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Plan Your Visit to Lassen Volcanic National Travel Guide
Lassen Volcanic National Park is a hydrothermal area on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. The park has pools of boiling springs, mud pots, steam vents, sapphire blue glacier lakes, lava fields, pine forests, meadows, waterfalls, volcanic peaks, and multicolored soil. The area has been referred to as a mini-Yellowstone and receives 500,00 visitors each year. Plan your visit with this Lassen Volcanic National Park Travel Guide.
READ Two-Week Pacific Northwest Road Trip Itinerary: Northern California and Oregon
You are excited to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat while there. Researching the best things to do while visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park while working full time is overwhelming and you don’t have hours to spend on the internet. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip full of top activities with this Lassen Volcanic National Park travel blog.
Where is Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park is 106,000 acres in the Shasta Cascade. The park is in the northeast corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park just south of the Oregon border in a ring of 12+ active volcanoes. Lassen Volcanic National Park is 4 hours northeast of San Francisco and 2.5 hours west of Reno. The closest airports are Redding, Sacramento, and Reno. There is no public transportation to Lassen Volcanic National Park.
How Much Time Should I Spend at Lassen Volcanic National Park
The northwest and southwest entrances are connected by a 30-mile road. Plan to spend 1-hour driving plus stops. Highlights not to miss are Helen Lake (roadside), Sulphur Works mud pot (roadside), and the Bumpass Hell Trail (2 hours).
Facts About Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic became a national monument in 1907 and a national park in 1916
Mt Lassen is an active volcano, it last erupted between 1914-1917
The parks magma chamber lies 3 miles beneath Lassen Peak
The geothermal water in the park reaches 240 degrees
The 322-degree Big Boiler is one of the hottest fumaroles in the world
There are 3 hydrothermal areas in the park: Sulphur Works, Bumpass Hell, and Devil’s Kitchen
There are four types of volcanoes in the park: shield, composite, cinder cone, and lava dome
Mt Lassen is the largest lava dome in the world
Lassen Volcanic National Park has over 150 miles of trails
75% of the park is designated wilderness
Black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, mule deer, and pika live in the area
Best Time of Year to Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park sits at an elevation of 9,000 and has a short season from mid-August to end-October. The park is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Trails close but the main road remains open in the winter for cross-country skiing. Bikers will love the Bike the Highway event each spring when the roads are plowed but not open for vehicles. Snow clears from trails in late summer (August). Thunderstorms and lightning are common in the summer. Lassen Volcanic National Park has a Dark Sky Festival in August.
Accommodation at Lassen Volcanic National Park
There are eight campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park: Manzanita Lake, Butte Lake, Juniper Lake, Lost Creek, Summit Lake South, Summit Lake North, Southwest, and Warner Valley. Juniper Lake and Southwest are first come, first served. Reservations are recommended during peak season. Cabins are available at Manzanita Lake. There is one lodge in the park, Drakesbad Guest Ranch. Gordan Rim Rock Ranch and Hat Creek Resort are located near the Manzanita Lake entrance. Hotel accommodations are available in the towns of Anderson, Chester, and Redding.
Things to Do at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Learn the park’s geology at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
Watch the boiling mud pot at Sulfur Works hydrothermal area
Have a picnic at Emerald Lake
Go for a chilly swim at Lake Helen
Photograph Lassen Peak from Lake Helen
Learn about the 1914 eruption on the Devasted Area Interpretive Trail
Kayak or fish on Manzanita Lake
Photograph the reflection of Chaos Crags in Reflection Lake
Check out the seismograph equipment at Loomis Museum and Interpretative Center
See the lava tubes at Manzanita Lake
See the purple lupine bloom in Paradise Meadow in late August
Check out the Fantastic Lava Beds near Butte Lake
Enjoy the night sky from the Bumpass Hell parking area
Be sure to check the Lassen Volcanic National Park Service website for current events
Lassen Volcanic National Park Hikes
3-mile Bumpass Hell Trail to boardwalks over boiling pools of water (1.5 hours)
2.2 loop to Kings Creek Falls
2.3-mile loop to the 125 degrees Boiling Springs Lake
4.4 miles around Echo Lake
5-mile Lassen Peak trail up the mountain
5-mile Cinder Cone Trail to the crater of a dormant volcano and painted dunes
Tips for Visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park
Arrive early, parking lots fill by 9 am
There are two general stores in the park, bring snacks, water, and a picnic lunch
The Drakesbad Guest Ranch serves breakfast and lunch
Fill your gas tank before entering, but there is a gas station behind the Manzanita Lake Camper Store
There is limited cell phone service in the park, download an offline map
Download the roadside audio tour
The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center provides free Wi-Fi
Be bear aware and use metal food lockers as appropriate
Wear close-toed shoes, there is powder-like dirt at the bottom of the Bumpass Hell trail
Pack a swimsuit to cool off in one of the lakes
Bring a jacket if staying to take advantage of the dark sky
Use sunscreen and bring plenty of water, there is very little shade on the Bumpass Hell Trail
Purchase bug spray to fend off mosquitos
The smell of sulfur is strong and triggers headaches, bring pain reliever
Stay on boardwalks, the soil is thin and may break into a boiling pot
Leashed pets are allowed on roads, campgrounds, and picnic areas
Bikes are prohibited on trails
Practice Leave No Trace Principles
Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass and keep exploring National Parks
Near Lassen Volcanic National Park
Burney Falls, McCloud Falls, Mossbrae Falls
Photograph Mt Shasta from Castle Lake Road
Visit the Shasta Dam, Sundial Bridge, and Shasta Lake
Explore the Subway Cave Lava Tube (bring a flashlight)
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Plan Your Lassen Volcanic National Park Itinerary
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Lassen Volcanic National Park Attractions and Day Tours
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