By Yan Bouranis, hiked this route in 2019
The 26-mile Loowit Trail circumnavigates Mt. St. Helens in Washington. This is a challenging trail with epic views. It can be hiked in 2-3 days.
Region: Pacific West (Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington)
Distance: 26 miles (2-3 days)
Physical Difficulty: Difficult
- Steep, aggressive terrain
- Some route-finding needed
- Logistical challenges through the blast zone
Logistical Difficulty: Moderate
- No permit required
- Loop trail with easy access to trailheads
- No camping within the blast zone, infrequent water
Season: Summer
Elevation (average): ~6,000 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 4,000 feet
Hiking the Loowit Trail
Although Mount St. Helens erupted more than 40 years ago, the explosive and destructive power of the event can be felt and experienced up close through the Loowit Trail. As you circumnavigate the mountain, you get a deep appreciation for the natural history and unique character of each side of the mountain. The trail can generally be divided into three sections: the gullies, the blast zone, and the boulders.
Departing from June Lake Trailhead on the south side of the mountain and traveling counterclockwise, you will first cross the gullies. After a short hike to June Lake, you will ascend a short, but steep, section of trail to the Loowit Trail intersection. From here you will head north toward the gullies. Through the wooded parts of this section, keep an eye out for ripe huckleberries, especially in late July. Upon emerging from the woods, the trail begins to undulate up and down through deeply eroded gullies. This first portion of the trail is particularly sandy and eroded so watch your footing as you travel the trail. This portion of the trail also features spectacular views of Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and even Mount Rainier on a clear day. Water through this section of trail is fairly unreliable so make sure to fill up at June Lake. If you do find water, it will likely be extremely silty so it may be helpful to first filter it using a bandana before passing it through a filter.
Following the gullies, you will reach Pumice Butte, a popular campsite that contains a small spring. Departing from Pumice Butte you will head northwest across the Plains of Abraham; this area of trail is highly exposed, with Mount St. Helens towering above you. Depending on the day, this area of the trail can be extremely windy and you will cross paths with many more mountain bikers than you probably want to. At the trail junction, head west toward the blast zone. The area at the base of Windy Pass has ample water and can be a nice campsite before crossing the blast zone. The climb up Windy Pass is the most technically challenging of the trip as the trail is sandy and can easily become washed out. Some route-finding might be needed to get over the pass.
The top of Windy Pass marks the beginning of the blast zone, a 10-mile segment that must be crossed in one day. The blast zone is easily the highlight of the entire trip as you drop down into the barren landscape left behind after the eruption. In the lower parts of the blast zone, there can be a few tricky water crossings and some route-finding might be needed. Depending on the time of year you hike the Loowit, this area has abundant wildflowers; additionally, keep an eye on the ground for wild alpine strawberries. The blast zone ends with a 1,000-foot descent to the Toutle River. The switchbacks down to the river are almost entirely sand, so hiking poles are helpful for keeping your balance and gaiters may be helpful if using trail runners. The final 20-foot descent to the Toutle River is a rappel by an installed rope, adding an extra layer of adventure. There are ample camping spots along the banks of the Toutle.
Leaving the Toutle you will begin the biggest climb of the trip, a 1,500-foot ascent of Crescent Ridge. As with getting down to the Toutle, you will have to climb a steep cliff face using a rope followed by a fairly steep ascent by trail. The trail continues to circle around the west side of the mountain, dipping into one final gully that has a rope to ascend. This section of trail offers fantastic views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams. Finally, on the southeast side of the mountain you will come to the boulders. This section of trail is made up of large pumice boulders that you find your way across with virtually no trail present. To mark the direction to travel, large poles have been put in the ground and hikers must navigate their way from pole to pole by hopping across the boulders. From here, the trail crosses Chocolate Falls, a great place to cool off in the summer heat, before finally arriving back at June Lake.
How to Get to the Loowit Trail
Nearest City: Cougar, Washington (15 miles)
There are multiple places to begin the Loowit Trail, depending where you are coming from. The most direct route and closest from Portland is via the June Lake Trailhead, which is located on the south side of Mount St. Helens and requires a 1.6-mile hike to reach the trail. Similarly on the south side of the mountain, Climber’s Bivouac Trailhead has a relatively short 2-mile hike in. The trail can also be accessed from the Ape Canyon Trailhead.
When to Hike the Loowit Trail
Summer and early fall are the best times to hike the Loowit Trail due to dry conditions. November through June in the Pacific Northwest is the rainy season, with unrelenting rain that has a high possibility of turning to snow at higher elevations. Due to the lower elevation of the trail, snow doesn’t tend to stick around for too long, making the trail accessible before others in the area. Hiking earlier in the season also means more water throughout the trail. One downside of early-season hiking on the Loowit is the increased possibility that the trail might be washed out.
Loowit Trail Terrain
The terrain of the Loowit is mainly sandy and gravelly. In some sections, you may weave in and out of the woods; however, expect high amounts of sun exposure. Some of the steeper sections of the trail, specifically on the south side of Windy Pass and the north side of the Toutle River, are extremely loose and sandy. As previously mentioned, the southwest side of the mountain is filled with large boulders that you have to hop across. For these reasons, hiking poles are highly recommended for the Loowit.
Logistics: Camping, Land Management, Water
Camping and Permits: Camping is prohibited within the blast zone, making this an added logistical challenge to the hike. Water sources are limited through the trail, making camping with water a bit difficult. Recommended and popular camping spots on the trail are: Pumice Butte, the base of Windy Pass, South Toutle River, and June Lake.
Loowit Trail Land Management The Loowit Trail is located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument within Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Within the blast zone, off-trail travel, camping, and dogs are prohibited to protect the fragile habitat. Outside the blast zone, dogs are permitted.
Loowit Trail Water: Water is limited on the Loowit Trail. As the season goes on, seasonal water sources will dry up. Reliable water can be found at a spring within the blast zone, the streams at the lowest points of the blast zone, the Toutle River, Chocolate Falls, and June Lake. It is recommended that you fill up at every water source.
Know Before You Go
Clockwise or Counterclockwise? Both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions have their pros and cons. Leaving from June Lake and heading clockwise, you get through the worst of the terrain first while still on fresh legs. However, traveling clockwise it is 10 miles to the Toutle River, the first reliable water source of the trip as opposed to only 5 miles to Pumice Butte traveling counterclockwise.
Another big difference between clockwise and counterclockwise are the climbs in and out of the Toutle River. Going clockwise, the climb is only 1,000 feet; however, the climb is almost entirely sand, making it a challenging ascent. Conversely, going counterclockwise you descend the sand, however, you must make a 1,500-foot climb out of the Toutle River on steep, but solid ground. No matter which way you go, you still need to cross 10 miles of the blast zone in a day.
Other Trail Users: The Loowit is popular with trail runners trying to complete the trail in a single day. They typically travel in packs of 3-8 and don’t like to yield to backpackers. While more obnoxious than anything else, on my two trips around Loowit I encountered 35+ runners each time. The northern side of the Loowit is also popular with mountain bikers, but they have a bit more trail etiquette than the runners.
Washouts: Due to the sandy nature of the Loowit, sections of trail can wash out and change from year to year. Luckily, the creators of the trail have placed large wooden posts in the ground to help you figure out where to go next, but some route-finding skills are necessary. A GPS or GPS-app (like Gaia) are helpful in navigating the trail.
Loowit Trail Resources
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Yan Bouranis is based out of Corvallis, Oregon and is an avid backpacker and hiker. He enjoys spending time in the Central Coast Range of Oregon and the Oregon Cascades, but his favorite area is the Klamath and Siskiyou mountains of Northern California. Beyond spending time outdoors, Yan has a passion for science and health and is currently pursuing a PhD in Nutrition at Oregon State University. See Yan’s other post here.
