hm@Jy@d@uE~@cJ\_D`@aEHeADy@J}B`@uKNgD@_@^kJ^aJDy@H}@No@Lc@Tm@N[T_@RU\_@h@]z@c@zBaAz@a@p@YPI??`@Yf@e@T]Ze@Pe@L_@H_@Ha@F[Dc@Di@Bg@?k@Cu@KoAIkAIcAEs@Cc@AgA@w@HoAl@oHf@mG\cEL_BHeADw@@iACy@Cs@Gw@KgAS_AYcA[aAa@{@_@m@a@m@_AqAmCwDoBsCe@o@Yi@S_@Sa@g@oA]gA[kAOq@Ou@O}@MiAMyAEaACq@A{@?{AB}AFmAHkAJ{@Hk@TuAPaAd@_B^gAfA{Cr@{Bn@_C`@iBf@iCf@kDLeARqBHcALiCH}CBaA@gAAaCEyBEyAIyAKaBIeASqBUmBW_BQ_A[}AyAuGIg@Mw@KcACm@CeA?_AB_AH_AFs@Ny@P{@V}@\}@Xk@Zg@`@g@RUXWRMh@]f@S\Od@Kd@I^E\Ab@?\@p@Lt@TfBp@lAf@lAd@vAd@xAXlBLpACrAOzAS~AWxCe@jAE|@AdABf@FtARz@Vz@ZnChAjAf@r@Xj@N\D\B\@f@Al@Ip@Qr@[`@Ul@g@j@o@\m@h@eAf@mAnDqIjAsCl@}ATy@Nm@Nq@Ju@LqABu@Bw@@gBE{AGy@Iy@SmAQu@Uy@Sm@Sk@e@_Ac@s@c@o@a@e@_@]??YS_Ac@s@Wg@Mc@Gq@Eg@Aq@B}ANa@@W@U?c@Ga@Ic@Q[UWQQUQUSYgCqDo@{@g@g@c@Yk@_@q@Ws@SuBq@wAc@mBm@yBq@sAc@kCu@eA_@[MUIOIUQ]_@a@m@Wi@Qa@Mg@Mo@Kw@CWAe@Aa@?Y@_@Bi@Fw@Fc@HYr@oDLm@Jk@Du@@]@k@Cu@Cg@Gk@Ic@Kc@Oe@Qg@KUOWS[USSOUQm@]aD}Am@]g@_@]_@SWU]OWKSSe@I[I[I_@Ie@Iw@Gw@Ao@Ac@@e@Bm@Fm@Ho@Po@Lg@Tm@Vi@R_@PWX[b@_@d@[|AeAhIuF^Y`@[\c@^m@Vs@Tw@N{@Hy@B}@?w@Es@Go@G_@S}@Qg@Wm@QYMQQQs@m@m@a@iAu@_Aq@wA_Ai@g@e@k@Sa@Wg@Qc@So@Qq@Mq@Ge@Ce@Ce@Ae@?_@Bk@Fw@Hq@L_ALm@Ro@p@aBrBqEhBcE`@y@T[NSRUVUZUZSXK^KZGVCZA\?XBVDVHn@XpB`AfBv@\Lb@Jh@D^@VA^ETERGVIZOVOXUX[f@s@NYXs@Pe@Li@Ls@\cCb@}CN{@Le@Ja@Ne@Vg@Ra@P[fBoCv@kA\k@Pa@Pa@L_@Ja@Lo@LaADu@Bs@?w@Ao@Ea@Ei@Io@Mm@Og@Uo@_@{@kAiC??q@yAk@{AUy@Me@Qw@Ou@My@Kw@M{AU{DG}@Ky@UiAUu@Qe@Ue@[g@Y[_@_@[U_@SSGWK]Ic@Ea@A]@[Dg@H_@NYN[R_@\{@x@yDxDy@|@g@`@_@TUL_@N[H]Dk@Bk@As@Ko@UYOc@[[[]c@c@w@Yo@So@Oo@Ic@Ge@Gy@Co@GmEEsEGcFEoAMqAM{@ScASs@Um@Si@u@oAYa@[]k@i@[W_@S]Qc@QqDkAa@O_@S]SWQUS]a@w@gAe@{@e@cAk@wAQk@Mo@Mo@Gg@KmAEu@A_A?q@?o@Bq@Bm@Dq@Fk@N}@Jm@T{@Po@^}@b@}@d@y@Z_@Z]TU`@[x@i@`Ae@hAi@vAm@d@UzAq@zAs@zAw@tAw@v@e@^W`BgAbBiAnBsArBuAj@g@v@s@v@}@fAyA`A}An@qAh@mAVm@Zw@ZeAj@qBh@gCpAqGb@{BPy@h@sCTuADWHUHOFIHG??IFGHINITEVQEo@K_AOSCW@[JSNMPMRIXEd@Ad@Dh@J`@R\^\nErDXVTTRXFNJXHf@@`@?ZC^I^m@fBo@lBkH~SOZe@v@SXq@n@aAl@kBbAk@X_@^W`@Wh@On@Ir@En@@p@Bj@Jx@Tt@Xj@\`@b@\n@Rh@Dl@Gn@Wj@i@vAqB|BcDbCgDl@{@lA{A`BkBjEoEh@a@\Sd@STEl@In@?j@Dh@JzCr@fCj@fB\~@Fr@Dv@@p@?r@Cx@Gt@I`AQdAYjCaApBu@r@YbAa@l@Un@W`A_@p@W??`Bo@\Ob@Wd@Yf@a@j@m@h@o@`A}AXe@R]P]P]
  - "{moyGr|giV~@{A^eA\\eALuAJ{DRaCrAiE\\{ANyAv@mIZaChAyCdFkG~@oAf@mAj@kCDmBIsB_@wB{@eBuCeE{AwCyAcFi@_EUkDUyGM_CWuGs@oHmDiVmFak@m@eF_CmPk@kS_ByOSuH[{Ec@_Gg@mIGqLd@cJzAcKxEcYnE_T|E}T|@eEz@yCnB{CjIyGp@cBXaBHaB?kJEiD^qBr@sA|Aq@rB^x@tAp@fB|BdHh@dE^`B|EjKVvBCpBOhBaA~BmCfDqAlB}EfPsBdGiBlDa@lA_@rBG~AJdBb@hCb@jCNfB@dRPfBxDnTlAfGl@`B`@n@pBtCb@`An@bCjCbL~@|F`@tENjB`@fB\\h@j@Vv@@l@[f@q@ToAAmAcCyISsA@eBPoA`AgDXeAHa@?e@As@a@qAwBgCk@oAGuAHcAh@iBpAkELq@DiA?uDBiBHs@Rs@h@{@n@g@r@WTW"
organization:
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/mount-st-helens-west-state-highway-504
    name: "Mount St. Helens West: State Highway 504"
  - url: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/alerts/road/504
    name: Spirit Lake Memorial Highway
websites:
  - url: https://www.scenicwa.com/spirit-lake-memorial-highway-mount-st-helens
    name: Scenic Washington
  - url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_State_Route_504
    name: Wikipedia
attractions:
  - url: https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/sr-504-south-coldwater-slide-spirit-lake-outlet-bridge-washout
    name: 2023 South Coldwater Slide
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/castle-lake-viewpoint-observation-site
    name: Castle Lake Viewpoint
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/site-coldwater-lake-picnic-and-boating-area
    name: Coldwater Lake Picnic and Boating Area
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/viewpoint-elk-rock
    name: Elk Rock Viewpoint
  - url: https://www.weyerhaeuser.com/company/values/citizenship/mount-st-helens/
    name: Forest Learning Center
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/johnston-ridge-observatory
    name: Johnston Ridge Observatory
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/loowit-viewpoint
    name: Loowit Viewpoint
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/national-monuments/mount-st-helens
    name: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
  - url: https://parks.wa.gov/mount-st-helens-visitor-center
    name: Mount St. Helens Visitor Center
  - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/recreation/science-and-learning-center-coldwater
    name: Science and Learning Center at Coldwater
  - url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toutle_River_Sediment_Retention_Structure
    name: Toutle River Sediment Retention Structure
designations:
  - National Forest Scenic Byway
  - Washington State Scenic Byway
states:
  - WA
ll:
  - -122.90098007879917
  - 46.28584975762476
bounds:
  - - -122.90098007879917
    - 46.233166
  - - -122.184541
    - 46.37853

---

Spirit Lake Memorial Highway takes travelers through land shattered by Mount St. Helens' eruption in 1980. Because the valley floor is now so unstable, the highway is cut into the tops of the hillside and offers sweeping views of the surrounding area. The highway concludes after 54 miles at Mount St. Helens National Monument with the dramatic spectacle of Mount St. Helens gaping crater.

Early in the century Spirit Lake Memorial Highway began as an uneven wagon track. In the 1930s the road was paved and ended at the pristine, serene Spirit Lake, the highway's namesake. The life-changing eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 annihilated the upper half of the road and mudflows devastated miles of the lower portion. The highway was rebuilt and reopened in 1992. Despite the highway's name, the road now ends high on Johnston Ridge before the visitor has a chance to get a good look at Spirit Lake, but allowing a striking view of the volcano itself.

This scenic byway is truly a memorial to its surroundings. Visitors will not lack for sights and activities to keep them busy at the five visitor centers that line the highway. Each center covers different aspects of Mount St. Helens eruption, from the events that led up to the blast to the recovery of trees and animals. The spectacular, sometimes stricken landscape surrounding the highway reminds visitors of the raw energy the earth can unleash.

On May 14, 2023, "South Coldwater Slide", a mudslide and debris flow, destroyed the  Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge and cut off the access to Johnston Ridge Observatory. Efforts to construct a temporary bypass failed and the U.S. Forest Service decided to focus on the permanent reconstruction of the road that is planned to be completed in April 2027. Until then the road is closed at the milepost 45 to motorized traffic.