Cougar, WA

Travel Guide

Panoramic view of the mountains and valley near Merrill Lake at Rd81 at Cowlitz county, Washington, USA.
Landscape of Panther Creek Falls in Carson, Washington.
Walking in winter. Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, King County, Washington
This year marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens.  As you can imagine, the place is buzzing with tourists even more so than usual.

But if all you want to do is get a clear look at a mighty big chunk of it, you could do worse than to travel the back roads around Cougar and look up from time to time.

This photo was taken at the Yale Reservoir, probably about 3 or 4 miles outside Cougar, Washington.  There are trails and vantage points all through the area, some of them marked, some, not so much.

If you don't like the view in one place, just move onto the next. 

And if you feel the tug too hard from the visitor centers and the souvenir shop, they're just a short drive away.

But give the countryside a try first. The views are so beautiful, you may never get to those tourist centers after all.
2016
Lone Fir Resort

Lone Fir Resort

3 out of 5
16806 Lewis River Rd. Cougar WA
The price is AED 488 per night from Mar 29 to Mar 30
AED 488
AED 536 total
29 Mar - 30 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this holiday park in Cougar. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular attraction ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (396 reviews)
CLOSED for the season. They did not charge off season rates. The resort was completely empty. We were the only ones there. The restaurant was closed also. We are new to the area and were not informed the resort was closed. Also, there was a large, dead bug hanging from the corner on a cobweb. When ...

Reviewed on 16 March 2026

Lone Fir Resort
YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

Cougar WA
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Cougar. Enjoy a garden, laundry facilities, and a pool table. Popular attraction Ape Caves is located ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (37 reviews)
The house was very musty. We could not even go to the basement. Would not recommend.

Reviewed on 15 September 2025

YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat
COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

Cougar WA
Stay at this vacation home in Cougar. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and laundry facilities. Popular attraction Ape Caves is located nearby.
9.8/10 Exceptional! (33 reviews)
Great access to lakes

Reviewed on 3 December 2025

COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

Cougar WA
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Cougar. Enjoy a garden, laundry facilities, and a pool table. Popular attraction Ape Caves is located ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (37 reviews)
The house was very musty. We could not even go to the basement. Would not recommend.

Reviewed on 15 September 2025

YALE House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat
COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat

Cougar WA
Stay at this vacation home in Cougar. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and laundry facilities. Popular attraction Ape Caves is located nearby.
9.8/10 Exceptional! (33 reviews)
Great access to lakes

Reviewed on 3 December 2025

COUGAR House -Mt St Helens / Yale Lake Retreat
St. Helens House ~ Yale Lake/Mt St Helens Retreat.

St. Helens House ~ Yale Lake/Mt St Helens Retreat.

Cougar WA
Stay at this vacation home in Cougar. Enjoy a garden, laundry facilities, and patios. Popular attraction Ape Caves is located nearby.
9.2/10 Wonderful! (14 reviews)
Kitchen was fully equipped, we never ran out of supplies like TP, paper towels, etc, and much more furniture than we needed for the 3 of us. Very cute cabin, the ladder may be difficult for young children/elderly, but our daughter didn’t mind it & loved the loft.

Reviewed on 5 October 2025

St. Helens House ~ Yale Lake/Mt St Helens Retreat.
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.