This was a helpful note! We’ve updated this information.

Thanks for the trailhead updates! Agreed about the difficulty of taking dogs on this trip. We would not recommend that. Take care and happy hiking!

Wow, thanks so much Danny! We truly appreciate it.

Hiking times vary widely based on many different factors (age, fitness, pack weight, footwear choice, weather conditions, etc.), so it’s really tough to say. I think estimating 1.5 mph would be a safe estimate for most people. So that would be around a 6-7 hour baseline for the average hiker. If you’re fast and fit with a light pack, you’ll likely be closer to 4-5 hours of hiking time, but again, that depends on a wide range of factors, so it’s tough to say.

Anyway, I hope that rough estimate helps a bit. Thanks again and enjoy the trail!

Thanks so much for the kind reply and helpful info!

Also – the area is closed to dogs to help protect the natural resources, and the wildlife, as well as the area being a Class 1 Research area and it’s protected to provide long term research projects.

Sincerely, Mount St. Helens NVM.

Hey Ben, thanks for you comment. There are several reasons why the Loowit isn’t ideal for dogs. The biggest is that there’s a 10 mile segment north of Windy Pass and north of the South Fork of the Toutle River is closed to pets. There are also extensive lava boulder fields along the route, narrow trail with steep drop-offs, washouts, and few reliable water sources. It’s possible to take your experienced hiking dog on segments of this hike, but for the dog’s safety, there are better options in the surrounding area.