Toutle
Helicopter Trips to the Mountain from Here
Stop by Drew's to pick up a picnic lunch
Toutle is an unincorporated community located 10 miles east of Interstate 5 on State Route 504. Stop by Drew's grocery and check out their fantastic deli. Get your picnic lunch to go for your trip up the highway to Mount St. Helens.
You can also purchase gas, groceries, and fish and hunting information, along with your license. Named for the nearby Toutle River, which runs off the flanks of Mount St. Helens, the community has strong roots in the logging industry. Only 40 miles from the mountain, Toutle is the gateway to numerous recreational opportunities, hunting, fishing, rafting, biking, hiking, and wildlife viewing.
Wildlife
Following the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, wildlife staged a spectacular recovery. The area now boasts an abundance of elk, deer, and birds. Be sure to bring your camera and binoculars - you will be treated to a show of unrivalled beauty as you view these magnificent animals in their natural environment. And don’t miss the wildflowers, which are spectacular in spring and early summer.
Harry Gardner Park
This park is a tribute to the perseverance and determination of the people of the area. It was wiped away by the 1980 eruption but, following a determined local effort, is now one of the most beautiful attractions in the region. While enjoying your picnic lunch in this now tranquil setting you can marvel at how the river has recovered, slicing its way through the debris. See new trees emerging next to their fallen predecessors and enjoy the appearance of returning wildlife.
Eco Park
Open year-round this park offers many attractions, including horseback riding, wildlife viewing and helicopter trips. It has facilities for RV camping and cabins for rent, or, if you prefer, you can try a yurt. Just two hours from Portland this friendly facility makes an ideal base for exploring the region.
Hoffstadt Bluffs
One of the largest post-and-beam structures on the West coast, this lodge-like facility offers a family-friendly restaurant, expansive gift shop, meeting rooms, and event space overlooking the gorgeous Toutle River Valley and Mount St. Helens. Inside the center you will find the “Memories of a Lost Landscape” exhibit, which tells what life was like near Mount St. Helens before the blast. Outside, a paved walking path takes visitors through a memorial grove, planted in 2000 in memory of the 57 people who perished in the May 18, 1980 eruption. Helicopter tours of the mountain are available at Hoffstadt Bluffs, and the facility can cater meetings, events and weddings.