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Gifford-Pinchot NF and Mount St Helens NVM - FR-25 and FR-99

Forest Road 25
Forest Road 99
Gifford-Pinchot NF / Mount Saint Helens NVM, Washington

Lengthy, extremely high quality tight twisties along with interesting views of volcanic devastation.

Section Covered:
Eastern side of Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument

Length:
approximately 140 km total.

Ratings:   Rankings:
Scenic Impact 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Overall Score: 8.1
Twistiness 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Fun-to-Drive: 8.2
Surface Quality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  
Traffic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rankings and ratings explained

Gifford-Pinchot NF and Mount St Helens NVM - FR-25 and FR-99 [Detail Map]
After the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980, the national forest and park services set about to reconstruct and improve road access into the east side of the mount saint helens area. As a result, there now exists in that area a very long and very fun duo of roads.
Windy Ridge Road
FR-25 runs south from Randle WA to Cougar, WA. It is quite twisty over most of its 100+ km length, and the road is well-paved and nicely wide. Views of the surrounding scenery are limited, owing to thick pacific northwest vegetation, but you're going to be very focused on the road anyway!
Mt St Helens Devastation
FR-99 is a spur road halfway down FR-25. It leads west into the heart of the 1980-eruption devastated area at Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, ending at the Windy Ridge viewpoint. As this road enters the devastated area, you are treated to wide-ranging views of snapped trees, blasted hillsides, and log-choked lakes. And the road itself? Superbly paved and extremely twisty. Be prepared, however, for moderately heavy tourist traffic, although in the devastated area there is excellent visibility for passing.
At the end of a winding road

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