Truman Trail to Loowit Falls

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Southern Washington sits the glorious Mount St. Helens. The once very active volcano has become a very beautiful place to hike and backpack around in the Southern Cascades. Near the Johnston Ridge Observatory you can find a handfull of different hikes that take you all around the surrounding area. Starting from the visitor center, follow the Truman Trail around a ridge before dipping down into the valley toward the waterfalls. After about 3 miles you will connect to the Windy Trail that will lead you to the final connecting trail, Loowit. A slow descent down the ridge opens up to a massive valley with a Spirit Lake on the left hand side of the trail. It is not uncommon to find lots of wildlife wandering around these areas. If you are lucky, you might catch a pack of elk migrating across the valley or a group of mountain goats snacking on some grass. They often are grassing and migrating across the large valley along with some mountain goats the further up in elevation you get. You will continue onward on a relatively flat ascent across the valley for several miles until you reach the final destination of the Loowitt Falls Trail. A slow and steady uphill last mile takes you to a well deserved view right by the Loowit waterfalls pounding down against the earth below you. O a clear day you can catch Mount Rainier glowing behind the trees behind you. This hike is excellent to do as a day hike or an addition to a longer backpack trip through the area. This hike will give you a variety of terrain, wildlife, and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. If you're wanting a longer hike, you can chain this trail together with a backpack trip that goes all around the Mount St. Helens area.