Our campground here is kind of in a forest of trees which was nice when we arrived in temperatures which were heading to to high 80's. As the sun was going down, we were treated to a gorgeous, colorful sunset through the trees.

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I thought this sign of Mount St. Helens the day before the eruption and the one from four months later was worth sharing. As you can see, the whole side of the mountain blew out.

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Not only was it hazy today but we think there was also some smoke in the area from the fires that are burning in Washington and Oregon so our pictures of the mountain are not as sharp as I would have wished. Hopefully you can see what it looks like today.

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We watched an incredible movie that showed what happened when the mountain blew and how the flora and fauna began coming back. We were shocked to learn that many of the animals and plants that were underground at the time of the eruption soon began coming to the surface and helped the area begin it's slow return to it's new normal. After the movie, the screen went up and the curtains opened to afford us with this spectacular view of the volcano.

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The force of the flow broke trees like they were toothpicks. Years later we can still see some of the downed trees like this one.

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St. Francis Xavier Mission was established in 1838 as the Cowlitz Indian Mission. It was the first permanently established mission in the state of Washington. In 1877 a convent and boarding school were built on the same piece of property.

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Our campground is located above Paradise Valley with its beautiful farmland and lakes.

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