Mount St. Helens in Washington State was once the "Mount Fuji of America"—admired for its symmetrical cone shape similar to Japan's highest peak. It was a popular Pacific Northwest destination, offering various recreational opportunities. But that changed following the devastating eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, about 123 years after its last major one.

To this day, it's still the most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. In 1982, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was created to facilitate further research and manage recovery. But tourism hasn't been the same since, and the volcano has been quietly restless.

Recently, more and more park sites in the area are starting to reopen, inviting people to explore Mount St. Helens again. After all,

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