News Release

Lassen National Park Highway Opens to Vehicles

News Release Date: July 1, 2023

The 30-mile highway through Lassen Volcanic National Park opened for the season on July 1, 2023. A higher-than-average snowpack slowed operations, but through the hard work of National Park Service and Caltrans road crews, the road has been fully cleared. Visitors to the park should prepare for winter conditions at higher elevations, and possible delays due to ongoing road work.

Intermittent closures along the highway are possible due to repair work, as well as inclement weather. Please check the weather forecast before traveling. In other areas of the park, the road to Butte Lake is open; Warner Valley Road is closed to vehicles, but open to bikers and hikers; and Juniper Lake Road remains closed to all traffic at the park boundary due to post-Dixie Fire hazards.

Over the winter, a short portion of Highway 89 was damaged at Sulphur Works, approximately one mile north of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.  Thirty feet of sidewalk in that location has collapsed and some of the road has been undermined. Traffic will be limited to one lane in this area throughout the season, controlled by automatic traffic lights. Visitors should expect delays and use caution when on foot. Repair work is expected to begin in September 2023. 

Trails in the higher-elevation areas of the park remain snow-covered. This includes, but is not limited to, Lassen Peak and Brokeoff Mountain. Bumpass Hell Trail remains under seasonal closure due to snow and ice. View current trail conditions at go.nps.gov/lavo/hike. 

Campground openings have been delayed due to snow, snow damage, and hazard trees, but many areas are now open. Manzanita Lake Campground, cabins, and the Camper Store are open. Butte Lake Campground is also open. Summit Lake and Warner Valley are being assessed for safety and will open when possible. Reservations are required for all camping and backpacking and can be made through recreation.gov.  Juniper Lake campground will be closed for the entire 2023 season due to ongoing recovery from the Dixie Fire. Drakesbad Guest Ranch in Warner Valley will also remain closed for the entire 2023 season due to ongoing recovery from the Dixie Fire. View all 2023 season dates, as well as visitor center, museum, store, and café hours at go.nps.gov/lavo/hours. 

Visitors can make their trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park safer and more enjoyable by being prepared. Planning ahead is especially important when visiting areas affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire. The areas most impacted by the Dixie Fire are in the east and southeast portions of the park, including Warner Valley, Juniper Lake, and portions of Lassen Volcanic Wilderness between Butte and Juniper Lakes. Areas west of the park highway were not impacted by the fire. While most of the park will be open this summer, there are special safety considerations each visitor will need to make. Learn more about visiting after the Dixie Fire at go.nps.gov/afterdixie.