Home / Events / Birding Day: Birding at Mount St. Helens Hummocks & Coldwater Lake

May 10 @ 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Birding Day: Birding at Mount St. Helens Hummocks & Coldwater Lake

Name: Birding Day: Birding at Mount St. Helens Hummocks & Coldwater Lake
Start: 2024-05-10T15:30:00-07:00
End: 2024-05-10T19:30:00-07:00

Join us as we tour the diverse mosaic of habitats created by the 1980 eruption and learn about where to see some of Mount St. Helen’s signature birds. We will visit some of the best and most accessible birding sites on the north side of Mount St. Helens including the Hummocks trail, Coldwater Lake and the Boundary Trail.

Our trip will focus on habitat type and distribution and will include a substantial amount of hiking (up to 3.5 miles). This field trip will familiarize you with the most accessible birding locations in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Location: This trip will access field locations on the north side of Mount St. Helens including the Hummocks trail and Coldwater Lake Boardwalk trail.

Background Information on Mount St. Helens

On May 18, 1980, a cataclysmic event occurred at Mount St. Helens as the north flank of the volcano slid off in one of the largest landslides in recorded history, unleashing a powerful eruption. This eruption buried 230 square miles of existing old-growth forest with hundreds of feet of volcanic debris. In some places closest to the crater of the volcano, almost no living organisms survived. Ash from the eruption blew across the United States and megatons of logs and volcanic debris clogged up rivers, lakes, and streams. The eruption dramatically reshaped the landscape, creating a mosaic of habitat types that are now home to a diverse suite of birds.

In 1982, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was designated to protect the land closest to the volcano as a place for research, recreation, and education. Today, home to more than 80 species of nesting birds, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument offers unique birding opportunities.

Summer blooms at Mount St. Helens, D.T. Strouse

Accessibility

Location: This trip will access field locations on the north side of Mount St. Helens including the Hummocks trail and Coldwater Lake Boardwalk trail.
Length: 4 hours
Distance: Total walking distance of up to 4 miles on uneven terrain.
Elevation changes: Total elevation change of less than 500 feet. The Hummocks trail is a 2.5 mile loop trail that meanders through the landslide deposit from the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. The trail goes up and down hills (hummocks) that vary in height from 30-50’.
Trail tread & average width: The first part of the field trip occurs on a paved ADA accessible trail and boardwalk. The Hummocks trail is mostly compact gravel though can be uneven and rocky in sections. The surface of the trail is uneven. The trail is wide enough for two people to walk side by side for ¾ of a mile and the remainder wide enough for single file.
Pacing: The field trip includes multiple parts:

Hiking on the paved, ADA accessible, ¼ mile Coldwater Lake Boardwalk trail. The hike along the boardwalk trail will be slow (~1 hours) and will include frequent stops to view and listen to birds.
Hiking on the 2.5 mile loop Hummocks trail The Hummocks loop trail takes ~ 2 – 3 hours. The Hummocks is a faster pace to cover more diverse habitat type and terrain.

Accessibility: Trips may include a substantial amount of hiking (up to 4 miles) depending on the hiking ability and needs of the group. Restrooms(depending on the season) are available at the Coldwater Lake Picnic Area; restrooms are not available along the trail.
Rest stops: There are several benches along both sections of the field trip though no section has enough benches for all participants to sit down at once. Resting along the Hummocks trail will involve sitting on rocks and moss and uneven ground along the edge of the trail. Picnic tables are available at the Coldwater Lake Picnic Area which is the meeting location for the field trip.
Sun exposure: Depending on the season and whether the dominant tree type in the forest (alder trees) have leaves, it may be more sunny or shady. The Hummocks trail is ~ 50% shaded.
Amenities: Restrooms are not available at the Hummocks trailhead nor along the trail. Indoor ADA accessible bathrooms are located at the Coldwater Lake Picnic Area & boat ramp and may be open depending on the season. In fall of 2021 the indoor restrooms at Coldwater Lake Picnic Area were damaged and currently there are port-a-potties.
Public transit: Public transportation is NOT available for this field trip. Participants are encouraged to carpool. There is a park and ride at the Information Center in Castle Rock, Washington which has free wifi and is a great place to leave vehicles for a day. Another fantastic birding spot along the way and great spot to meet for a carpool is at the Mount St. Helens Visitors Center at Seaquest State Park (note that Discover parking passes are required).
Cell phone reception: There is NO cell phone reception at the meeting location nor along WA State Route 504 after leaving the I-5 highway corridor. Please plan in advance.
Views: Our field trip will offer a few fantastic views of Mount St. Helens on clear days. For more views of Mount St. Helens, visit other public sites along highway 504 before or after the field trip. Review this annotated Google map for suggestions.

Additional notes: The Hummocks Trail is a Washington State birding trail.

What makes the landscape around Mount St. Helens a unique place for birdwatching? Learn about why birders and scientists flock to the landscape around Mount St. Helens for birding in a mosaic of diverse habitats and landforms created by the most active volcano in the Cascades.
Note: this class is a great introductory class for birding and not designed for advanced birders. We will take a holistic view on ecology, human history, and geology. We will interact with and discuss all of the landscape features that support habitat for birds.

Birding Day Details

Date: May 10, 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Class fee: $65 members / $85 non-members
Leaders: Gina Roberti and Chris Williams
Limited to 12 participants

Trip Leader

Gina Roberti

Gina Roberti is a geologist, naturalist and educator who grew up digging quahogs and exploring the shorelines of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island (the state with the largest coastline per capita!) amidst ancient metamorphic rocks of the Appalachian Mountains. Since graduating from Brown University with a degree in Geology-Biology, Gina spent several years working as a geoscience educator in various geologic regions in the western U.S., including the Colorado Plateau, Snake River Plain, Klamath-Siskiyou, North Cascades, and presently the active Cascade volcanic range. In each of these places she taught thousands of youth and adults about earth science in a variety of field-based and classroom settings.

Gina currently works with the Mount St. Helens Institute. She strongly believes in the power of education to inspire awareness, appreciation and stewardship for the natural world. When Gina is not working she can be found on long walks or cross country skis, often in the company of birds.

Go Birding!

Trip Leader

Chris Williams

Chris has been interested in birds and wildlife since he was a child. Chris grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where he first started to make observations of the natural world. He received a BS in Zoology from The Evergreen State College where he was able to get hands-on experience in ornithology, marine mammalogy, and tropical ecology. Upon graduating Chris worked for Audubon South Carolina where he participated in ongoing prothonotary warbler studies and led kayak and canoe tours through a swamp. Realizing the importance of science communication and education, he would go on to receive his Masters in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. After graduating, he spent three years as an Interpretive Park Ranger with the National Park Service, working at North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, and Saguaro National Park.

Chris now works for Bird Alliance of Oregon as the Adult Learning Manager for local programs. He strives to create a more inclusive birding community and bring traditionally underrepresented groups into outdoor spaces.

Email Chris

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