Started off a little overcast, but by the time we reached the top of Harry's Ridge, Mount St. Helen's was out in all her glory! Well maintained trail, beautiful views of the mountain, Spirit Lake and the surrounding blast area.

We arrived at the large parking lot at 9:15 a.m. on a Friday. The observatory wasn't open, but we used the bathroom at the Coldwater (we think that was the name of it) rest stop . You have to go to the bathrooms at the boat launch. They are in excellent condition. If you have the America the Beautiful pass, bring it with you on your hike so you can show the rangers. The saying there is do your hike and then make it right. There is a water refilling fountain in the observatory along with nice bathrooms. The hike is 95% in full sun. Even on a coolish day like today, the blazing sun sucked the energy out of us. Most of my hikes are up up up and then down down down. This was up and down over and over. The last part that takes you to the ridge is a killer. You think you're about to reach it and then you come around a corner and you have more to climb. On the way back, you have to climb another long section. The best advice I got for this hike is pack extra water. I went through my normal amount for this distance and then half my extra container. There is no water source on the trail. We saw flip flop wearing, coffee carrying, dress suit wearing folks. I've never seen anything like it. The hike is tough. We were filthy. And there were people out for a stroll. The flowers are still out and so beautiful, mostly lupine and orange paintbrush. They are present start to finish. We also saw a lot of bright red strawberries near the ridge. The mountain was steaming, which was one of our favorite sights from today. Be safe, plan for heat, full sun, a lot of up and down, and rocks that blend in with the dusty trail. Happy trekking.

Wow! This was a beautiful hike. Currently, there are tons of wild flowers blooming. My favorite aspect of this hike is getting the views of Mt Adams, Mt Hood, and Mt St Helens at the end.

I would caution everyone who is attempting this hike during the upcoming heat wave to be prepared for heat, dusty winds, and total exposure. My friends and I thought were prepared in terms of gear, but we were not prepared mentally. It is hot, it is dusty, and it is EXPOSED. Very little shade and there is no shade at the end of the trail.

Not to scare anyone away from the hike, but I would encourage those to hike at the coolest time of the day and avoid being on the ridge during midday. Also, bring more water than you think you need. 

Hiked Harry's Ridge on a sunny Sunday. Arrived at 8am. Not too busy. The views  were great all day. The wild flowers are lush and bright. The trail is in good shape to Harry's Ridge. It is getting overgrown with alder and willow creating some green, shady tunnels. Most of the trail is open and exposed to sun. On the way back around 11 am the trail got really busy. Everyone was pleasant so it wasn't to bad. The parking was 1/2 full when we got back around 1:30.

Word of caution on sunny days. The sun is extra intense here. With almost no trees and the sandy soil it's like walking in a reflector oven. It really drained our energy. There are no water sources. We met two hikers who ran out of water. They were feeling heat stresssed. We shared some of ours so they could back. Pay attention to how you're feeling and be prepared to change your plan. Head back early if you feel more tired than usual. Heat exposure is  a real risk here.

glorious wildflowers everywhere!

-Plenty of parking at Johnston Ridge Observatory.

-Plenty of people at Johnston Ridge Observatory! 

-Asking people to present park passes/or pay fees in exchange for wristbands (this was new to me). I've always just hung my pass on my mirror and set out but they had signs specifically asking people not to do this so I got a wristband souvenir. :) They will put it on your backpack if you don't want it on your person, wish I had done that. 

-There was a food truck in the parking lot (also hadn't noticed this before).

-100% sun exposure the entire hike

-ZERO water source along the trail

-Is it worth reaching the top of Harry's Ridge? YES! Views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood await, along with a humbling display of the beautiful Spirit Lake, and some spiffy geological volcano equipment! 

-Bring your best camera for this one, the extra weight will be worth it. SO MANY WILDFLOWERS! Any other questions please feel free to ask/comment. Happy trails to you!