Now here is a hike that offers it all. Even though it is relatively steep to start, most of the hike is along an outstanding ridge with absolutely excellent vistas of Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt Margaret, and Mt St Helens. In season, this hike is a living flower garden with more beauty than the eye can behold.

The hike begins along Forest Road 2612 near Ryan Lake. At first the trail follows an old logging road, but it quickly becomes purely a foot trail. The trail is quite steep during the first 2 miles as you climb through dense forest to the ridge of Goat Mountain.

As you reach the ridge, you break out into more open areas with incredible views. In season the trail is surrounded by beautiful floral displays. And no matter the season, you eyes will wear out absorbing the views.

The trail follows westward along the south side of the ridge line of Goat Mountain. There is a visible users trail to the top of Goat Mountain, but this CD does not cover that. As your walk west on this trail Mt St Helens becomes hidden by the Mt Margaret formation that lies between Mt St Helens and the Green River Valley below you.

As you walk along this portion of the trail you will see stark evidence of boundary of the Mt St Helens destruction. When you arrived on top of the Goat Mountain ridge you are walking through an area that never was damaged by the 1980 event. But at about 3 miles, you walk right out into the open where the blast forces killed everything.

At about 4 miles, the trail switches sides of the ridge. Crossing over the ridge to the north side, you gain additional vistas to the north and northeast. As you walk over the crest of the ridge line, you will clearly see the terminus of the Mt St Helens blast zone.

At this point, the trail begins its descent to Deadmans Lake. About half way down the ridge, the trail enters a dense young forest.

You never break out of the forest, until you are standing on the lake shore. The east and south sides of the lake have excellent vistas.

Deadman Lake on Goat Mountain

From Woodland, WA
From Woodland follow SR 503 and the Lewis River Road for about 48 miles to the community of Cougar, WA. From Cougar, continue east on the Lewis River Road which will turn into Forest Road 90 after you enter the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. In about 18.5 miles you will come to the junction of Forest Road 25. Forest Road 90 makes a right turn, downhill at this junction, but you will need to continue straight ahead on what is now FR25. Follow FR25 north for approximately 25 miles, passing the Cedar Flats Natural Area, and the junction to Forest Road 93, which takes you to the Craggy Peak hike and the Hat Rock Overlook hike, past Elk Pass and the junction of Forest Road 28 which leads to the Craggy Peak hike, and finally you will come to Forest Road 99 on your left, which is the road that leads to the Windy Ridge side of the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and many hikes.

From Carson, WA
If however, you plan to approach this hike from the Columbia River Gorge area, then begin at Carson, Washington and head northwest on the Wind River Hwy. In 7.5 miles you will pass through the little community of Stabler, and in another 5.8 miles you will come to the junction of Forest Road 30. Turn right onto FR30 and follow this road for 13.2 miles north along the Wind River and then up a steep incline and onto a plateau where you will come to the junction of the Curly Creek Road. Turn left onto the Curly Creek Road and follow it downhill past an excellent view area for about 5.1 miles until you come to Forest Road 90. Turn left onto FR90 and follow it for about 4.1 miles. You will descent to and cross the Lewis River then come to the junction with Forest Road 25. Make a sharp right turn onto FR25. Follow FR25 north for approximately 25 miles, passing the Cedar Flats Natural Area, and the junction to Forest Road 93, which takes you to the Craggy Peak hike and the Hat Rock Overlook hike, past Elk Pass and the junction of Forest Road 28 which leads to the Craggy Peak hike, and finally you will come to Forest Road 99 on your left, which is the road that leads to the Windy Ridge side of the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and many hikes.

From Randle, WA
Go south out of Randle on SR 131, cross the Cowlitz River, and you will come to Forest Road 23 on your left. Stay on SR 131 heading south and soon this road will become Forest Road 25. Continue south on FR25 for almost 20 miles and you will come to Forest Road 99 on your right.

From junction of FR25 and FR99
After turning onto Forest Road 99, you will climb westward for about 9 miles before coming to Forest Road 26 on your right, which takes you past the Norway Pass TH and the Goat Mtn TH. You continue on for a about 3.7 miles and you will pass the spur road to the Ryan Lake overlook. Just a short distance past this, you will come to Forest Road 2612 on your left. Turn left onto FR2612 for about a tenth of a mile and the trailhead to this hike will be on your right.