The Mt St Helens Adventure Tour from Portland

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Recommended by 92% of reviewers

Badge of Excellence | Portland, USA

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11 to 12 hours (approx.)

Hotel pickup offered

Mobile ticket

Overview

Travel to Mount Saint Helens and environs, from Portland, on this ALL-INCLUSIVE tour with a guide who will discuss the geology, ecology, climate, history, and legends of the area, as well as the history of US public lands. Your guide will lead you on hikes near waterfalls, through lava tubes, and within oldgrowth forests.

You will see some of the most unique geological features in North America, including North America's longest continuous lava tube and a lava tree mold forest. Weather permitting, you will be driven to the closest viewpoint into the crater of the volcano, where you will be provided a picnic lunch, overlooking Spirit Lake. No matter how hot the weather, you'll enjoy natural air conditioning as you hike by dramatic waterfalls and through primeval forest. You'll have the option of a dinner/beer stop (own expense) on the way back to Portland. *THIS IS A 12-HOUR TOUR*

What's Included

Lunch
Snacks
Bottled water
If weather does not allow mountain visibility, a modified itinerary will take you to bonus stops.
Hotel pickup/drop-off in Portland area
Air-conditioned vehicle
Headlamps
Gratuities
Professional naturalist guide
PA system to hear guide while driving

Hotel pickup/drop-off in Seattle area
Hotel pickup/drop-off in Hillsboro

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Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Pickup details

*We do not guarantee pickup at your hotel, as we consolidate pickups to 3 locations. We also do not do pickups in Hillsboro.* We will contact you the evening prior to confirm pickup location and time.

Meeting point

Northeast 19th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232, USA

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

What To Expect

Mount St. Helens

Travel to Mt. St. Helens and environs with a naturalist guide who will discuss the geology, ecology, climate, history, and legends of the area, as well as the history of US public lands. Your guide will lead you on hikes near waterfalls, through lava tubes, and within oldgrowth forests. Stops both inside and outside of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

7 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Ape Cave Lava Tubes

Traverse North America's longest continuous lava tube! No matter how hot it is outside, the temperature in the cave is a constant 42F (5.5C), so bring layers. Also, be sure to bring shoes that are suitable for scrambling, and wipe those shoes before entering the bats' home so that they don't get white-nose syndrome!

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Trail of Two Forests Trail

A lava mold forest. Walk through a wonderland of wells and tunnels, that's hard to pull kids away from.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

WIndy Ridge Viewpoint

Weather permitting, we'll take you to the closest viewpoint with a view into the crater that is accessible by vehicle. There you'll have a picnic lunch, and have the opportunity to burn off your lunch by ascending the 357 stairs to a 365-degree view overlooking Spirit Lake, with the mountain looming. If conditions are clear enough, you'll see four stratovolcanoes: St. Helens, Rainier, Adams, and Hood.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Johnston Ridge Observatory (Pass By)

The place where Dave Johnston got on the radio and yelled "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!", the fateful morning of May 18, 1980.

Mount St. Helens Visitor Center (Pass By)

The visitor center with the most detailed history and geology of Mt. St. Helens.

Lava Canyon (Pass By)

A fairytale landscape of sapphire waterfalls and blue-grey andesite that were scoured and smoothed by the 1980 lahar resulting from the rapid melting of the Shoestring Glacier by pyroclastic flows.

Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center (Pass By)

The visitor center that provides a special retro experience, with a movie about Mt. St. Helens circa 1985, and a 1990s-era Disneyland Haunted Mansion-style park ranger statue, who will give you a lecture.

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Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

This tour operates in all weather conditions, and the cave is 42F (5.5C). Please dress in layers.
We recommend shoes that are suitable for minor rock climbing (i.e. scrambling/bouldering).
Wear long pants, as there will be opportunities for crawling.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the The Mt St Helens Adventure Tour from Portland?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (PDT).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025