Work Begins to Reconnect Mount St. Helens Highway to Observatory

Three-year closure of Johnston Ridge Observatory access road due to landslide to be resolved by fall 2026

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:53am by

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A sweeping landscape painting in the style of Vincent Van Gogh, depicting the iconic volcanic peak of Mount St. Helens rising in the distance, with the winding road leading up to the observatory visible in the foreground. The scene is rendered in textured, expressive brushstrokes using a palette of earthy greens, blues, and grays to capture the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest.The long-awaited restoration of the road to Mount St. Helens' Johnston Ridge Observatory will soon reconnect visitors to this stunning natural wonder.Portland Today

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced that crews will begin work next week to permanently repair and reopen a stretch of State Route 504 leading to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens. The project is expected to be completed in the fall, restoring safe access that was disrupted by a 2023 landslide that destroyed a bridge on the only road to the observatory.

Why it matters

The closure of the road leading to the Johnston Ridge Observatory has cut off access to one of the most popular visitor destinations at Mount St. Helens, a major tourist draw in the Pacific Northwest. Restoring this critical transportation link will allow the observatory to reopen and welcome back visitors after being shuttered for nearly three years.

The details

A landslide in 2023 dropped 300,000 cubic yards of debris onto State Route 504, destroying the two-lane Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge on the section of highway leading up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. This left the observatory inaccessible, with no other road access route available. WSDOT has been working on a permanent solution to rebuild the bridge and restore safe passage, which is now set to be completed by the fall of 2026.

  • In the summer of 2023, a landslide occurred just weeks after the road had reopened for the season.
  • A dozen visitors were stranded on Johnston Ridge overnight until they were rescued by helicopter the morning after the landslide.
  • WSDOT constructed a temporary one-lane bypass for the ruined bridge, but it failed after just a few months due to erosion.
  • In early 2024, WSDOT said the highway and observatory would need to remain closed until at least 2026 while the agency worked on a permanent solution.
  • The new bridge is expected to be finished later in 2026, but the observatory itself will need additional repairs after sitting empty for three years.

The players

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)

The state agency responsible for maintaining and repairing the highway infrastructure in Washington, including the road leading to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens.

Pedro Reyes

WSDOT Project Engineer overseeing the effort to reconnect the highway to the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

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What they’re saying

“This is more than a bridge restoration project. It's about reconnecting people to Mount St. Helens. We're building a long-term solution that will fully restore safe access and ensure reliability for years to come.”

— Pedro Reyes, WSDOT Project Engineer

What’s next

Once the new bridge is completed later this year, the Johnston Ridge Observatory will need to undergo repairs after being closed for three years before it can reopen to the public.

The takeaway

The restoration of access to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens is a critical infrastructure project that will allow visitors to once again experience one of the Pacific Northwest's most iconic natural landmarks after a prolonged closure due to a devastating landslide.