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Spirit Lake Highway, Mount St. Helens, Washington
Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Drives Washington Mount Rainier and the South Cascades

Spirit Lake Highway

WA 504, Mount Saint Helens Way · Castle Rock → Coldwater Lake

Leisurely44 mi1 hr6,600 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,900 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 504, the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, runs east from Castle Rock past Silver Lake and up the Toutle River valley toward Mount St. Helens. The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center sits near milepost 5 at Silver Lake. Farther up the road crosses the Hoffstadt Creek Bridge, which is 2,340 feet long and 370 feet high, and climbs around Elk Rock to Elk Rock Viewpoint.

This drive ends at Coldwater Lake. The highway beyond it to Johnston Ridge is closed.

It is 44.5 miles and takes about 1 hour.

Along the way

  1. Castle Rock
  2. Elk Rock
  3. Coldwater Lake
Elevation
6,600 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,900 ft
Castle RockColdwater Lake
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
Castle RockColdwater Lake
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • A slide destroyed the Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge, and Highway 504 is gated near milepost 45 while the road and bridge are rebuilt; check WSDOT for how far you can drive.
  • Johnston Ridge Observatory is closed and cannot reopen until the road is rebuilt and the Forest Service finishes its restoration.
  • Coldwater Lake Recreation Area, Elk Rock and Castle Lake viewpoints and the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater are open, with winter hours.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check WSDOT: SR 504 South Coldwater slide project.

Questions about this drive

Is the road to Johnston Ridge open?

Check WSDOT first. Highway 504 is gated near milepost 45 after a slide destroyed a bridge, while the road and bridge are rebuilt.

How long is the Spirit Lake Highway drive to Coldwater Lake?

Castle Rock to Coldwater Lake on Highway 504 is 44.5 miles and takes about 1 hour.

How big is the Hoffstadt Creek Bridge?

It is 2,340 feet long and 370 feet high.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Spirit Lake Highway, from Castle Rock to Coldwater Lake