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Washington

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

October 25, 2023 Raven About The Parks 4 Comments

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Washington

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

Established 1982

110,000 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/destination/mount-st-helens-national-volcanic-monument-0

Overview

Mt. St. Helens erupted Sunday, May 18, 1980 decreasing its elevation by 1,300 feet and depositing all of that material across the landscape as ash and a lahar (volcanic mudslide) claiming 57 human lives. The site is now protected as Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and is accessed from the east or west through Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Mt. St. Helens is geologically young as it began to form only 37,600 years ago. It is considered the most active volcano in the Cascade Range, with a major eruption in 1480 several times larger than that which occurred 500 years later, as well as written records that noted activity from 1800 to 1857. Prior to the most recent blast it was distinguished for its perfect cone shape, likened to the renowned outline of Mt. Fuji in Japan.

Highlights

Johnston Ridge Observatory, films, Forest Learning Center, Windy Ridge, Spirit Lake, Bear Meadows, Winds of Change Trail

Must-Do Activity

Coming from Mount Rainier National Park, we decided to visit the more remote eastern side of the National Monument (see Best Trail) on Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. From Interstate 5 on the volcano’s west side, Highway 504 leads east past an excellent visitor center (Milepost 5) at Seaquest State Park in Silver Lake (admission charged). Highway 504 next reaches the free Forest Learning Center managed by the Weyerhaeuser Company, Washington State Department of Transportation, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The road ends at Johnston Ridge Observatory (Milepost 52), which is known for its awesome views of Mt. St. Helens. We have been told not to miss the introductory films at the museum (admission charged). [Update: Highway 504 closed due to landslides at Milepost 43 in June 2023 and has not reopened yet.] Climbers need a permit to ascend Mt. St. Helens, but even from an overlook the scene is enough to fill one with an appreciation for nature’s awesome power.

Best Trail

After a breathtaking ascent of 361 steps, we reached a breathtaking view atop the aptly named Windy Ridge. It provided a panorama of the destruction wrought by the volcano, which is still visibly spewing smoke and cinders. Today the waters of Spirit Lake remain clogged with thousands of weathered snags, floating upon its surface like debarked, sun-bleached ghosts. Elsewhere the rate of reforestation has been astounding. Due to natural regeneration and planting efforts within Gifford Pinchot National Forest, millions of Douglas-fir, noble fir, and other trees are rapidly growing in the nitrogen-rich deposits, up to 100 feet deep in some places.

Instagram-worthy Photo

From Windy Ridge, the pale gray summit of the horseshoe-shaped volcano was still streaked in glacial ice on a warm September afternoon, the venting steam clearly visible against the deep blue sky.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.parks.wa.gov/245/Mount-St-Helens

Fees

Admission to Johnston Ridge Observatory is $8 per adult or free with an America the Beautiful Pass. At Seaquest State Park, a $5 per adult admission fee is charged to enter Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center operated by Washington State Parks in Silver Lake.

Road Conditions

The major roads (like Highway 504) are paved to viewpoints in Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. [Update: Highway 504 closed due to landslides at Milepost 43 in June 2023 and has not reopened, but Windy Ridge is still accessible.]

Camping

There is a campground in Seaquest State Park on Silver Lake near Interstate 5, plus dispersed camping is allowed in parts of Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Related Sites

Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)

Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (Washington)

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve (Oregon)

Explore More – Opened in 1997, Johnston Ridge Observatory is named for whom?

Washington

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

October 18, 2023 Raven About The Parks 5 Comments

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Washington

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

1,409,966 acres (1,321,506 federal/ 88,460 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot/

Overview

First set aside as Mt. Rainier Forest Reserve in 1897, nearly one-million acres were renamed Columbia National Forest in 1908. It became Gifford Pinchot National Forest in 1949 to honor the chief of the U.S. Division of Forestry (1898-1905) and first chief of the U.S. Forest Service (1905-1910). The Yale graduate studied forestry in Europe and his family founded the Yale Forest School (see Grey Towers National Historic Site). Gifford Pinchot National Forest borders the Columbia River to the south, across from Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest. It stretches north to Mt. Rainier National Park and contains 12,276-foot Mt. Adams (the state’s second tallest volcano) and Mt. St. Helens, which was designated a National Monument after its eruption on Sunday, May 18, 1980. There are 1,475 miles of trails and more than 4,000 miles of roads in the National Forest, so there is plenty to explore outside the volcanoes.

Highlights

Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Silver Star Scenic Area, Lower Falls of the Lewis River, Tatoosh Range, Packwood Lake, Quartz Creek, Ape Cave, Langfield Falls, Horseshoe Lake, Panther Creek Falls, Ice Cave, Mt. Adams, Midway High Lakes Area, Takhlakh Lake, Lava Canyon Trail, Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

We will cover Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in a separate post, so here we will focus on the National Forest’s other attractions. North of Mt. St. Helens, a half-mile trail follows Quartz Creek through an old-growth forest of huge Douglas-firs. To the south, check out Lava Canyon Trail and Cedar Flats Research Natural Area where old-growth western redcedar trees are draped in lichen. There are numerous waterfalls in the National Forest, including dual Panther Creek Falls that drops 175 feet side by side and the triple Falls Creek Falls that cascades 150 feet. This lush region is also known for its berry picking, especially the renowned Sawtooth Berry Fields.

Best Trail

Ape Cave is a lava tube located south of Mt. St. Helens, which at 2.5 miles is the third longest in North America. The cave is not named for a fossil discovery, but rather the local Boy Scout troop that explored its interior in the 1950s after its discovery. It is believed that the lava tube formed during a basaltic flow 1,900 years ago. Ape Cave Trail is a National Recreation Trail receiving approximately 170,000 visitors annually (a timed reservation is required). There are two layers to the cave, a smoother 0.8-mile upper level and a rougher 1.5-mile lower level that requires scaling an eight-foot lava wall. Bundle up if you visit, as the underground temperature is 42°F year round. The 650-foot-long Ice Cave is another lava tube known for its ice stalactites in spring (reservation required).

Watchable Wildlife

Located on the rainy side of the Cascades, Gifford Pinchot National Forest receives plenty of precipitation to feed its many rivers, including the glacier-fed White Salmon National Wild and Scenic River. Four species of fish identified as threatened inhabit this region’s waters: bull trout, steelhead, chinook salmon, and coho salmon. Another threatened species, the northern spotted owl requires buffer zones around its nests. Mammals of Gifford Pinchot National Forest include elk, black-tailed deer, black bears, bobcats, and several species of marmots. The wettest parts of the forest, especially in riparian corridors, have a variety of frogs, salamanders, and newts.

Instagram-worthy Photo

There are numerous waterfalls in this forest due to its high annual rainfall and steep elevation gradients.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

An America the Beautiful Pass or Northwest Forest Pass ($5 day use) is required at many parking areas in the National Forest, including Ice Cave and Ape Cave (where a timed reservation is required from recreation.gov).

Road Conditions

The major roads are paved to viewpoints in Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, but there are plenty of unpaved roads throughout the National Forest, some requiring high-clearance vehicles.

Camping

Iron Creek Campground north of Mt. St. Helens has two short trails, a quarter-mile trail through old-growth forest and one that follows a river 1.5 miles under a canopy of Douglas-fir and western redcedar. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the National Forest, and we have camped here to avoid the crowds while visiting the beautiful waterfalls of Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, part of Oregon’s Mt. Hood National Forest.

Wilderness Areas

Dark Divide Roadless Area

Glacier View Wilderness

Goat Rocks Wilderness (also in Wenatchee National Forest)

Indian Heaven Wilderness

Mount Adams Wilderness

Tatoosh Wilderness

Trapper Creek Wilderness

William O. Douglas Wilderness (also in Wenatchee National Forest)

Ross Lake National Recreation Area (Washington)

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (Washington)

Nearest National Park

Mount Rainier

Conifer Tree Species

Douglas-fir, western redcedar, Pacific silver fir, noble fir, subalpine fir, mountain hemlock, western hemlock, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine, Alaska yellow-cedar

Flowering Tree Species

balsam poplar, paper birch, willow, red alder, bigleaf maple, Pacific rhododendron

Explore More – In addition to the White Salmon River, which four other waterways in the National Forest have been recommended to be added to the Wild and Scenic River System?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

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Virginia, West Virginia

George Washington National Forest

October 11, 2023 Raven About The Parks 2 Comments

George Washington National Forest

Virginia, West Virginia

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region

1,795,084 acres (1,065,369 federal/ 729,715 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj

Overview

First established as the Shenandoah National Forest in 1918, George Washington National Forest covers portions of the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. It includes the northern 60 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and a significant stretch of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail south of Shenandoah National Park. The National Forest’s proximity to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore makes it a major recreation destination, particularly for trail runners. It is now co-managed with the more western Jefferson National Forest, together encompassing 230,000 acres of old-growth forests, 139,461 acres of Wilderness areas, and more than 2,000 miles of trails.

Highlights

Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area, Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway, Highland Scenic Tour, Massanutten Visitor Center, Sherando Lake, White Rock Creek Falls, Lake Moomaw, Woodstock Tower, Upper Shamokin Falls, Slacks Overlook, High Knob Fire Tower, Maple Flats, Bird Knob Loop Trail, Lion’s Tale National Recreation Trail, Waterfall Mountain Loop Trail, McDowell Battlefield Trail, Big Schloss Trail, Crabtree Falls Observation Trail, Story Book Trail, Pig Iron Loop Trail, Dragons Tooth Trail, Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway through George Washington National Forest is a must-do, but there are other attractions to be found in this ridgeline-running forest. Not far east off Interstate 81, it is a short drive up a gravel road to Woodstock Lookout Tower, where a short, flat trail accesses the metal structure that provides views of the Seven Bends of the Shenandoah River. Downhill on the eastern side of that ridge (and protected from freeway noise) is the free Little Fort Campground with nine campsites. There is a charge to ride the Peters Mill Gap and Taskers Run ATV/OHV trails (covering 40 miles) that leave from the campground. A one-mile hiking trail leaves from Campsite 8 and climbs up to Woodstock Tower.

Best Trail

Crabtree Falls Observation Trail (day use fee) is easy to access from paved State Route 56 east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are actually five waterfalls here with a total drop of 1,200 feet spread over a half-mile. The first overlook of the lower falls is only 500 feet from the parking lot and is handicap accessible. From there, the trail switchbacks up 1.7 miles one-way to a fourth and final view of the falls, then continues on another two miles to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail after gaining more than 1,000 feet in elevation.

Watchable Wildlife

Extensive sections of old-growth forest can be found in Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area and much of the Rich Hole and Ramsey’s Draft Wildernesses. This provides habitat for a healthy population of black bears, as well as white-tailed deer, bobcats, raccoons, river otters, martens, and weasels. Large birds found in George Washington National Forest include wild turkeys, turkey vultures, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and several types of hawks. Wetlands, like Maple Flats, are home to cricket frogs, painted turtles, spotted turtles, and many species of salamanders, such as marbled, Cow Knob, Cheat Mountain, Shenandoah, and tiger salamanders. Over 100 species of freshwater fish reside here, and fishing is popular activity in the Jackson River and 152-foot-deep Lake Moomaw.

Instagram-worthy Photo

With five major cascades dropping 1,200 feet in total, there are plenty of places to catch your breath and snap some photographs along the steep Crabtree Falls Observation Trail.

Peak Season

Spring and fall

Fees

There is a day use fee for hiking Crabtree Falls Observation Trail and riding the Peters Mill Gap and Taskers Run ATV/OHV trails.

Road Conditions

Parking at Crabtree Falls is paved and RV accessible, and the one unpaved road we took to Woodstock Tower and Little Fort Campground was in good shape.

Camping

There are many designated campgrounds found throughout George Washington National Forest, including the free, nine-site Little Fort Campground not far east off Interstate 81 (see Must-Do Activity). Although dispersed camping can be hard to find, we read there are sites on the four-wheel-drive road (SR 826) at the top of Crabtree Falls Observation Trail near where it meets the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Wilderness Areas

Barbours Creek Wilderness (also in Jefferson National Forest)

Priest Wilderness

Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness

Rich Hole Wilderness

Rough Mountain Wilderness

Saint Mary’s Wilderness

Shawvers Run Wilderness (also in Jefferson National Forest)

Three Ridges Wilderness

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (Virginia)

Jefferson National Forest (Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky)

Daniel Boone National Forest (Kentucky)

Nearest National Park

Shenandoah

Crabtree Falls Trailhead is used by AT thru-hikers

Conifer Tree Species

eastern hemlock, eastern white pine, shortleaf pine, Table Mountain pine, red spruce, eastern redcedar

Flowering Tree Species

tulip-poplar, American beech, shagbark hickory, white oak, black oak, northern red oak, rock chestnut oak, pin oak, yellow birch, gray birch, sweet birch, striped maple, red maple, black gum, sassafras, basswood, flowering dogwood, sourwood, cucumber magnolia, mountain laurel, quaking aspen, paper birch, witch hazel, dwarf willow, winterberry, rhododendron

Explore More – In 1972, what company sponsored the planting of the National Children’s Forest in a burned-out area east of Jordan Mines?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

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Montana

Gallatin National Forest

October 4, 2023 Raven About The Parks 6 Comments

Gallatin National Forest

Montana

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

2,151,461 acres (1,819,515 federal/ 331,946 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/custergallatin/home

Overview

Gallatin National Forest borders much of the north and west sides of Yellowstone National Park, providing important wildlife habitat in the Absaroka-Beartooth and Lee Metcalf Wilderness areas. The National Forest also contains portions of the Bridger Range and Crazy Mountains north of Bozeman and Interstate 90. The Gallatin Petrified Forest is only accessible by trail, either from a short two-mile one-way jaunt (that gains 650 feet of elevation) or by backpacking the 27-mile Gallatin Divide-Devils Backbone Trail. Free permits are available from Forest Service Ranger Stations to collect up to 20 cubic-inches of petrified wood each year. Since 2014, it has been co-managed as the Custer-Gallatin National Forest, stretching east into South Dakota.

Highlights

Earthquake Lake Visitor Center, film, Fairy Lake, Devils Slide, Flathead Pass, Big Timber Canyon, Palisade Falls, Spire Rock Campground, Natural Bridge, Kersey Lake, Hardscrabble Peak, Pine Creek Falls, Bridger Mountains National Recreation Trail, Spanish Creek Trail, Red Canyon Trail, Petrified Forest Interpretive Trail

Must-Do Activity

Earthquake Lake Geologic Area stretches along Highway 287 to commemorate the events that occurred around midnight on August 17, 1959 when a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit West Yellowstone, Montana. The strongest earthquake ever recorded in the Rocky Mountains caused a hillside to crumble and block the Madison River and form Quake Lake, which is still there today. Seiches (“lake tsunamis”) on Hebgen Lake and landslides claimed 28 lives and trapped hundreds campers. The next day, after Forest Service smokejumpers parachuted in to assist survivors, the most seriously injured were evacuated out by helicopter. Today there is an interpretive auto tour with multiple stops along the highway. In addition, a visitor center operates in the summer where they show a film and the 0.3-mile Landslide Trail has signs explaining the events and how the massive Memorial Boulder crossed from one side of the valley to the other in less than 20 seconds (see Instagram-worthy Photo).

Best Trail

Pine Creek Falls is located 1.3 miles from the Pine Creek Campground after a 400 foot elevation gain. The popular route first enters a burned forest then crosses a bridge over the creek at a half-mile before reaching the waterfall where most hikers turn around. The trail gets steeper as it continues another four miles to Pine Creek Lake climbing about 3,400 feet, including one grueling stretch that ascends 1,800 feet in only 1.3 miles.

Watchable Wildlife

There are more than 4,000 miles of streams and rivers in the National Forest, including major tributaries of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers. This makes Gallatin National Forest one of the premiere fly fishing destinations in the U.S. and also attracts bald eagles and ospreys. Due to its proximity to Yellowstone National Park, there are also gray wolves and grizzly bears. Other large mammals include elk, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, mountain lions, and black bears.

Instagram-worthy Photo

Memorial Boulder and Sister Boulder used to be located across the valley, but during the 1959 earthquake these six-million-pound dolomite slabs crossed the half-mile distance in less than 20 seconds.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The roads are paved up to the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center, Pine Creek Campground, and Big Sky Mountain Village (south of Bozeman). It is 13 miles (mostly unpaved) from Highway 89 to the Petrified Forest Interpretive Trail, and there is a free campground where Rock Creek Road dead ends at the trailhead. There are also many miles of four-wheel-drive roads to explore throughout the National Forest.

Camping

There are many campgrounds in Gallatin National Forest (like Eagle Creek just outside Gardiner on the northern border of Yellowstone National Park), as well as dispersed camping options.

Wilderness Areas

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (also in Custer and Shoshone National Forests)

Lee Metcalf Wilderness (also in Beaverhead National Forest)

Related Sites

Custer National Forest (Montana-South Dakota)

Big Hole National Battlefield (Montana)

Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest (Montana)

Nearest National Park

Yellowstone

Looking past a boulder to the lake that was created by the landside

Conifer Tree Species

lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, whitebark pine, subalpine fir, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce

Flowering Tree Species

quaking aspen, balsam poplar, cottonwood, alder, mountain maple, mountain ash

Explore More – Why was the National Forest named after Albert Gallatin?

Learn more about this and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Illinois

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

September 27, 2023 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Illinois

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Northern Region

20,283 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/midewin

Overview

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was established in 1996 and opened to visitors eight years later following some ecological restoration and decontamination. It is located on the site of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant that produced TNT from 1940 to 1976. In combination with neighboring Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area and other preserves, over 40,000 acres are protected in this area south of Chicago’s suburbs. Restoration of the tallgrass prairie is ongoing with planting and prescribed burning to promote the growth of native plants. In 2015, 27 bison were introduced on 1,200 acres and the herd has grown to more than 50. Midewin (pronounced “mi-DAY-win”) is a Potowatomi word referring to tribal healers.

Highlights

Midewin Welcome Center, Route 66, historic bunkers, bison herd

Must-Do Activity

The best place to start a visit is the Midewin Welcome Center on Highway 53, just south of the Southwest Bison Overlook. There you can read about the history of the area, pick up pamphlets on birds and wildflowers, and get information on the more than 30 miles of trails, including 21.7 miles open to bikers and equestrians. The 7,000 acres of accessible public lands are open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Best Trail

Several trails leave from the Iron Bridge Trailhead north of the visitor center. We took Group 63 Trail that starts in a forest then opens up as it accesses Bunker 63-1, which is unlocked for exploration. The entire trail makes a 3.5-mile loop around a group of bunkers following the northern border of the fenced-off bison pasture.

Watchable Wildlife

Midewin remains the only federal tallgrass prairie preserve east of the Mississippi River, restoring an extremely rare ecosystem that was mostly converted to agriculture. Golden gophers (or 13-lined ground squirrels) fill the ecological niche of prairie dogs here. Coyotes and white-tailed deer are also found in this area. In 2015, bison were introduced on 1,200 acres of the preserve, and the herd has increased from the original four bulls and 23 cows. A color pamphlet highlighting native birds is available at the visitor center and trailheads. In addition to songbirds, raptors like red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and short-eared owls can be seen. We came across a flock of turkeys near the turtle pond south of Hoff Road.

Instagram-worthy Photo

A turtle pond is accessible by walking a closed road one mile from the Hoff Road Trailhead.

Peak Season

Spring

Fees

None

Road Conditions

The main access roads are paved and the trailhead parking areas are gravel lots. Many of the trails are former roads, both paved and unpaved. At the Iron Bridge Trailhead, bicycles are available to rent as part of the 75 miles of trails following the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor.

Camping

There is no camping at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, as the public lands are only open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Campgrounds outside of Chicago include Starved Rock State Park, Illini State Park, Des Plaines Conservation Area, and across the state border at Indiana Dunes National Park.

Pullman National Historical Park (Illinois)

Cedar River National Grassland (North Dakota)

Nearest National Park

Indiana Dunes