Mount St. Helens

Why should it be a National Park?

Following the volcanic eruption of 1980, this unassuming Washington peak became America's most famous mountain. Mount St. Helens was once the lesser sibling of Mount Rainier and Mount Hood, which serve as the backdrops for Seattle and Portland. Unlike them, St. Helens was isolated from major population centers and surrounded by rural communities. It was also less noticeable on the horizon because of its distance from major roadways and the thick forests that surround it. Therefore, it was just another massive point on the Cascade Range.

For years people have called for better protection for volcanic remnants of the mountain and highlighting the devastated areas around the former summit. Some of these calls were made before the volcano erupted, with more following post-event. Mount St. Helens was just a part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest prior to becoming infamous, but in 1982 President Ronald Reagan created Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to better honor this natural wonder and our national heritage. Advocates for a National Park designation have made the argument that the volcano is likely the most iconic American landscape currently not in the National Park System, and by creating a park the local economy would prosper and bring in tourists. Travelers are much more likely to turn off the highway for a National Park than a national monument.