Goat Mountain / Goat Creek access in summer?

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Goat Mountain / Goat Creek access in summer?

Post by johnspeth » April 6th, 2019, 7:43 am

I've been thinking about hiking in the Goat Mountain area just north of Mt St Helens. From what information I could gather, it's accessible after snow melts mid summer but what I can't seem to find is road information. The GPNF web page for Goat Mountain says the area is both open and unreachable in the same page. This GPNF web page for road 2750 also says the same contradictory information.

Does anybody know if this area is accessible after snow melts? I understand there are three access points: Goat Creek TH from the north on Rd 2750, Goat Mountain from the north on Rd 2600, and Goat Mountain from the east at Ryan Lake near Norway Pass. Are any of these access points unworkable?

I understand the area is heavily bounded by private timber land and the timber companies will close roads without notice. How would one know if these roads are open or closed?

Finally, are these roads suitable only for high clearance trucks? My car is a 2014 VW Jetta. Are these roads doable in a Jetta?

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Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Goat Mountain / Goat Creek access in summer?

Post by Don Nelsen » April 6th, 2019, 10:11 am

I was there five times this past summer and the 26 road is fine for normal clearance vehicles. There are a few bumps on it coming from the south past the Norway pass TH but work was done later last summer that fixed most of the worst of it. Road 26 is blocked at the intersection with road 2612 a little north of Ryan Lake so you can't get there from the north, at least you couldn't at the end of last summer. There was work being done when I was last there Oct. 17th. Road 2612 is fine, too, and dead-ends in about 3¼ miles from road 26 where you can access the Green River TH.

The TH I used for Goat Mountain is on road 2612, ½ mile from road 26.

I haven't tried getting there via road 2750 so can't comment on that.

It is a very scenic area. Here are a few photos from one of my trips.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Goat Mountain / Goat Creek access in summer?

Post by Chip Down » April 6th, 2019, 3:58 pm

Johnspeth, you should be aware that I've seen pics of Don Nelsen's sedan in places that make me think he must have chartered a chopper to lift it in there. ;)

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