Lava and Lahar

Dana and Elina headed up to Mt. St. Helens to take advantage of the last day of Elina’s Federal Lands Pass and hike Lava Canyon. Lava Canyon was a remote place before the 1980 eruption, but afterwards it has become a popular hiking destination. In May, 1980 the heat from the eruption caused the glacier on the south side of the mountain to melt rapidly and flow down as a massive slide called a lahar. The lahar striped everything in its path down to the bedrock heading down the Muddy River Valley. This destruction created several waterfalls previously not there.

I left the kids at home, because this is a difficult trail. The farther you go, the scarier the signs get.

Upper Lava Canyon Falls:

Triple Falls is best viewed from the suspension bridge swinging above it.

Double Punchbowl Falls

Lava Canyon Falls is the largest waterfall at 132 ft.

Middle Lava Canyon Falls

I really liked the bottom tier of Lower Lava Canyon Falls.

This trail is a bit unique. At one point you have to climb down a 30 foot ladder.

The flat stone acted as stepping stone through this wetland.

The Ship is a giant basalt fin you can climb up to get a good view of the canyon.

I liked this wall of basalt columns. It looked like a face was hiding there.

The canyon is full of cool rock formations and the Muddy River is actually quite clear.

Our next stop was on the Lahar Plain. This was the path of all that debris. It is interesting to come here over the years and see how the land is recovering. Elina liked wandering around the rocky ground.

I also walked down the Lahar River to Lahar Falls. This one is not very big.

We then hiked to June Lake to see June Lake Falls. The falls come out of the “Worm Flows,” a series of old lava tubes that snow melt drains into. It was a pretty little lake and the falls were cool.