Travel Blog: Lassen Volcanic National Park

Hydrothermal Pools at Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park

NPS Gallery *Images credited to NPS without any copyright symbol are public domain

Lassen Volcanic National Park, located in Northern California, is home to beautiful lakes, unique hydrothermal features, and scenic mountain views. Plan a summer trip to the park for charming views of hillside wildflowers, stunning lakeside sunsets, and ideal hiking conditions. Or, plan a winter visit and enjoy sledding and snowshoeing on the snow-covered slopes. Lodging is available in the park year-round with accommodations such as camping under the stars, cabins on the lake, or a cozy lodge in the valley.

Hydrothermal Features
Begin your trip by taking in the unique pools and steam vents at one of the park’s many hydrothermal sites, such as Bumpass Hell or Sulphur Works. Walking the boardwalks around the bubbling waters and brightly pigmented minerals is a full sensory experience with distinct scents, sounds, and sights.

Lakes
The park is home to many natural lakes with ample opportunities for fishing, swimming, and boating. Manzanita Lake features a 1.8 mile hiking loop as well as half mile jaunt around the Lily Pond Natural Area. This 2-mile shoreline hike takes you through a meadow and along the forested lake, making it a great trail for bird and wildlife watching. In the winter, snowshoeing is popular in this area. Boiling Springs Lake, on the southern edge of the park, stays a scorching 125 degrees year-round due to underground steam vents and features distinct bubbling mud pots along the shoreline. There is also Lake Helen and the aptly named Reflection Lake, two perfect places to catch the sunset dipping below Lassen Peak.

Painted Dunes at Lassen Volcanic National Park

NPS Gallery *Images credited to NPS without any copyright symbol are public domain.

More Unique Sites
If you prefer a more birds-eye view of the park, trails such as Devastated Trail Area and Upper Meadow Area offer great overhead views of surrounding meadows and Lassen Peak. Along these trails, there are many exhibits providing opportunities to learn more about the park’s volcanic history. Mill Creek Falls trail features one of the few waterfalls in the park, as well as a good vantage point over Bumpass Hell. Cinder Cone Trail offers amazing views of Cinder Cone, a 350-year-old volcano, as well as panoramic views of the Painted Dunes, multicolored fields created by ash and sediments from volcanic eruptions and other natural processes millions of years ago.

Read more about this unique park and the year-round opportunities it holds here.

Travel Blog written by Audrey Nelson
for "A Day in the Life of a Fellow" Article Series
National Park Service - Workforce Management Fellow
in Partnership with Northwest Youth Corps