Cougar is an unincorporated community and former town in Cowlitz County , Washington , northeast of the city of Woodland . Cougar is located northeast of Woodland along Washington State Route 503 and situated along the northwest bank of Yale Lake , a reservoir on the Lewis River . The population was 122 at the 1990 Census , when it was still incorporated as a town , but disincorporated before the 2000 Census . The Cougar community is part of the Woodland School District , a K-12 school district of about 2,200 students . Cougar is the nearest community to Mount St. Helens , which lies 13 miles ( 20.9215 km ) to its northeast . The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18 , 1980 was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States
eruption of Mount St. Helens
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens
Cougar, Washington