Lassen Volcanic National Park
38050 Highway 36 East
Park Headquarters, Mineral CA96063
https://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm
Lassen Volcanic National Park is underrated considering it has a very diverse geological features: We camped in an alpine forest, drove through a road lined by twelve feet of snow, by a frozen lake and by boiling mud (because of the volcano) to get to a trail that ends at a waterfall. I mean, wow!
There's a lot to see here. When I was planning our visit, I was overwhelmed by the number of things to see and do. To help myself organize, I divided the park into different "areas" or "bins": Manzanita (or Northwest Area), Kohm Yah-mah-nee (or Southwest Area), Warner Valley (or Southeast Area), and the Juniper Lake Area (or the Far East Area). I "dumped" various things I wanted to see and do into these bins and the bin with the most things I wanted and could do, was first on my list to visit.
Spoiler Alert: I missed more than half of my to do list. My hope is that we could come back and finish it. In the meantime, I'm going to immortalize this "to do" list here. If I missed anything interesting, let me know.
By the way, if long-distance hiking or backpacking is your thing, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Nobles Emigrant (part of the California National Historic Trail) both go through Lassen Volcanic NP.
For a short list of kid-friendly activities for Lassen Volcanic NP, check out this post.
NORTHWEST AREA (MANZANITA)
Loomis Museum is a historic museum registered in the National Registry of Historic Places and also acts as a Visitor Center. Loomis Museum is newbie-friendly, informative, and interactive. It has an incredible collection of historic photos of the park, a functioning seismograph, a gift shop, san auditorium short films (for the passive learners), a "Scavenger Hunt" (for the active learners), and most importantly (I'm always on the lookout), a restroom.
Manzanita Lake is fairly short at 1.5 miles and is flat so it’s a nice stroll around the lake surrounded by trees and picnic tables and you could even see peaks above the trees.
Stargazing is entirely, finally, possible. I say finally because as an LA resident, light pollution is a fact of life for us.
Manzanita Lake Campground is a great campground with hot showers and hot breakfasts available nearby. A fire pit and picnic table is available at each camp site. Water for dishwashing and drinking are also available.
The following made it in my "to do" list for for the Manzanita Area based on my research, but we didn't have time to get to them.
Reflection Lake is where you could see Lassen reflected.
Lily Pond Nature Trail 0.75 mile easy walk around Reflection Lake. Trailhead: Across highway from the Loomis Museum.
Manzanita Creek 7 mile climb with views of Eagle Peak, Vulcan's Castle and Loomis Peak. Trailhead: End of the Manzanita Lake Campground road.
Paradise Meadow 2.8 mile hike ending at a meadow lined by talus cliffs. Trailhead: Hat Lake parking area.
SOUTHWEST AREA
Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor Center is a very good center with clean restrooms and a good gift center. The trailhead for Mill Creek Falls is right behind the Ampitheater at the Kom Yah-Man-Nee Visitor Center. The 3.8 mile hike is a great workout and has wildflowers, a creek, woods, a small meadow, a lookout point, a dramatic waterfall and a footbridge over the falls.
Sulphur Works is a great area to view volcanic activity via boiling mud. It's amazing to see considering we just through so much snow and ice before getting here.
Lake Helen is purported to have a great view of Lassen Peak behind it, and a reflection on it. Unfortunately, and fortunately, it was frozen over. Unfortunately because we weren't able to see a reflection. Fortunately because it was beautiful!
These were the ones that I wanted to get to but wasn't able to:
Cold Boiling Lake 1.4 mile hike passing through a forest and meadow to this bubbling lake.
Kings Creek Falls 2.5 mile hike through a meadow and forest to get to a waterfall.
Lassen Peak Hike 4.8 mile climb with great views during the climb and when you get to the top.
Bumpass Hell Hydrothermic Basin 3 mile easy hike through multi-colored rocks on a zig-zagging boardwalk passing by turquoise-colored pools of water. Trailhead is at Bumpass Hell Parking Area.
We didn't get to these "Areas" of Lassen Volcanic. It's in this blog because I intend to return and I will refer to this for places to see.
BUTTE LAKE AREA
Cinder Cone (Lava Beds & Painted Dunes) 4 mile strenuous hike skirting Fantastic Lava Beds and the Painted Dunes before climbing steeply to the summit crater with views. Trailhead at Butte Lake parking area, southwest side of the boat ramp.
WARNER VALLEY AREA - SE
Devils Kitchen 4.2 mile easy hike through a meadow, forest, mud pots, steam vents, fumaroles and Hot Springs Creek. Trailhead is across from the Warner Valley Campground on Warner Valley Road.
Drakesbad Guest Ranch
Boiling Springs Lake 1.8 mile easy hike through meadow and forest to a lake. Lake is almost always 125 degrees due to steam vents under it. Trailhead across from the Warner Valley Campground on Warner Valley Road.
JUNIPER LAKE AREA
Mount Harkness 3.8 mile strenuous hike through forest, woodland to peak with panoramic views. Trailhead is at Juniper Lake campground.
Crystal Lake 0.8 mile easy hike through forest. Trailhead is 0.3 miles north of the Juniper Lake Campground.
Inspiration Point 1.4 mile moderate hike through forest, meadow to summit with awesome views. Trailhead is 50 feet east of the Juniper Lake picnic area parking lot.
Horseshoe Lake 2.8 mile easy hike through forest to lake. Trailhead is at Juniper Lake Picnic Area.
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