News Release

Lassen Volcanic National Park Seeks Public Review of Bumpass Hell Trail Visitor Use Improvements Environmental Assessment

Hikers on the Bumpass Hell Boardwalk

NPS Photo

News Release Date: March 8, 2018

Contact: Jim Richardson, 30-595-6102

MINERAL, CA – Lassen Volcanic National Park Superintendent Jim Richardson invites public comment for a 30-day review of the Bumpass Hell Trail Visitor Use Improvements Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA analyzes the impacts of three alternatives for rehabilitation of the trail and boardwalk.

The popular Bumpass Hell Trail is located across from Lake Helen off the Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway. This short trail offers outstanding opportunities to experience hydrothermal features. In 2015, a portion of the boardwalk leading to the Turquoise Pool was removed because the boardwalk was being undermined by the Pyrite Pool. Other parts of the trail have not been comprehensively rehabilitated since the 1970s.

To address these and other issues, the environmental assessment considers three alternatives that were developed from previous public scoping in March, 2017. The No Action alternative proposes to continue existing management of the Bumpass Hell trail by performing ongoing maintenance and seasonal repairs to the trail and boardwalk. Alternative 2, the NPS Preferred Alternative, proposes a variety of changes to expand opportunities for visitor use while continuing to protect park resources, including improving access on the Bumpass Hell Trail and several overlooks. Alternative 3 improves visitor use by implementing many of the actions in Alternative 2 while also adding restroom facilities near the Bumpass Hell Overlook and restoring historic rock walls along the trail.

Because public participation is very important to the success of the project, the National Park Service (NPS) encourages your review and comment on the environmental assessment. Comments will be accepted through April 7. The Environmental Assessment is available electronically for review and comment online by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/lavo, the website for the NPS’s Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) system. The NPS prefers comments to be submitted in writing on the same site. However, comments may also be sent to:

Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, California 96063

Commenters should be aware that their entire comment – including personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While commenters can ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the National Park Service cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

-NPS-

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