Search Search Main navigation Travel Construction & planning Business with WSDOT Engineering & standards About Home About News Upper SR 504 Spirit Lake Memorial Highway closes for the winter on Dec. 1 Upper SR 504 Spirit Lake Memorial Highway closes for the winter on Dec. 1 November 22, 2021 Celeste Dimichina, communications, 360-905-2057 TOUTLE – Travelers have just a few more days left to enjoy the scenic views of Mount St. Helens from the higher elevations of State Route 504, also known as Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, before it closes for the winter. At dusk, on Wednesday, Dec. 1, Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews will close the gate to the upper reaches of the road, at milepost 45, near Coldwater Lake. Each year, WSDOT coordinates the seasonal closure with the U.S. Forest Service in anticipation of hazardous winter weather. The road reopens each spring. "The annual closure allows maintenance crews to accomplish two goals," said Kent Palmer, WSDOT's lead maintenance technician for the area. "First, we close the upper portion of the highway because it gets a lot of rain, ice and snow and is not safe for winter travel. Second, closing ahead of inclement winter weather gives our crews time to clear downed trees and remove debris from ditches and culverts, which helps minimize springtime repairs and allows the road to reopen sooner." The scenic byway will be closed from the Hummocks Trailhead to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, but Coldwater Lake still will be accessible as weather conditions allow. Drivers can stay informed on the latest traffic issues by visiting WSDOT's recently updated real-time travel map, or by following WSDOT's southwest Washington-area Twitter account. Performance highlights from the Gray Notebook 14 fish passage projects were completed in 2020 improving access to 54.2 miles of upstream habitat. 11,959 incidents responded to by WSDOT’s incident Response teams during second quarter of 2021, 15% more than same quarter in 2020. 41 Pre-existing Funds Projects Advertised during the eighth quarter of the 2019-2021 biennium. Contact Accessibility Title VI Site index Sign up for email or text updates Subscribe to customized email or text alerts to help you know before you go. Receive current traffic conditions, mountain pass reports, construction updates and more. WSDOT Traffic App Access Washington Office of the Governor Transportation Commission Good To Go! Tolling Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn YouTube WSDOT Blog WSDOT Flickr RSS Feed Image Copyright WSDOT © Privacy policy Agency rule making