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Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument

United States of America

Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a U.S. National Monument that includes the area around Mount St. Helens in Cowlitz, Lewis, and Skamania Counties, Washington. It was established by Congress on August 27, 1982, following the 1980 eruption. The 110,000 acre (445 km2) National Volcanic Mo

nument was set aside for research, recreation, and education. Inside the monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance. It was the third national monument to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service and is part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. At dedication ceremonies on May 18, 1983, Max Peterson, head of the USFS, said, "we can take pride in having preserved the unique episode of natural history for future generations." Since then, many trails, viewpoints, information stations, campgrounds, and picnic areas have been established to accommodate the increasing number of visitors each year. Due to the eruption, the state recognizes the month of May as "Volcano Awareness Month" and events are held at Mount St. Helens, or within the region, to discuss the eruption, safety concerns, and to commemorate lives lost during the natural disaster. By 1983, Windy Ridge...

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