Iron Creek Falls Mt St. Helens

You can find more information on Mt. St. Helens in Issue #60 Page 5 of Photograph America Newsletter.

If you are traveling north or south on Interstate 5 take Exit 68 and drive east on Highway 12 to the town of Randal where you’ll turn south for 19 miles toHeading north or south on Washington Forest Road 25, watch for the sign marking Iron Creek Falls. It is across the road from a sign warning of the approaching junction of FR99. This spot is 19.5 miles south of the village of Randle. There’s a wide, unpaved parking area on the east side of the road. The trail to the falls drops a hundred feet down a long string of wooden steps. Iron Creek Falls shoots out through a notch in the black basalt cliff and falls thirty feet into the middle of a large pool. The dark cliff face makes an excellent background for the bright spray of water. There are several good tripod locations on the near side of the stream. To discover the only access to the eastern side of Mount St. Helens, continue driving south on Forest Road 25, and take the first right turn onto Forest Road 99. A large brown sign marks the turn onto this side road. For several miles, the road passes through lush, old growth red cedar and Douglas fir groves. This part of the forest was just far enough away from the volcano to survive the blast and the shock wave of hot gasses. The first marked turnoff at Bear Meadows, on the left side of FR99, offers an excellent view of Mount St. Helens in the distance, framed by Douglas firs. This is the first viewpoint of the mountain along this eastern access road. From this angle, you’ll see the best light on the mountain in the early morning.