This was a Memorial Day weekend trip to the Mt St Helens and Gifford Pinot National Forest area. I stayed to the southern area of the national forest, but did venture out to the Ape Caves, Trail of Two Forests and the quick jaunt to Panther Creek Falls. Ape Caves is a lava tube near the mountain, and you can do the lower or upper cave. The lower cave is easy, taking about an hour. The upper cave, as I have been told, includes 27 spots where you climb over rock mounds, taking about two hours over a mile and a half. I completed the lower cave this trip. I then stopped by the short Trail of Two Forests which is a short 3/4 of a mile interpretive trail with some interesting signage to read. On Sunday, I took the drive over to Panther Creek Falls, hiking the short but steep half mile trail to the bottom of the falls.