Last year while slogging around the Toutle State Forest in search of elk sheds and unique birds, I discovered a little gem of a swamp (and a saw-whet owl).  As a trained botanist, I noticed the unique character of the wetland, with bog laurel, peat moss, abundant shrubs rimmed by remnant old growth and snags. In fact the site hosts two rare plants and several rare communities of plants.  Unfortunately, the whole wet meadow was crisscrossed with ATV tire tracks and mudder abuse.  The DNR had tried pit traps, signs, and other barriers to keep slobs out of this special area to no avail.  One spring day, I was there when a side-by-side came putting right through the center of the meadow, tearing up the unique plants and leaving a long-lasting scar.  When confronted, the folks in the UTV couldn't believe they were doing anything wrong.  I guess they figured the barriers the DNR had dug to try to keep out motorized vehicles did not mean them.   Now the DNR has designated 166 acres of this wetland and some of surrounding land as the Toutle Ridge Fen Nature Area Preserve.  The designation should give the DNR more options to enforce the "no motorized vehicles" policy.  (Oddly, the DNR logged part of what is now 'protected forever' just last year.) 

A bit of an update:  The DNR is applying for a grant to "buy" this land (from itself) and permanently protect it, possibly with another designation.  It seems odd to have to do this--buy public land to preserve it--but state DNR land is technically owned by a list of beneficiaries (schools, counties, prisons etc) that are entitled to funds generated from those lands.  If the land is preserved, and can no longer generate funds, the beneficiaries must be compensated. If you want the details, visit this website, click the project search tab at the top, then search project name "Toutle Ridge Fen." RCO Home Page - RCO Recreation and Conservation Office Home Page

With winter making a late stand, there is one more area to enjoy the snow in the Toutle Valley, and I've saved the best for last.   

Bad news first.  If you don't dig a bit, you may never even know this land existed.  It has no trails, campgrounds, picnic sites, or official snowparks. There are no brown and white recreation signs.  The DNR website is silent.  In fact, it has no recreation investments at all, except a single "Discover Pass required" sign.  

Now the good news.  The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) owns 35,000 acres between the North and South Toutle Rivers.  The Toutle State Forest is open to most forms of outdoor recreation, including camping, horseback riding, bicycles, ATV's and snowmobiles. The views are spectacular, with five volcanoes and three huge lakes, surrounding you.  There are miles of logging roads to explore, and back-routes into the Mount St. Helens Monument and its trails (more on that when the snow melts). 

Weyerhaeuser, which has this 35,000 acres "landlocked", does usually allow free motorized access on a 'public access corridor' to the state forest. 

Directions: From the Toutle on SR 504, turn south onto South Toutle Road, which is just across from Drew's Grocery (the only store in town).  Follow S. Toutle Road over the river, past Harry Gardner County park, about three miles to a large gravel road the merges to the right.  Take this road and stay right. (If you go under two bridges you have gone too far.)   The gravel road is the 4100 logging road, but it may not be marked.   Follow the 4100 road a few miles paralleling the S. Toutle River.  Soon afer crossing a small creek,  there will be a large open area on the right which is often used to store culvert and other forestry supplies.  This is the old 12-mile logging camp that was destroyed by the eruption.  On the left, across from the storage area, a gravel road goes up hill (4200 rd).  Take the 4200 road and follow it gradually uphill to the DNR forest.  After seven miles, if you watch carefully, you may notice the Discover Pass sign which is the only mark that you have entered public land (the timber also gets larger, too). 

Depending on snow level, let the exploration begin.  The area is becoming more popular, especially with light 4x4's on weekends, so expect some company.  The photo shows a nice snowshoe route to the top of Signal Peak. 

The best map is the Mount St. Helens quadrangle map published by the DNR are available from the website for state printing:   https://prtonline.myprintdesk.net/DSF/storefront.aspx.   You can also check out public land on the Washington State Department of Wildlife's GoHunt web mapping tool, which has DNR roads. http://apps.wdfw.wa.gov/gohunt/