Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the local Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
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A mountain, 12 mi northeast of Cougar
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 611K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Vancouver, 44 miles southwest. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Portland
Portland is about 51 miles southwest and Seattle is about 98 miles north (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 65–78°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Cougar. Green months are the mild ones.
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the local Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It lies 52 miles (83 km) northeast of Portland, Oregon, and 98 miles (158 km) south of Seattle. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from that of the British diplomat Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- Type
- Mountain
- Elevation
- 8,363 ft
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (2013)
- Wikipedia readers
- 611K a year
Where to stay near Mount St. Helens
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Cougar (3) and Mossyrock (4), and Vancouver has the most rooms in the area (40).
Cougar
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
151 people
12 mi southwest of Mount St. Helens
Vancouver
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
199,698 people
44 mi southwest of Mount St. Helens
Compare 4 towns
| Town | From Mount St. Helens | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cougar | 12 mi southwest | 20 min | 3 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 151 | — | — |
| Mossyrock | 27 mi northwest | 40 min | 4 4 campgrounds | 806 | $280K | — |
| Morton | 25 mi north | 40 min | 2 2 motels | 1,102 | $301K | — |
| Vancouver | 44 mi southwest | 1 hr | 40 33 hotels · 2 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 199,698 | $462K | D |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Mount St. Helens
Other well-known places within 62 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
16 mi LakeSpirit Lake
Big draw62 mi MountainMount Hood
22 mi Park & preserveMount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
43 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
34 mi Canyon & gorgeApe Canyon
33 mi MountainMount Adams
52 mi Stadium & arenaModa Center
50 mi National ParkMount Rainier National Park1.6M visitors a yearPhoto credits
Spirit Lake: Matt Logan, Public domain · Mount Hood: Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory., Public domain · Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: Lyn Topinka, Public domain · Multnomah Falls: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Ape Canyon: Caroline, CC BY 2.0 · Mount Adams: USGS Photo by R. Iverson, USGS/CVO, Public domain · Moda Center: Lugnuts, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Rainier National Park: Ricardo Martins from Gent, Belgium, CC BY 2.0
Visiting Mount St. Helens
What town is Mount St. Helens near?
Cougar, WA, about 12 miles southwest.
When is the best time to visit Mount St. Helens?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 65–78°.
How far is Mount St. Helens from Portland and Seattle?
About 51 miles southwest of Portland and about 98 miles north of Seattle, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Mount St. Helens?
Portland (PDX), about 47 miles away.
Where should I stay near Mount St. Helens?
Cougar (12 mi, 3 places to stay), Vancouver (44 mi, 40 places to stay) and Mossyrock (27 mi, 4 places to stay).
Tips from people in Cougar
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Cougar’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.