Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Snow-covered at times; gear and expertise recommended
4 this month · 67 reports
South Cascades
Boundary Trail conditions are generally good, with no snow and no significant bugs reported as of October 10 and October 11. The trail is largely snow-free, with most reports from late July to early October indicating no snow. However, some sections, particularly those less maintained, can be overgrown with brush, making it difficult to find footing, as noted in reports from July 24 and July 23. There are also occasional narrow or sketchy spots with loose material, particularly after trail slides, requiring careful navigation. Water sources are scarce along the Boundary Trail itself, with hikers needing to carry sufficient water or rely on limited trickles at designated camps like Bear Camp or Grizzly Creek outlet. Wildlife, including elk and mountain goats, has been frequently sighted. Road access to trailheads like Windy Ridge and Norway Pass is suitable for all vehicles, with some reports mentioning minor roughness on certain forest roads.
Generated from 33 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 1 month ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
No trip reports on this trail in 1 month, so everything below is at least that old.
No, there are no reliable water sources directly on the Boundary Trail. Hikers have reported carrying all necessary water or relying on scarce trickles at places like Bear Camp or Grizzly Creek outlet, as noted on October 10 and July 23.
While generally in good condition, some sections of the Boundary Trail can be overgrown with brush, making them difficult to navigate. Reports from July 24 and July 23 mention areas where the trail is narrow and overgrown. There are also occasional narrow or sketchy spots with loose material, especially after slides, which require careful footing.
Road access to trailheads such as Windy Ridge and Norway Pass is currently suitable for all vehicles, according to reports from October 11 and October 3. One report from August 31 noted the road to Margaret Camp was rough but passable.
As of early October, no bugs have been reported on the Boundary Trail. Reports from October 11, October 10, and October 3 explicitly state 'No bugs'.
Snow-covered at times; gear and expertise recommended
4 this month · 67 reports
Path has sinkholes with plants growing out of them
1 this month · 29 reports
Scrambling over huge boulders and an 8-foot wall
1 this month · 19 reports
Mountain goats often visible on the plains
1 this month · 17 reports
Rocky ridges and hot dusty climbs
48 reports
Slippery sections with steep drop-offs
34 reports
Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
I went from the Windy Ridge Trailhead to the Truman Trail and up to Harry's Ridge and back. Basically the first five miles of this are all on road as they've got the road all the way down to Spirit L...
I wouldn't trade this for all the larch at Maple Pass. Conditions and permit dates aligned perfectly this weekend. We had a permit for Margaret Camp on Saturday night with a clearing forecast. Short v...
Time for my annual pilgrimage to Norway Pass. It is one of my favorite hikes in the state, and is perfect for fall. I could not have asked for better weather - cool in the shade, with a fresh layer of...
My dog and I hiked from the Norway Pass Trailhead to Margaret Camp for an overnight stay. Monday was hot and dry, and despite the extra weight, I was happy to have 6 liters of water between us as ther...
Arrived at the Hummocks trailhead around 6:30am; no out houses here. There were only handful of other cars in the parking lot. When we returned around 12:45, parking lot was packed.This hike is one of...
Arrived Saturday morning after making a stop at Science & Learning Center that opens ~10 am. Parked at Hummocks TH by the gate where the road is closed to drive to the Johnston at Ridge observatory. M...
I parked at the Hummocks TH, ran the road for 1 mile to South Coldwater TH, followed that to the Boundary Trail to Johnston Ridge and back the the Hummocks for a 16.5 mile day, 3500' elevation gain da...
This was a two night backpacking trip from Coldwater Lake trailhead. Hiked out on the Lakes trail with the first night at Shovel Lake. Very thankful to run into the WTA work party fixing the washouts....
I did the same loop as smith07 and took the same number of days, but was a day ahead and camped at Snow Lake and Dome Camp. So apparently i was a day ahead of WTA too. I didn't mind the trail con...
This area is incredible! Stumbled on this while looking for a backpacking option farther afield from Seattle for the holiday weekend. We started at Norway Pass TH and camped at Margaret Camp for two n...