Mount St. Helens: From Calm to Kaboom!

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All About Mount St. Helens

Where Is Mount St. Helens?

Mount St. Helens is a volcano in the state of Washington, way up in the northwestern part of the United States. It’s part of the Cascade Mountain Range.

If you look at a map, you’ll see it above the city of Portland and close to another volcano called Mount Adams.

• Can you find Mount St. Helens on the map?

Click on the map below.

What Happened in 1980?

Mount St. Helens became famous for something very big and very loud—it erupted in 1980!

Before it blew up, scientists noticed lots of little earthquakes shaking the mountain. These earthquakes were signs that something big was coming.

Then—BOOM!—a huge earthquake made half of the mountain slide away in a giant landslide. It was so fast, it raced down the mountain faster than a car on the highway!

The landslide crashed into Spirit Lake and made waves as tall as a skyscraper!

The Big Eruption

After the landslide, the real eruption began. For nine hours, the volcano shot out hot ash, rocks, and gas. The ash cloud rose higher than 80,000 feet—taller than many airplanes fly!

Trees, animals, and buildings were all buried in ash. Everything nearby was completely changed.

More Eruptions and What Came Next

Mount St. Helens didn’t stop after one big eruption. It kept erupting five more times in 1980! Even a couple of years later, it was still puffing out ash and smoke.

Today, Mount St. Helens is still an active volcano, but scientists keep a close watch on it. That way, people can stay safe if it ever gets ready to erupt again.

What Did You Learn?

Wow—you just learned some amazing facts about Mount St. Helens! From peaceful mountain to powerful volcano, it’s a story full of surprises.

Now, it’s your turn to show what you remember and get a little creative.

• Are you ready to draw, color, and share what you know in the Got It? section?