Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake is a lake in Skamania County, Washington, United States, located north of Mount St.
A lake, 17 mi northeast of Cougar
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is Ashford, 34 miles north. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Portland
Portland is about 57 miles southwest and Seattle is about 94 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.
Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake is a lake in Skamania County, Washington, United States, located north of Mount St. Helens. It was a popular tourist destination for many years until Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. Previously there had been six camps on the shore of Spirit Lake: Boy Scout (Camp Spirit Lake), the Girl Scout Camp at Spirit Lake, two YMCA camps (Camp Loowit, and Portland YMCA camp), Harmony Fall Lodge, and another for the general public. There were also several lodges accessible to visitors, including Spirit Lake Lodge and Mt. St. Helens Lodge. The latter was owned and operated by Harry R. Truman, a noted victim of the volcano's 1980 eruption.
- Type
- Lake
- Elevation
- 3,409 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 52K a year
Where to stay near Spirit Lake
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Cougar (3) and Mossyrock (4), and Ashford has the most rooms in the area (23).
Ashford
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
319 people
34 mi north of Spirit Lake
Compare 4 towns
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Spirit Lake
Other well-known places within 66 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw16 mi MountainMount St. Helens
Big draw66 mi MountainMount Hood
24 mi Park & preserveMount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
31 mi MountainMount Adams
48 mi WaterfallMultnomah Falls
35 mi Canyon & gorgeApe Canyon
44 mi National ParkMount Rainier National Park1.6M visitors a year
57 mi Stadium & arenaModa CenterPhoto credits
Mount St. Helens: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain · Mount Hood: Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory., Public domain · Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: Lyn Topinka, Public domain · Mount Adams: USGS Photo by R. Iverson, USGS/CVO, Public domain · Multnomah Falls: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA, CC BY 2.0 · Ape Canyon: Caroline, CC BY 2.0 · Mount Rainier National Park: Ricardo Martins from Gent, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · Moda Center: Lugnuts, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Visiting Spirit Lake
What town is Spirit Lake near?
Cougar, WA, about 17 miles southwest.
When is the best time to visit Spirit Lake?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 65–78°.
How far is Spirit Lake from Portland and Seattle?
About 57 miles southwest of Portland and about 94 miles north of Seattle, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Spirit Lake?
Portland (PDX), about 52 miles away.
Where should I stay near Spirit Lake?
Ashford (34 mi, 23 places to stay), Cougar (17 mi, 3 places to stay) and Mossyrock (25 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.