Last updated: June 10, 2022
Place
Hat Creek Viewpoint
NPS/Amanda Sweeney
Quick Facts
Location:
Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway
Significance:
Scenic Viewpoint
Amenities
4 listed
Parking - Auto, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles
This picturesque meadow is one of the most colorful spots in the park for autumn foliage. In the heat of summer, water from a year-round spring keeps the area a lush green.
This tranquil spot was shaped by Lassen Peak eruptions that dammed Hat Creek creating Hat Lake. Following its formation, American beavers maintained the lake for decades When the beavers departed for an unknown reason, the spring water flows through the meadow.
As previously flooded land slowly dries, plant succession takes place. Quaking aspen and willow are prolific in the wet soil surrounding the lake. Multiple flower species and meadow grasses now grow in the nutrient-rich soil of the former lake bed.
There is no trail through the meadow. Please enjoy it from its edges. Walking on the meadow compacts soil, which can kill roots or preventing new plants from growing.
This tranquil spot was shaped by Lassen Peak eruptions that dammed Hat Creek creating Hat Lake. Following its formation, American beavers maintained the lake for decades When the beavers departed for an unknown reason, the spring water flows through the meadow.
As previously flooded land slowly dries, plant succession takes place. Quaking aspen and willow are prolific in the wet soil surrounding the lake. Multiple flower species and meadow grasses now grow in the nutrient-rich soil of the former lake bed.
There is no trail through the meadow. Please enjoy it from its edges. Walking on the meadow compacts soil, which can kill roots or preventing new plants from growing.