Hummocks Trail

Distance: 2.4 miles RT
Hike Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 100
Trail Condition: Well-maintained and marked
Trail Highlights: Views of Mount St Helens and hummocks, Interpretive Signs, Perfect for little ones, Close to the Mount St Helens Visitor Center, Large parking lot
Trail Head(s): Hummocks Trailhead
Fees: None
Dogs Allowed: No
Crowd Level: Light on weekdays, Busy on weekends
Type of Shoe Needed: Tennis Shoes or Hiking shoes
Required Vehicle Clearance: Low, paved entire way
My Favorite Season To Go: Summer – better views

Hiking is a great activity. Hiking is even better when you do it with your loved ones!

Have you thought about dragging your mom out on the trail? Well I’m here to tell you to DO IT. Even if she isn’t a hiker, in most cases she will end up loving it because you love it and because nature is undeniably beautiful. Not only that, but everyone knows that exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle.

There are tons of studies out there that show hiking improves circulation and cardiovascular health, gives a boost in bone density that can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, improve bone health and muscle strength, reduce arthritis/joint and knee pain and most importantly hiking can lower depression levels. So why wouldn’t you want to share that goodness with your mom?

I would highly encourage everyone to convince their mom to get out there on the trail with them. My mom isn’t really considered a “hiker” but she still loved it, so I’m sure your mom will too. Be sure to take most of the load in your backpack and if your mom is completely new I would suggest taking all the weight (just so you know she’ll have more energy for the trail and focus more on the views than the weight on her back). Also pack a special treat for her after the hike and have an extra water bottle waiting in the car. I packed my momma a Ding Dong and I know she was pleased to see me pull it out of my bag afterwards! Your mom raised you and is most likely still taking care of you in some way, the least you can do is give her a treat. Ha!

I picked the Hummocks Trail located in the Mount St Helens National Forest for us to tackle. It’s a perfect trail for parents or little ones as it’s 2.4 miles roundtrip with only 100′ of elevation gain. There are interpretive signs along the trail that explain how the eruption shaped the land around you and what animals thrive in the area. When Mount St Helens erupted in 1980, half a cubic mile of ash/glacial melt/rock poured over 14 miles in 10 minutes and over 1,000 feet of the mountain landed around the area. These huge chunks became what we know as hummocks. Hummocks are large deposits of ash, rock, mud, and other pieces of mountain that can vary in sizes up to a few hundred feet. With this trail only being 10 miles from Mount St Helens there are a lot of hummocks along the trail to look at. My mom and I also saw a snake and a little frog along the path! This is a good trail to see what wildlife and plants have survived the devastating blast.

Here is the Mount St Helens Science and Learning Center website.

To start the hike, walk towards the east end of the parking lot. There will be a big sign that is hard to miss.

The sign at the trailhead

You’ll begin the hike through a dense forest, but it starts to thin out shortly after you enter. At 0.9 miles you’ll get the first view of Mount St Helens. On a clear day its magnificent, on a cloudy its still beautiful- just not as in your face. You’ll notice a trail going off to the left, that is the 3.8 mile (1,800′ gain) trail up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory – don’t take this path unless you want to go to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. Stay to the right and continue the loop.

The next half mile leads you along the North Fork Toutle River with views of Mount St Helens and hummocks. Eventually you’ll come across a small side path on your left, you can walk down this to get another view of Helens and the North Fork Toutle River. The trail then reenters the dense forest and you’ll walk by several lakes. There will be a couple sections where you climb up and down, but for the most part the path is fairly flat. You’ll have a tiny climb at the very end of the trail and then before you know it you’re at the other end of the parking lot. 

To get here, from Castle Rock (exit 49 off I-5) drive east on Hwy 504 for 43 miles. There will be a fork in the road, take a right that has a sign for Johnston Ridge Observatory. After the fork drive for another 2 miles and the trailhead will be on your right, right after the bridge. There will be a brown sign that says ‘Hummocks Trail’ on your left!

Since this is a shorter hike be sure to stop at all the other viewpoints along the way and drive up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory to check that out. It does cost money to enter the observatory, but the views outside and walkways outside are free 🙂 (During COVID – it is not open to visitors) Remember that dogs are not allowed on trails in National Parks, including this one!

• For information about what kind of pass is needed, check out my blog post – Adventure Passes for Pacific Northwest Wanderers entry!