Loowit Trail Around Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot National Forest (common starts: Climbers Bivouac, Ape Canyon, Windy Ridge)

The Loowit Trail circles Mount St. Helens through lava fields, pumice slopes, washout gullies and wildflower meadows. The Forest Service lists the loop at 30 miles. WTA lists about 6,000 feet of gain with a high point around 4,800 feet.

WTA warns that “This hike is very challenging, with sparse camps, little water and some sketchy sections of loose pumice.”

The hike

There’s no trailhead on the Loowit itself; you reach it on access trails. WTA lists the Ptarmigan Trail from Climbers Bivouac on the south (about 2 miles), the Ape Canyon Trail from the southeast (5.5 miles), the Toutle and Sheep Canyon trails from the Blue Lake Trailhead on the southwest, and the Truman and Windy trails from Windy Ridge on the northeast.

WTA describes the loop counterclockwise from Windy Ridge. The first seven miles offer views of “The Breach,” with a side trail to Loowit Falls. This north segment, from Windy Pass to the South Fork Toutle River, is a restricted area: the Forest Service closes it to camping, off-trail travel, pets, bikes, and fires, and says it should be completed in one day.

WTA calls the drop to the South Fork Toutle “the first major washout.” The trail then climbs Crescent Ridge, with remnant old growth, and passes burned trees and flower-rich meadows to the Sheep Canyon junction. WTA says the west side is the most rugged, so hikers should tackle it while fresh. Next come Blue Lake Wash, which has a bypass that adds a few miles, the Butte Camp Trail junction, Swift Creek and another lava bed, and the June Lake Trail junction.

About four miles past June Lake, WTA lists Muddy Creek as the third major washout. The trail then crosses lava fields to the Ape Canyon junction, with wildflowers north of Pumice Butte, and reaches the open Plains of Abraham and Windy Pass. CleverHiker describes steep debris-flow gullies with loose rock, some with rope assists that should be tested before use, plus lava boulder fields where you follow posts, cairns, and tape.

The slopes are almost always sunny; WTA warns, “It is all too easy to get a severe sunburn on these slopes.” CleverHiker says there’s very little shade and the flanks are exposed and windy, with possible snow or freezing temperatures even in summer.

For another multi-day loop around a Cascade volcano, see the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier.

Tips

Start at Climbers Bivouac or Ape Canyon. June Lake doesn’t allow overnight parking, and the north-side access trails close on weekdays through 2027.
Carry lots of water. CleverHiker suggests at least 4 liters per person per day, and about 6 on hot days.
Wear shoes with good traction. Loose scree and pumice are common.
Store food from rodents. CleverHiker says they can chew through packs and tents.
Don’t climb above the trail without a permit. Climbing permits apply above 4,800 feet.

Camping

The Forest Service allows dispersed camping outside the restricted segment, but says “there are no definitive campsites.” It names the south side of the South Fork Toutle River and the Plains of Abraham as camping areas. No permit is required for the hike itself, according to CleverHiker; trailhead parking needs a recreation pass or day fee. The Forest Service says to treat all water, and that water is limited in late summer.

Inside Intel: Backpackers Review, describing a July 2017 trip, calls the south side of the South Fork Toutle the most common camp, with reliable water, and recommends the south end of the Plains of Abraham, before Ape Canyon, near a seasonal spring. It adds that the Muddy River is “typically too silty and muddy to filter.”

Trail facts

Distance: 30 miles (Forest Service); about 32 miles (WTA) plus access trails
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Very strenuous
Campsites: Dispersed; common areas at the south side of the South Fork Toutle and the Plains of Abraham. No camping between Windy Pass and the South Fork Toutle
Water: Scarce; springs near the Butte Camp, Toutle and Windy junctions; carry at least 3 to 4 liters
Permits: None for the trail; climbing permit above 4,800 feet
Fires: Prohibited in the restricted segment
Dogs: Conflicting sources (see review notes)
Trailheads: Climbers Bivouac (Ptarmigan Trail), Ape Canyon, Blue Lake, Windy Ridge
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Exposed flanks around Mount St. Helens:

CleverHiker says the flanks are exposed and windy, with possible snow or freezing temperatures even in summer. We compared the Arc'teryx Beta SL with two cheaper shells.

Compare the shells →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.