The east end of state Highway 504 has closed for the winter, cutting off the main access to Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens.
The highway is closed past Milepost 45, near the Hummocks Trailhead, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Drivers can still access the rest of the highway, which travels east from Castle Rock at Interstate 5.
Johnston Ridge Observatory, located on the north side of Mount St. Helens, had already closed for the season. The observatory and highway will reopen in the spring.
