With Mount St. Helens in the news for its puffs of steam and seismic fidgeting, this could be the time to consider a trip to see the volcano and the rest of the stunning scenery that fills southwestern Washington.
www.fs.fed.us./gpnf/mshnvm
Your main Internet destination is the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, a source of information on just about everything you’ll want to know. There are links to everything from the weather and hiking trail conditions to panoramas, waterfalls and campgrounds. Click on “Attractions” for details on what there is to see on all sides of the mountain. And be sure to check out the photo gallery and “Live VolcanoCam,” for days when the volcano isn’t obscured by fog.
vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/framework.html
If you want to sample technical information about the volcano, the Cascades Volcano Observatory has a set of links where you can check current status reports, read about the 1980 eruption and get a sample of seismograph readings.
www.fs.fed.us/gpnf
Admiring Mount St. Helens isn’t the only thing to do in the area. The national monument sits within sprawling Gifford Pinchot National Forest, where you can camp, hike and try your luck with the local fish. Some hiking or mountain climbing may be restricted because of the volcano’s activity. Check out “Panoramas” for a collection of wide-angle views of the scenery.
www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/tourism/Commty/Commty.htm
www.lewisriver.com
Mount St. Helens also sits in Cowlitz County, where you’ll find directories of places of stay and links to related sites, including one for the scenic North Fork of the Lewis River and a Mount St. Helens photo gallery.
www.tourlewiscounty.com
On the north side of the volcano, Lewis County offers hiking, camping, fishing and hundreds of miles of scenic mountains, streams and forest. Its cities, including Centralia and Chehalis, offer additional places to stay.
www.southwestwashington.com
Broaden your travel plans to the surrounding region with the help of Southwest Washington, where you can plan visits to historical sites, golf courses and outdoor adventures.
www.funbeach.com
And for getting away from the mountains, look for Southwest Washington’s link to the Long Beach Peninsula, where you can fly awesome kites on the beach, dig for clams, see a Wild Mushroom Festival and visit the spot where the Lewis and Clark Expedition finally reached the Pacific.
Roger Petterson, Associated Press
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