Length: 10 Miles round trip
Elevation Change: 1770' Elevation gain / 700' loss which you regain on return
Season: Mid-Summer thru Mid-Fall
Difficulty: Challenging
Permit: NW Forest Pass Required
Volcano Alert
Call this number to see if this trail is closed: 360-449-7800
Features:
Now here is a hike that offers it all.
Even though it is relatively steep to
start, most of the hike is along an
outstanding ridge with absolutely
excellent vistas of Mt Rainier, Mt
Adams, Mt Margaret, and Mt St Helens.
In season, this hike is a living
flower garden with more beauty than
the eye can behold.
The hike begins along Forest Road 2612
near Ryan Lake. At first the trail
follows an old logging road, but it
quickly becomes purely a foot trail.
The trail is quite steep during the
first 2 miles as you climb through
dense forest to the ridge of Goat Mountain.
As you reach the ridge, you break out
into more open areas with incredible views.
In season the trail is surrounded by
beautiful floral displays. And no
matter the season, you eyes will wear
out absorbing the views.
The trail follows westward along the south
side of the ridge line of Goat Mountain.
There is a visible users trail to the
top of Goat Mountain, but this CD does
not cover that. As your walk west on
this trail Mt St Helens becomes hidden
by the Mt Margaret formation that lies
between Mt St Helens and the Green River
Valley below you.
As you walk along this portion of the
trail you will see stark evidence of
boundary of the Mt St Helens destruction.
When you arrived on top of the Goat
Mountain ridge you are walking through
an area that never was damaged by the
1980 event. But at about 3 miles, you
walk right out into the open where the
blast forces killed everything.
At about 4 miles, the trail switches
sides of the ridge. Crossing over the
ridge to the north side, you gain
additional vistas to the north and
northeast. As you walk over the
crest of the ridge line, you will
clearly see the terminus of the
Mt St Helens blast zone.
At this point, the trail
begins its descent to Deadmans Lake.
About half way down the ridge, the
trail enters a dense young forest.
You never break out of the forest, until
you are standing on the lake shore. The
east and south sides of the lake have
excellent vistas.
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