The Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, state Highway 504, will remain closed for the time being, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The road takes visitors to the Johnston Ridge Observatory and other sites near Mount St. Helens. The upper part of the route is closed to the public during the winter months, typically reopening each spring in advance of the May 18 anniversary of the 1980 eruption.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Forest Service has currently closed all of the campgrounds, trailheads and recreational sites served by the highway. WSDOT therefore decided to keep the highway closed as well, the agency said in a press release.
