Spirit Lake (Washington)

Spirit Lake
Aerial view of the lake in 2005
Spirit Lake Location in Washington state Show map of Washington (state) Spirit Lake Spirit Lake (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Skamania County, Washington, U.S.
Coordinates	46°16′23″N 122°08′06″W / 46.27306°N 122.13500°W / 46.27306; -122.13500
Primary inflows	Precipitation, streams
Primary outflows	Drainage tunnel to South Coldwater Creek
Basin countries	United States
Surface elevation	3,406 feet (1,038 m)[1] (3,198 ft (975 m) before May 18, 1980)[2]

Spirit Lake is a lake in Skamania County, Washington, United States, located north of Mount St. Helens. It was a popular tourist destination for many years until Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. Previously there had been six camps on the shore of Spirit Lake: Boy Scout (Camp Spirit Lake),^[3] the Girl Scout Camp at Spirit Lake, two YMCA camps^[4] (Camp Loowit, and Portland YMCA camp), Harmony Fall Lodge, and another for the general public. There were also several lodges accessible to visitors, including Spirit Lake Lodge and Mt. St. Helens Lodge. The latter was owned and operated by Harry R. Truman, a noted victim of the volcano's 1980 eruption.^[5]