Spirit Lake Memorial Highway
Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, WA

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p>The first visitor center along the highway, Mount St. Helens Visitor Center offers the most comprehensive information about the volcanic blast in 1980. This large museum has displays that include interpretive centers, the historical and cultural significance of the area, a chronology of the events leading up to the eruption, and local geology and re-growth of the area. Young and old visitors alike will enjoy the interactive sections in the center, which include a 14- by 28-foot model of the volcano with gleaming magma vents and working seismographs.

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This visitor center is situated near Silver Lake and offers a mile-long walk on the Silver Lake Wetlands Trail. The trail allows visitors to discover that Silver Lake was formed by a previous eruption and wander through beautiful native plants, near birds and other wildlife. The visitor center itself is worth a view; its 32-foot cathedral ceiling and large windows give it an airy, woodsy feeling.