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From
Seattle take I-5 South to Exit #49. Turn east and follow Highway
504 to MP 11.5. Turn right onto South Toutle River Road. In 2.5
miles turn right (before the railroad bridge) onto non-marked road
#4100. In about 1 mile the road #4100 crosses a railroad and reaches
Y junction. Take right fork onto road #4110 and in 1.5 mile turn
left onto road #4200. Follow road #4200 for 5.2 miles to Y junction.
Take right fork onto road #4250 (sign at the junction marks general
direction to road #3000). In 3 miles at the junction with road #2720
that goes to the left, turn right. The road is quite rough from
this point. In 2 miles the road reaches a T junction. Turn left
and follow the road for 0.2 mile to Y junction: left fork is road
#2700, right fork is road #4250. Take right fork and continue on
#4250 for 4.5 miles to a non-marked junction with road #3000, going
to the right (southeast). Take road #3000. There will be several
junctions for the next 8 miles. Continue on the main road. In 8
miles the road reaches viewpoint and 3-way junction: take middle
fork. The road is overgrown and quite steep (4WD recommended). In
0.2 mile the road reaches a small parking at Castle Ridge Trail
#216G trailhead on the left side of the road. Park here and follow
Castle Ridge Trail 216G for 1.2 mile to the junction with Castle
Lake Trail 221
Very Important! Before going on the trail please call Weyerhaeuser
for updated road information (public access is limited and some
roads may be closed at times). Please call (866) 636-6531 or (360)
414-3439.
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July
25, 2002
Following an old forest road the trail gradually descends for about
0.2 mile to a saddle, providing good views of Mount St. Helens as
well as Castle Lake. The trail has not been maintained for a long
time and quite hard to follow. To follow the trail, look for last
road-post. From the last post the trail descends along the east
slope down into the Castle Creek valley. At times the trail is hard
to follow. In about 2 miles it reaches a small creek. Here the posts
appear again, marking the trail. The route crosses the creek and
continues on with little elevation gain or loss. The trail is overgrown
with bushes in this area. This part of the trail is marshy and quite
strenuous. We recommend you to go right to Castle Creek and follow
it, or, even better, to cross on the other side of the creek, if
possible. In about 0.3 mile, where the creek comes very close to
the hill, look for a fallen tree to cross back onto the west side
of the Castle Creek. The trail zigzags on the slope over the creek
then turns west as it approaches the Lahar. Look for road-posts
here. In about 1.3 mile the trail approaches the tree line. Descending
into the valley the trail enters a young-growth forest. It continues
along the road-posts for another mile as it approaches the lake
and the creek. About another 0.1 mile up north along the lake is
a great spot for camping, that offers nice view of the surrounding
mountains and the lake.
Castle
Lake Fishing and Regulations
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