Mount St. Helens sunrise live cam – Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake)
Intermittent Still image · every 10 min Volcano · Official source · What camera types mean
What you are looking at
From Johnston Ridge Observatory, this camera looks east toward Spirit Lake, the large lake at the north foot of Mount St. Helens that was transformed by the 1980 eruption. On clear days the frame takes in part of the lake surface and the ridges around it; in haze, low cloud or bright overcast the image can turn almost white.
The 1980 debris avalanche and blast pushed a giant wave across Spirit Lake, raised its level and left thousands of logs floating on it. Many of those logs still drift as a mat that moves with the wind. The lake is now held back by the debris blockage and drained through a tunnel, and the US Forest Service and USGS keep watch on it. Volcano updates are on the CVO Mount St. Helens page.
The snapshot updates about every ten minutes. Calm mornings may show reflections and the log mat clearly, while afternoon winds ruffle the surface. In winter, snow covers the slopes and ice can form along the shore in cold spells. Tip: if the view is washed out, try again in early morning or late afternoon, when the light is lower and the air clearer.
Camera details
- Camera ID
- msh-spiritlake
- Operator
- Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS)
- Name at the provider
- CVO St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake)
- Volcano
- Mount St. Helens
- Volcano number (Smithsonian GVP)
- 321050
- Elevation
- 0 m / 0 ft
- Camera faces
- East (107°)
- Image updates
- Every 10 min
- Video format
- Still image (JPEG)
- Position
- Exact (from the provider)
- Licence
- U.S. public domain
- Data source
- USGS volcano webcams
- Last checked
- 02:00 UTC (46 min ago)
- Working, last 7 days
- 0 % of checks
From the provider's own camera list and our automatic checks. Readings and details can change without notice.
Where this Mount St. Helens live webcam is
Weather now in Mount St. Helens: 57 °F (14 °C), clear sky, wind 4 mph (6 km/h) from the east. Forecast for 8 PM local time. Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0)
Mount St. Helens is a place in Washington, United States. The camera is about 5.9 mi from the center. Mount St. Helens keeps America/Los Angeles time (UTC−7 at the moment); the panel above shows the local time live.
Mount St. Helens rises in Skamania County in southwest Washington, about 52 miles northeast of Portland and close to 100 miles south of Seattle. It is the most active volcano in the Cascade Range in modern times. On the morning of May 18, 1980, an earthquake set off the collapse of its bulging north face, the largest landslide in recorded history, and a sideways blast and eruption followed. Fifty-seven people…
On the map
Live cameras near Mount St. Helens
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Dome)
WorkingStill imageSt. Helens (JRO, East Wall)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Glacier)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Loowit Fan)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, NF100)Also nearby: Mount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory (0.0 mi), Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Dome) (0.0 mi) and St. Helens (JRO, East Wall) (0.0 mi).
All Mount St. Helens live cameras · Camera radar centered here · More from USGS volcano observatories
Questions about Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake)
Is the Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake) camera live right now?
It has been intermittent: at our last check (Oct 8, 02:00 UTC) the picture had not changed for a while. It is a still image, not video: a new photo arrives about every 10 minutes straight from Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS).
Who operates the Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake) camera?
Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS) runs this camera, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program. It is an official source. Its images are in the U.S. public domain. LiveLocation shows them straight from the source with credit. About USGS volcano observatories Watch at the source
Where exactly is this camera?
It is about 5.9 mi from the center of Mount St. Helens, Washington, United States. Coordinates: 46.275, -122.218. All cameras in Mount St. Helens
Is it day or night there now?
Mount St. Helens is in the America/Los Angeles time zone. The "Right now" panel above shows the local time live. On October 7 the sun rises at 7:15 AM and sets at 6:37 PM there.
Are there more live cameras near Mount St. Helens?
Yes: 16 other cameras are within 25 miles of this one. The live camera radar shows them all on a map, nearest first. Open the radar here
Is this volcano erupting, and where is the official alert level?
Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS) sets the U.S. Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code for this volcano, not LiveLocation. Read its latest update before you plan a visit; the camera alone cannot tell you how safe it is. USGS volcano updates Official camera page
What are the conditions at Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake) now?
The latest readings from the provider: Volcano alert level: NORMAL · aviation code GREEN; Last USGS notice: Sep 16, 2025, 10:42 local time; Issued by: Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS). They update with the provider's data, so they can be a few minutes old.