Explore the evidence of Mount Adams’ most recent eruption with a gentle hike to the Muddy Fork Lava Bed.
Washington’s Cascade Range is one long string of volcanoes. This includes 12,276-foot Mount Adams. Adams initially formed about 1 million years ago, but its present eruptive cone is closer to 10,000 to 25,000 years old. Since then, Adams has erupted at least seven times. The most recent eruptions have been along the mountain’s lower slopes, in the form of broad lava flows.
Lava beds are formed when slowly cooling magma flows across large areas. While the Aiken Lava Bed is Mount Adams’ best-known flow, the Muddy Fork Lava Bed is the most recent. This basalt bed settled on the volcano’s northeastern flank roughly 3,000 years ago. Despite the lava beds’ rough and desolate terrain, the hike to get there is comfortable.
From the trailhead, take the Pacific Crest Trail as it slopes down toward Muddy Fork Creek. The gentle descent leads through spacious forest, allowing the sun to stream through the canopy. Approximately 2 miles into your relaxing stroll, you’ll get your first up-close view of the lava bed. As the lava cooled, it suddenly stopped and left the 20-foot abrasive and desolate black wall that stands in front of you. The trail continues around the high basalt wall for the next half-mile or so. Continue wandering along the base of the flow, or scramble up to explore its surface.
Dormant Volcano: Recent hot spots and gas emissions on Mount Adams’ summit show that the volcano is dormant but not extinct. This means that Mount Adams will someday show more signs of its volcanic nature.
Muddy Fork Lava Bed
46.3255,
-121.5058
Map & Directions
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Length
- 5.0 miles, roundtrip
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Elevation Gain
- 500 feet
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Highest Point
- 4,900 feet
Parking Pass/Entry Fee
Northwest Forest Pass
Mount Adams, at 12,276 feet, dominates the South Cascades and provides the most dramatic scenery of the region. The mountain is a standout destination also for the massive basalt lava beds that cover large portions of the surrounding landscape. This relatively young volcano initially formed nearly a million years ago, about 3 miles southeast of its current location. That first cone was ground down by glaciers during the long succession of ice ages that swept the region, while the "hot spot" that gave birth to the mountain shifted northwest as plate tectonics and continental drift rearranged the landscape.
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Hiking Muddy Fork Lava Bed
Map & Directions
Trailhead
Before You Go
Parking Pass/Entry Fee
Northwest Forest PassWTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.
Getting There
From Packwood, drive south on Forest Road 21 for 17 miles to a junction with FR 2160. Turn left (east) onto FR 2160 and continue 1.8 miles, crossing the Cispus River, and turn right (southwest) onto FR 56. In 1.8 miles, leave FR 56 by bearing left (south) onto FR 2329. In 5.5 miles, turn left at a junction with FR 5603 and drive 2 miles to the trailhead.
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