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Lassen Volcanic National Park is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Access to the park may be restricted due to snow coverage fall through late spring. Headquarters Information Desk is open from 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. and closed on holidays. The phone number is (530) 595-4444. It may close temporarily September-May for park meetings and training. The Headquarters is located in the town of Mineral on State Route 36 East, 9 miles outside the Park. Information and park publications are available, including maps, trail and road guides, field guides, children’s activities, and nature puppets.

Even though one of the earliest national parks to be designated by Congress, Lassen Volcanic has never had a formal visitor center. The old ski chalet at the southwest entrance inadequately served that function. The Lassen Chalet was built to support a concession-operated downhill ski area. In 1992 the downhill ski operation was removed in keeping with NPS management policies and the Chalet was converted to a concession-run gift shop and snack bar during the summer months.

Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is under construction and is scheduled to open by the fall of 2008. You will be able to find a reception desk where visitors can obtain information, permits, and reservations; interpretive exhibits and displays; an auditorium for showing a park film and holding special events; book, map, and educational product sales; a concession-run gift shop and restaurant; public restrooms and drinking fountains; first aid services; and after hours orientation displays in the vestibule. The Park plans to have the new Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center open for services year-round. Kohm Yah-mah-nee is the Mt. Maidu name for Snowy Mountain (Lassen Peak).This facility will provide tremendous benefits to 400,000 visitors a year through increased accessibility and park orientation.

Loomis Museum, Information, & Bookstore is open 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. late May to the end of September. It is closed during the winter. The Loomis Museum at Manzanita Lake offers information, exhibits, videos, Ranger-Led programs and publications in the summer months. Artifacts and photographs of the 1914-1915 eruption are on display in the Loomis Museum. New exhibits feature the original equipment Loomis used to photograph the eruptions and traditional Atsugewi basketry.

Lassen Volcanic National Park started as two separate national monuments designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907: Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument. Congress made it a national park in 1916 because of the eruption and active volcanic landscape. The park covers 165 square miles. Located on the crest of the Southern Cascade Range in northern California, almost 79,000 acres are designated as wilderness area.

The Lassen area was a meeting point for at least four American Indian groups: Atsugewi, Yana, Yahi, and Maidu. Because of its weather and snow conditions, generally high elevation, and seasonally mobile deer populations, the Lassen area was not conducive to year-round living. These Native American groups camped here in warmer months for hunting and gathering. Basket makers rather than potters, they left few artifacts other than stone points, knives, and metals. Some of these artifacts are displayed in the Loomis Museum, along with replicas of basketry and hunting devices. Ishi, the last known Yahi Indian, appeared in Oroville, California in 1911 having long avoided white settlers. Considered the nation’s last Stone Age survivor, Ishi lived out his days at the University of California Museum in Berkeley as an invaluable source of information for ethnologists. Tribal descendents still live in the area and are valuable partners to the park. Members have worked with the National Park Service to provide cultural demonstrations and to help visitors understand both modern and historical tribal culture.

History here generally describes the period from 1840, even though trapper Jedediah Smith passed through in 1828 on his overland trek to the West Coast. Euro-Americans began to settle here in the early 1840’s. California’s gold rush brought the first settlers. Two pioneer trails, developed by William Nobles and Peter Lassen, are associated with the park. Lassen developed the Lassen Trail using prominent St. Joseph’s Peak (Lassen Peak) to orient emigrant. Both peak and park now bear his name. In 1851, Nobles discovered an alternate route to California, passing through Lassen that was a more successful emigrant trail. It was eventually used in a regional transportation network. Sections of the Lassen and Nobles Emigrant Trail are still visible. Lassen guided settlers near here and tried to establish a city. Mining, power development projects, ranching, and timbering were all attempted. The area’s early federal protection saved it from heavy logging. Today this is one of the largest areas of old-growth forest in northern California.

On the evening of May 14, 1915, incandescent blocks of lava could be seen bouncing down the flanks of Lassen Peak from as far away as the town of Manton, 20 miles to the west. By the next morning, a growing dome of dacite lava had welled up into the volcano’s crater filling it. Late on the evening of May 19, a large steam explosion shattered the dacite dome, creating a new crater at the summit of Lassen Peak. No new magma was ejected in this explosion, but the glowing blocks of hot lava from the dome fell on the summit and snow-covered upper flanks of Lassen Peak. These falling blocks launched a half-mile-wide avalanche of snow and volcanic rock that roared 4 miles down the volcano’s steep northeast flank and over a low ridge at Emigrant Pass into Hat Creek.

On May 22, 1915, an explosive eruption at Lassen Peak, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 200 miles to the east and 150 miles to the west. The powerful eruption blasted rock fragments and pumice high into the air, creating the larger and deeper of the two craters seen near the summit of the volcano today. Pumice falling onto the northeastern slope of Lassen Peak generated a high-speed avalanche of hot ash, pumice, rock fragments, and gas, called a pyroclastic flow, that swept down the side of the volcano, devastating a 3-square mile area. The pyroclastic flow rapidly incorporated and melted snow in its path. The water from the melted snow transformed the flow into a highly fluid lahar that rushed down nearly 10 miles down Lost Creek to Old Station. The powerful eruption also swept away the northeast lobe of the lava flow extruded 2 days earlier. The eruption produced smaller mudflows on all flanks of Lassen Peak, depositing a layer of pumice and volcanic ash traceable for 25 miles to the northeast.

This explosion was the most powerful in a 1914-17 series of eruptions that were the last to occur in the Cascades before the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. For several years after the May 22, 1915 eruption, spring snowmelt percolating down into Lassen Peak triggered steam explosions, indicating that rocks beneath the volcano’s surface remained hot. Particularly vigorous steam explosions in May 1917 blasted out the second of the two craters now seen near the volcano’s summit. Steam vents could be found in the area of these craters into the 1950’s, but gradually waned and are difficult to locate today.

B.F. Loomis documented Lassen Peak’s most recent eruption cycle and promoted the park’s establishment. He photographed the eruptions, explored geologically, and developed an extensive museum collection. Artifacts and photographs of the 1914-1915 eruption are on display in the Loomis Museum and are accessible.

The 29 mile Main Park Road was constructed between 1925 and 1931; just 10 years after Lassen Peak erupted. Near Lassen Peak the road reaches 8,512 feet, making it the highest road in the Cascade Mountains. It is not unusual for 40 feet of snow to accumulate on the road near Lake Helen. The Lassen Volcanic National Park Main Park Road can open as early as May 10th and as late as mid-July depending on how much snow falls during the winter.

Situated at the southern end of the Cascade Range geologic province, Lassen Volcanic National Park lays at the crossroads of three great biological provinces: the Cascades range to the north, the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the south and the Modoc Plateau and Great Basin desert to the east. Lassen Peak is the largest of a group of more than 30 volcanic domes erupted over the past 300,000 years in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

All four types of volcanoes found in the entire world are represented in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Volcanoes found in the park include shield (Prospect Peak), plug dome (Lassen Peak), cinder cone (Cinder Cone), and composite (Brokeoff Volcano) volcanoes.

Lassen Peak is one of many dormant or extinct volcanoes found around the Pacific Ocean in a Ring of Fire. On this seismic zone, edges of plates that form Earth’s crust grind against each other, and one plate subducts, sinks down. Subduction creates molten rock-magma-at the plate margins. As the magma rises into the continental crust it becomes the feeding chambers of volcanoes.

Scientists believe some 400,000 to 600,000 years ago Brokeoff Volcano, or Mt. Tehama, a big composite volcano, built up through countless eruptions. A new vent opened up on the northeastern slope of Mt. Tehama, probably close to where Lassen Peak now stands. From this crater streams of fluid dacite flowed radically, but chiefly toward the north, piling up lava to a thickness of 1,500 feet. These are the black, glossy columnar lavas that now encircle Lassen Peak-the pre-Lassen dacites. Hydrothermal activity and weathering weakened and broke down the great volcano. It is possible that Tehama collapsed along a series of fault lines which criss-crossed it-a collapse which may have been brought about by the extrusion of extensive amounts of lava necessary to form the dacite domes on its flank. Brokeoff Volcano’s main vent probably stood above what is now Sulphur Works. The remnants of its flanks are Brokeoff Mountain, Mount Diller, Pilot Pinnacle, and Mount Conard. Connect these peaks in a circle and you can envision Brokeoff Volcano’s size-over eight miles wide at its base and at least 11,000 feet high. Brokeoff Volcano towered 1000 feet above Lassen Peak and looked similar to Mount Shasta.

Lassen Peak formed 27,000 years ago as a volcanic vent on Brokeoff Volcano’s northern flank. It is one of the world’s largest plug dome volcanoes, rising 2,000 feet to an elevation of 10,457 feet. When Lassen Peak formed, it looked much like the nearby 1,100 year-old Chaos Crags Domes, with steep sides covered with angular rock talus. However, during the last ice age, its shape was significantly altered by glacial erosion. For example, Crescent Crater, the bowl-shaped depression on the volcano’s northeastern flank, called a cirque, was eroded by a glacier that extended out 7 miles from the dome.

A series of large avalanches possibly triggered by steam explosions have occurred on the north side of the crags at least 300 years ago. These avalanches were of the “air cushion” type and developed speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour to form a wilderness of debris, the Chaos Jumbles, which covers an area of 2 ½ square miles. Manzanita Lake was formed as a result of Manzanita Creek being dammed by the debris. Reflection Lake and Lily Pond are depressions in this debris.

About the mid 1700’s a series of eruptions produced the Cinder Cone in the northeast corner of the park, mantling an area of 30 square miles with ejecta in the process. In the meantime, ashes falling on the streams of lava pouring from the cone’s east flank formed the Painted Dunes. At the same time another lava flow poured from the Cinder Cone and entered Butte Lake and dammed the drainage into Butte Lake to form a new lake-Snag Lake. In the late 1700’s Cinder Cone had its most recent eruption and lava flow. Steam rose from the domes of Chaos Crags until 1857, but no important eruptions occurred again until Lassen Peak burst into activity in 1914.

The remarkable hydrothermal features in Lassen Volcanic National Park include roaring fumaroles (steam and volcanic-gas vents), thumping mud pots, boiling pools, and steaming ground. Water from rain and snow that falls on the highlands of the park feed the hydrothermal system. Once deep underground, the water is heated by a body of hot or molten rock beneath Lassen Peak. Rising hot water boils to form boiling pools and mud pots. Super-heated steam reaches the surface through fractures in the earth to form fumaroles such as those found at Bumpass Hell and Sulphur Works. These features are related to active volcanism and are indications of the ongoing potential for further eruptions from the Lassen “volcanic center.”

The western part of the park features great lava pinnacles, huge mountains created by lava flows, jagged craters, and steaming vents. The vents are rimmed by beautiful yellow sulfate crystals formed by hydrogen sulfide gases they emit. Cut by spectacular glaciated canyons, the area is dotted by lakes and threaded by clear running streams. At higher elevations snowfields can be found year-round.

The eastern part of the park is a lava plateau over a mile above sea level, where you can find shield volcanoes and cinder cones. Forested with pine and fir, this area is studded with small lakes, but boasts few streams. Warner Valley marks the southern edge of the Lassen plateau and features hydrothermal areas- Boiling Springs Lake, Devil’s Kitchen, and Terminal Geyser.

The areas of hydrothermal activity in Lassen Volcanic- Bumpass Hell, Little Hot Springs Valley, Pilot Pinnacle, Sulphur Works, Devils Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, Terminal Geyser, and Fart Gulch- offer bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and boiling water. The thermal features undergo constant change-some are getting hotter and more acidic and others less so.

Although Lassen is primarily known for its volcanic geology, the park boasts a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Over 700 flowering plant species grace the park. A wide variety of wildflowers will be found changing with the temperatures (lower elevation wildflowers peak in July, while the summit wildflowers peak mid-August). Common wildflowers include iris, spotted coralroot, pyrola, Applegate’s Indian paintbrush, Bleeding heart, Brewer’s mountain heather, violets, and lupine. The Lassen Smelowskia flower only grows within Lassen Volcanic National Park, with the largest population on Lassen Peak, and is considered a Threatened and Endangered Species.

At elevations below 6,500 feet the dominant vegetation community is the mixed conifer forest. Ponderosa and Jeffrey pines, sugar pine, and white fir form the forest canopy for this rich community that also includes species of manzanita, gooseberry and ceanothus. Common wildflowers include iris, spotted coralroot, pyrola, violets, and lupine.

Above the mixed-conifer forest is the major community of the red fir forest. Between elevations of 6,500 and 8,000 feet, red fir, western white pine, mountain hemlock, and lodgepole pine dominate a community less diverse than the mixed-conifer forest. Common plants include satin lupine, woolly mule’s-ears and pinemat manzanita.

Subalpine areas include the upper limit for the growth of standing trees. From 8,000 feet to tree line, plants are fewer in overall number with exposed patches of bare ground providing a harsh environment. Rock spirea, lupine, Indian paintbrush, and penstemon are a few of the rugged members of this community. Trees in this community include Whitebark pine and Mountain hemlock.

Scattered throughout the park’s forested areas are stands of old growth red fir, the characteristic tree in the red fir forest community. Growing to heights of over 175 feet, with diameters of 30 to 50 inches, these magnificent trees can live more than 300 years. Also scattered throughout the park are several small stands of quaking aspen.

Other minor vegetation communities occur in the park. Montane chaparral, in scattered stands, can be found at lower elevations and drier aspects. Dispersed within forest communities, low stands of pinemat manzanita connect individual stands of red fir and lodgepole pine. Seasonally wet meadows are also common in valley bottoms, along streams and lake margins.

The reddish color sometimes observed on top of snow at Lassen Volcanic NP snow is a living organism called snow algae. When snow begins to thaw, these microscopic organisms spring to life. They function as a primary food source and are being studied for their cancer-fighting properties.

Lassen Volcanic National Park provides a wealth of fun activities that are as varied as the seasons of the park. Due to the high elevation and influence of the Pacific Ocean, the park receives upwards of 40 feet of snow per year. Your access to the interior of the park is dependent upon the winter’s total snowfall which influences the spring/summer road opening dates.

Spring, summer, and fall activities run generally through June – October. These include auto-touring, camping, stargazing, Ranger-led programs,
backpacking, fishing, swimming, birdwatching, day hiking, wildflower viewing, boating and kayaking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Lassen’s backcountry is a wonderful place to find peace and quiet and a wilderness adventure any time of the year. The famed Pacific Crest Trail travels for 17 miles through the park. The PC Trail is 2,650 miles long and stretches from Mexico to Canada.

The Main Park Road provides spectacular views of the Cascade and High Sierra Mountains. Running from the southeast to the northwest of the park, the road has direct access to high altitude mountain lakes, active hydrothermal areas, numerous hiking trails, and grand views of Lassen Peak, Brokeoff Mountain, and the Devastated Area. The road is 29 miles long and the trip takes 1 hour with no stops.

If you only have a few hours to spend at the park, there are still several things you can see that will be exciting to you. A short 2.5 mile (round-trip) hike to Bumpass Hell is a rewarding way to experience the park’s largest hydrothermal (hot water) area. The Devastated Area interpretive trail is a 30 minute stop that offers amazing views of the destruction caused by Lassen Peak’s eruptions of 1914-17. The Sulphur Works boardwalk is another quick stop showcasing an active hydrothermal area.

Thousands of visitors hike Lassen Peak every year. This strenuous hike offers stunning views of the Cascade Mountains and the Sacramento Valley. At the top of the mountain it is easy to picture the devastation of the 1915 eruption. Here you can view the crater caused by the eruption and look down upon the Devastated Area from above.

For sheer beauty and rugged mountain scenery the Brokeoff trail is one of the best in Lassen. The trail climbs steadily through open meadows and forest for two miles and then through scattered hemlocks and finally above timberline to the top. At the west end of the mountain just before the last half mile of the climb, there is a good view of Mt. Shasta. From the top of the mountain there are good views of Lassen Peak, Conard, Chaos Crags, Diller, Shasta, and other mountains of the vicinity. The view of the old Brokeoff Volcano (Mt. Tehama) caldera is excellent from the summit.

The trail is considered one of the toughest in the park, though also one of the most rewarding. Hiking boots are recommended as the trail traverses a variety of terrain from volcanic sand to rocky outcrops. The one-half mile elevation gain and distance of the trail require a great deal of physical exertion to overcome, but the views at the top can’t be matched. Snow is likely to be found in places along the trail until mid-August, and there is usually too much snow for hiking before mid-July. A wide variety of wildflowers will be found changing with the temperatures (lower elevation wildflowers peak in July, while the summit wildflowers peak mid-August). Birds frequently seen include juncos, chickadees, western tanagers, flycatchers, and a number of others. Deer are common.

There are several day hikes to enjoy ranging from easy to strenuous. Check out Mill Creek Falls, Ridge Lakes, Cold Boiling and Crumbaugh Lakes, Lily Pond Nature Trail, Crags Lake, Cinder Cone, Prospect Peak, Devil’s Kitchen, Kings Creek Falls and Sulphur Works Trail to name just a few.

Lassen boasts 50 beautiful lakes. Whether kayaking or canoeing, exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Non-motorized boats must access Manzanita, Butte, and Juniper Lakes at their designated boat launch areas.

Whether fishing from shore with the kids, or fly-fishing Manzanita Lake from a float-tube, Lassen has plenty of opportunities to land the big one. Trout have not been stocked in the park since the 1980s, but a healthy population of these feisty fish still remains in many lakes and streams (though not in all of them). Manzanita Lake is famous for its large rainbow and brown trout and is rated as a blue ribbon fly fishery by the state of California Department of Fish and Game. Keep in mind it is catch and release only and you must use single-hook, barbless, artificial lures only. This lake is nationally known for its fly fishing opportunities. Butte Lake and Horseshoe Lake both have healthy populations of rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Kings Creek and Grassy Swale Creek both have populations of brook trout as well.

Birdwatching is another great outdoor adventure as the Park has over 83 species of birds that nest here. Raptors and other birds-of-prey are frequently sighted soaring above the rocky peaks between Brokeoff Mountain and Lassen Peak. The Manzanita Lake loop trail hosts many migratory birds and summer residents and is a favorite spot among bird watchers. The Cluster Lakes loop starting at Summit Lake is another trail popular among bird watchers.

Winter activities run generally from November – May. The winter season provides visitors auto-free opportunities to see another, quieter side of the park. You will find cross-country/telemark skiing, winter camping, family snowplay and snowshoeing.

The southwest parking area is a popular spot to bring the family, the sleds, and the BBQ (please use gas or remove your ashes). Within a short walk of your car, there is access to several sledding hills with beautiful panoramic views of Lassen Volcanic’s snowcapped mountains. Restrooms are available during the winter, however there is no water.

Bring your snowshoes and with just a short 10 minute walk you can enter a quiet winter wilderness. You might even find yourself wondering if you have the entire park to yourself. The park does not rent snowshoes; please arrange to bring your own snowshoes with you. If you are new to snowshoeing, or not quite sure you are ready to purchase your own pair, then attend a ranger-led snowshoe walk on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. During this walk the ranger will provide snowshoes and teach you the basics of snowshoeing, winter survival, and winter ecology.

Winter camping is quickly becoming a popular activity in the park. There is a designated walk-in winter campground near the Southwest Parking Area. A free backcountry wilderness permit is required for winter camping in all other areas of the park. You are responsible for knowing and following all regulations regarding winter backcountry/wilderness camping.

The vast majority of Lassen Volcanic’s backcountry provides unparalleled opportunities for challenging and relaxed skiing. The Loomis Museum and the Southwest Parking Area are popular starting spots to ski the 29 mile snow-covered Main Park Road. There are very few marked backcountry/wilderness winter skiing trails. The Forest Lake Trail, near the southwest parking area, and the Manzanita Lake Trail, surrounding Manzanita Lake, are the only marked winter trails in the park. Please see pages 4-5 of the winter edition of the park newspaper Peak Experiences for detailed skiing information and maps with routes.

The Park offers a wide variety of Ranger-led and Junior Ranger programs throughout the summer and winter seasons. Topics include interesting information such as about the cougar, bears, and trails made by the animals, as well as a demonstration of how geologists monitor the park’s volcanic hazards and measure seismic activity.

Junior Ranger Program: Kids ages 7-12 can participate in this program! To get started pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at the Loomis Museum, Southwest Information Station, or Headquarters contact station. You will need to turn in the completed booklet to a park ranger in person at the park. Follow the instructions and have fun! You can earn a patch while learning to protect resources.

Chipmunk Club: Kids of any age can participate in this program! To get started, pickup a Chipmunk Club booklet at the Loomis Museum, Southwest Information Station, or Headquarters contact station. Follow the instructions and have fun!

Volcano Club: People of any age can participate in this program. To get started pickup the booklet at the Loomis Museum, Southwest Information Station, or Headquarters contact station. Follow the instructions and have fun! The Lassen Volcano Club is dedicated to developing an understanding and appreciation of the volcanoes that have shaped and influenced the planet we live on, while encouraging responsible attitudes toward our natural environment and gaining insight into the dynamic role volcanoes play in our lives.

Wildland fire has long been recognized as one of the most significant natural processes operating within and shaping the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Mountain ecosystems. Virtually all vegetation communities show evidence of fire dependence or tolerance. Many forest types in the park have been shaped by frequent fire return intervals (ranging from 5-16 years) as evidenced by park research. At the same time, wildland fire has the potential to threaten human lives and property. Consequently, there is a need to manage wildland fire so that threats to humans and property are reduced, and, at the same time restoring and/or maintaining its function as a natural process. The fire management program protects life and property from destructive wildfires. The program also reintroduces fire on the park’s landscape to insure forest health. The program employs five appropriate management strategies to reach its goals.

Wildland fire suppression is an appropriate management response to some wildland fires which threaten life, property and critical resources. All suppression actions are implemented with firefighter safety as the highest consideration. Suppression activities seek to minimize loss of resource values, economic spending, and the use of firefighters.

Manual treatment is the use of hand tools or hand operated power tools to reduce hazardous accumulations of wildland fuels and to create defensible space near structures and along prescribed fire boundaries.

Mechanical treatments include the use of larger mechanized equipment such as front end loaders, tub grinders, and other large equipment in order to move and process larger material. Mechanical treatments are used only in developed areas to remove larger diseased trees which pose a hazard to the public.

Wildland Fire Use is one strategy that Fire Management uses to reintroduce fire into fire adaptive ecosystems, restore healthy forests and remove heavy buildups of hazardous fuels. Wildland Fire Use occurs when a lightning fire is managed in a predetermined geographic area, under strict parameters to achieve specific resource management goals.

Prescribed fires are ignited by management to achieve resource objectives. In some forest types it is necessary to return and retreat these areas with prescribed fire in order to maintain them. These operations are not mutually exclusive and usually all prescribed fire operations contain a mix of initial treatment and maintenance treatment.

Prescribed fires must be described in a prescribed fire burn plan. The plan will contain a prescription defining goals, objectives, and treatment methods employed to achieve the objectives. The park employs methods to monitor areas before and after treatment to insure that fire management operations are meeting resource management objectives.

Weather plays a dramatic role at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Winter, especially, shapes the landscape; snow generally begins to accumulate each year in October, doesn’t melt in most places until July, and can remain in isolated areas year round. In spring, approximately April to June, the weather is warming up though the nights can still be below freezing. Summer weather is more predictable, with warm, dry days, blue skies, and cool nights. Daytime temperatures can range in the high 70’s to high 80’s. Lower elevation trails are mostly clear. In heavy snow years snow can linger on trails above 8000 feet until late August. In the fall the park is mild during the day and cool at night with a potential for thunderstorms. Visitors should be prepared for any kind of weather, any time of the year. Please call the information hotline at (530) 595-4444 for current snow and avalanche conditions in the park.

Current Park Weather

When planning which activities you want to enjoy while visiting the park, please keep in mind that access to specific trails, or even the park itself, is dependent on the weather and snow conditions. In heavy snow years the park road may open as late as July 20th, but could open as early as May 15th on light snow years. For the same reasons, access to many trails may be restricted or limited to those with snowshoes. The Bumpass Hell trail usually does not open until early to mid-July. Call the park headquarters information desk at 530-595-4444 to get current conditions of the trails throughout the park.

Please remember that high-elevation roads are often icy or snow-covered during the fall and winter and can be very hazardous, especially when temperatures drop during the evening and early morning hours. The main park road that connects Highway 89 through the park is closed throughout winter, late fall, and most of spring.

Carry tire chains in your vehicle from October through May. Chain requirements can be instituted at any time; even four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires can be required to chain up. Watch for highway advisories posted in Red Bluff and Redding. Caltrans will post chain requirements on Highways 36 and 44. To check for chain requirements, road closures, or other highway advisories before your trip, call the Caltrans Highway Information Network at 1-800-427-7623 or go to the Caltrans website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo

The following lakes are closed to all vessels: Boiling Springs Lake, Emerald Lake, Lake Helen, Reflection Lake, and Hat Lake.

A valid California fishing license is required for ages 16 and up to fish in the park. Remember it is catch and release only. Artificial lures and single, barbless hooks must be used. The following areas are closed to all fishing during the periods indicated: Manzanita Creek above Manzanita Lake is closed all year. Manzanita Lake shore from the boat launch northwest to 150 feet west of the present inlet and 150 feet at the apex of a radius from the center of the inlet is closed all year. Butte Lake boat launch is closed all year. Juniper Lake boat launch is closed all year. Only non-power watercraft can be used on park lakes. Power boats-including those with electric motors- are prohibited. Coast guard approved personal flotation devices are required for each occupant of a watercraft. Boats must be removed from Manzanita Lake and its lakeshore nightly. There are no boat rentals in the park.

Horses and pack animals are allowed on designated trails except:
Manzanita Lake Trail, Lassen Peak Trail, the portion of trail on the Cinder Cone, Reflection Lake Trail, Bumpass Hell Trail, and trails within the Devil’s Kitchen and Sulphur Works thermal areas.

Horses and pack animals are not permitted to travel cross-country while in the park. It is prohibited to ride or tie stock animals in campgrounds, picnic areas or within the immediate vicinity of eating or sleeping establishments or other areas of public gatherings, except where trails and facilities are designated for such use.Stock parties camping in the park overnight are limited to one of the following designated sites and limitations: Summit Lake and Butte Lake Corrals: maximum of 8 animals and 10 people with parking and limited to six wheeled vehicles. Juniper Lake Corral: maximum of 8 animals and 10 people with parking limited to four wheeled vehicles. Picketing and/or grazing of stock animals in the park is prohibited. Wilderness permits are required for all stock day use. Water stock with a bucket; no grazing is permitted.

Wilderness permits are not available for developed campgrounds. Camping is prohibited within 1/2 mile of any developed area or park road open to vehicular traffic, except in designated campgrounds. Camping is prohibited within 1/4 mile of any hydrothermal feature. There are several areas that are closed to camping for ¼ of a mile in all directions. Check with the Visitor Center for these locations.

Campfires are allowed only in the fire rings provided in developed campgrounds. No backcountry campfires are allowed, use only campstoves. Boil, treat or filter water before drinking. To purify water for drinking you must first filter it with at least a 2-micron filter and then also boil it for 5 minutes or treat it with iodine tablets. Locate latrines at least 100 feet from any water and cover with 6 inches of soil. Keep wash water, soaps, and detergents (even biodegradable), fish entrails and other waste out of all lakes and streams. Pack out all trash; don’t bury or burn it. Use the Leave-No-Trace rules. Use of weapons or metal detectors is prohibited. Motorized equipment and wheeled vehicles are prohibited. Construct no improvements such as shelters, drainage ditches around tents, rock walls, bough beds, etc. Leave all natural and cultural features undisturbed – preserve and protect them.

A good backpacking checklist is topographical maps, compass, GPS, first-aide kit, tent with rainfly, sleeping bag and mat, campstove, matches, good hiking boots, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb, rain and cold weather gear, adequate clothing for the weather you are traveling in, multipurpose tool or knife, extra food, and extra cooking fuel, water filter or tablets, toiletries, eating utensils, insect repellant, pepper spray for bears, sunglasses, sunscreen, and signal mirror. Winter camping and backpacking will involve other items such as crampons, ice axe, prussiks, etc.

Ground around thermal areas is dangerously thin – do not ever walk off-trail near hydrothermal areas! Stay on trails at all times for safety and to prevent erosion. Watch your children. If you break through the ground you will be in boiling, acidic water. Avoid higher and exposed terrain during electrical storms. Get used to the higher elevations gradually. Never hike alone and be sure to leave an itinerary with your family or a friend.

Rock climbing is discouraged everywhere in the park because volcanic rock is so unstable. Talk to a ranger before rock climbing.

No pets allowed on trails. Pets are not allowed in the Park Headquarters building. Volcanic soils and hydrothermal areas can severely wound a dog’s feet; terrain that may be appealing to hikers may be difficult or even deadly for pets. Bears and other predators are curious about dogs and have been known to attack them in wilderness areas. The territorial scent dogs leave behind disrupts the behavior of native animals that this Park has been set aside to protect. Dogs are predators that could chase, scare, kill, and transmit diseases to wild animals. Wild animals can transmit diseases including bubonic plague to pets (and then to humans).

Pets must be on a leash less than six feet long at all times. Pets are permitted only on established roadways, campgrounds, picnic areas and other developed areas. Pets under physical restraint are permitted overnight in developed campgrounds. Pets are not permitted on trails, boardwalks, in the backcountry, or in any body of water. Pets can be left unattended in vehicles. However, if hazardous conditions exist, such as hot weather, owners can be cited for endangering an animal. Pets can not be left unattended and tied to an object, except in designated areas or under conditions which may be established by the Superintendent. Please clean up after your pet and take responsibility for its behavior. *The regulations do not apply to Seeing Eye dogs accompanying visually impaired persons or other guide animals for disabled individuals.

Keep bikes on paved roads only, not on any trail or gravel road.

Lassen Volcanic National Park provides shelter and food for 250 vertebrates as well as a host of invertebrates including insects. This great diversity of life forms is due to two factors: the geographic location of the park and the abundance of habitats that occur there. The myriad habitats of the Park are produced by variations in environmental conditions such as elevation (5,000 to 10,457 feet), moisture (precipitation is greater on the western than the eastern side of the park), substrate (rock type and soil depth), temperature, insolation (amount of sun) and prior disturbance (both natural and human-caused).

Lassen is home to approximately 57 species of mammals ranging in size from the tiny shrew to the North American black bear. These species represent six orders of mammals, Insectivores, Chiroptera (bats), Carnivores, Rodents, Lagomorphs, and hoofed animals. Five species of shrew and two species of mole comprise the Insectivores. Eight species of bats represent the Chiroptera order. The carnivores are represented by 16 species. Rodents have a total of 23 species, and there is one species of hoofed animal which is the mule deer.

Carnivores are perhaps the most widely recognized group of mammals in Lassen. Its members include the American black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, raccoon, coyote, fox, weasel, and skunk. Lesser known species like the American marten and ringtail are also present. Although grizzly bears once roamed the area, they were extirpated from California when the last individual was shot in the early 1920’s.

The Sierra Nevada red fox is the only mammal species that is listed as Threatened by the State of California. The Sierra Nevada snowshoe hare, Sierra Nevada mountain beaver, and the American badger are all considered a species of concern by the State of California.

Most of the park below the 7,800 foot level is comprised of mixed conifer forest. Species that are typically found in these forested areas are black bear, mule deer, marten, brown creeper, mountain chickadee, white-headed woodpecker, long-toed salamander, and a wide variety of bat species. Deer are common.

Above 7,800’ the habitat becomes one of limited stands of western hemlock. Species that occur here include Clark’s nutcracker, deer mice and various chipmunk species.

Above the Western hemlock zone is the subalpine zone which is comprised of very sparse to no vegetation. Species found in this habitat include gray-crowned rosy finch, pika and golden mantled ground squirrel.

Other minor vegetation communities occur in the park. Species that can be found in these habitats include dark-eyed junco, montane vole, and sagebrush lizard. Seasonally wet meadows are also common in valley bottoms, along streams and lake margins. Pacific tree frog, Western terrestrial garter snake, common snipe, and mountain pocket gopher can be found in these areas.

Lassen Volcanic National Park has one species that is currently listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (bald eagle) and one that was taken off the endangered species list in 1999 (peregrine falcon).

Lassen is also home to a variety of invertebrate species which can be found in all of the habitats listed above. One of the most noticeable species is the California Tortoise Shell butterfly. These butterflies are orange-brown in color and can be seen by the thousands at times especially on the tops of peaks where wind currents have carried them. These population explosions are believed to be movements from areas that have been defoliated to new areas in search of a food source. These mass movements can make driving conditions hazardous due to slick pavement and windshields becoming plastered with dead butterflies.

Lassen’s amphibians can be divided into two groups – anurans and caudates. Anurans are frogs and toads. Caudates include newts and salamanders which have tails and resemble lizards in appearance. Caudate amphibians spend most of the year hidden to avoid the heat. They live under rocks and rotten logs or underground in damp crevices and burrows and typically emerge in autumn after the first soaking rain. Lassen’s lone newt species, the rough skinned newt, is the park’s most visible caudate. They move like a lizard in slow motion and are often observed in early spring crossing roads or trails on their way to breed in streams.

Lassen’s anurans include the western toad and two species of frogs. The most common frog species is the ubiquitous Pacific tree frog. Found at nearly all elevations in nearly all habitats, this diminutive frog is the species most often heard calling around meadows and ponds in the spring. The other frog species is the Cascades frog. This species was once prevalent in the park but now only a few remain. The reason for the decline is unknown and further studies are needed to determine the causes for the decline.

Lassen’s reptile fauna can be divided into two groups – lizards, and snakes. The three lizard and four snake species are seen at varying degrees of frequency. The sagebrush lizard can be seen in drier habitats climbing on rocks and heard skittering through dry leaves. The Northern and Southern alligator lizards are usually difficult to see due to their nature of hiding under rocks and logs.

The four snake species that are known to occur in the park are the rubber boa, Western terrestrial garter snake, common garter snake, and the striped whipsnake. Very little is known about the reptiles in the Park and more research is needed to learn more about the habits and number of reptile species that occur in the park.

The Park provides habitat for approximately 216 species of birds in which 96 have been known to breed in the park. Most of the species that occur in the park are Neotropical migrants. These birds use the park in summer to breed and forage and then fly to Central and South America to spend the winter. Birds frequently seen include juncos, chickadees, western tanagers, flycatchers, and a number of others.

Clark’s nutcracker and whitebark pine have a unique symbiotic relationship to one another. The Clark’s nutcracker uses the seeds of whitebark pine as a food source and in return the nutcracker helps disperse whitebark pine seeds it caches for food. The nutcracker caches seeds by burying them in the ground. If the nutcracker forgets a cache of seeds they will begin sprouting the next summer.

Nine species of fish, of which five are native to parts of California, are found in the park. Native species include rainbow trout, tui chub, speckled dace, Lahontan redside and Tahoe sucker. Brook trout, Brown trout, golden shiner, and flathead minnow are all species that are non-native to the park. Fish stocking occurred prior to the park being established in 1916. Most of the lakes in the park were stocked with rainbow, brown, and brook trout. It is suspected that the golden shiner and flathead minnow were introduced as bait that was used by fishermen and escaped. Due to National Park Service policy, all stocking of fish was halted in the park and currently most of the lakes where these fish were planted are currently fishless due to lack of suitable spawning grounds.

Always be on the lookout for wildlife on the roads. Driving too fast or being inattentive is never safe, but doubly so in the park as humans invade the natural resident’s space; namely the many forms of wildlife that call the Lassen area their home. Tens of thousands of people visit this area every year, and do so safely; enjoying the wildlife from a safe distance as they respect one of Nature’s most beautiful regions.

Do not feed wildlife. Human food is not good for animals and it also causes them to become habituated to humans where they can be a problem. Remember that they are wild and can be potentially dangerous. Please see the Wildlife Precautions page to get further safety tips for the animals in this park.

A Vehicle pass is required for all vehicles entering park and is $10 for 7 days.

Individual fees are $5 for 7 days for those on foot, bicycle, motorcycle, or horse.

An Annual Lassen Volcanic National Park Pass is $25. This covers entrance fee at Lassen Volcanic National Park and day use fee at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. It is valid for one year from month of purchase. Purchase in person at Lassen Volcanic National Park Headquarters or Entrance Stations. To order by mail, call (530) 595-4444 x5184 or write to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Fee Office, PO Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063.

A Wilderness Camping Permit is free and required for all camping in Lassen’s wilderness. Visitors bringing horses and other pack animals into the Park need a Stock Day Use Permit. Stock Day Use permits are available wherever wilderness permits are obtained and is also free.

There are eight campgrounds within Lassen Volcanic National Park, and a large part of Lassen’s wilderness is available for wilderness camping with a free permit. Throughout the summer, half of the park’s campsites are reservable in four campgrounds. An additional four campgrounds are first-come, first-served. All group sites require reservations. Developed campgrounds are Manzanita Lake, Crags, Lost Creek Group, Summit Lake North, Summit Lake South, Southwest, Butte Lake, Juniper Lake, and Warner Valley.

Butte Lake is open June 3 – September 19, 2006, weather permitting. It is located 6 miles south on dirt road via Highway 44 East, 17 miles from Old Station. The elevation is 6,100′ and there are 101 sites. The daily fee is $16 and amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, flush and vault toilets, drinking water, boat launch, fishing, and swimming with one disabled site- #A6. Each site accommodates up to three tents or one RV to 45′. There are no hookups or dump station. Limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Motorhomes and trailers must park on the pad or pull-through provided. Quiet hours are10PM to 6AM. Reservations can be made for Loop B only, June 30 – September 6 through ReserveUSA website or by phone at 1-877-444-6777.

Butte Lake Stock Corral is open early June – mid September, weather permitting, by reservation only. It is located 6 miles south on a dirt road via Highway 44 East, 17 miles from Old Station at an elevation of 6,100′. Only one stock party is assigned to the site at one time with a maximum 10 people. The daily fee is $4 per animal and $14 per night. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, vault toilets, drinking water, boat launch, fishing, and swimming. Stock parties must camp at the corral campsite with a maximum of 8 animals and 3 trailers. Owners must bring their own feed. No grazing allowed. Scoop manure and place in container at site. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Contact the Fee Office at the number below for further information and site rules. Reservations are required through Manzanita Lake Fee Office at (530) 335-7029 There are no hookups or dump station. Back country permits required for all horse/stock use in park.

Crags is open late May – early September, weather permitting. NOTE: May 27 – June 17 is dry camping only. It is located 5 miles south of Manzanita Lake, at an elevation of 5700′. There are 45 sites and the daily fee is $12. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, vault toilets, and drinking water. Each site can accommodate up to three tents or one RV to 45’. There is a limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Motorhomes and trailers must park on the pad or pull-through provided. There are no hookups or dump station Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. No reservations.

Juniper Lake is open July 1 – September 26, weather permitting. It is located on the east shore of Juniper Lake via 13-mile road. From the town of Chester on Highway 36 East, look for signs to Drakesbad and Juniper Lake. At the Chester Fire Station, turn onto Feather River Drive. After about a half mile, bear right and follow signs to Juniper Lake. Elevation is 6,792′ and they have 18 sites. The daily fee is $10. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, vault toilets, swimming, and fishing. There is no water, hookups or dump station. Each site can accommodate up to three tents. Limit 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. No reservations taken. The last 6 miles into Juniper Lake is rough dirt road and not recommended for buses, motor homes or trailers.

Juniper Lake Stock Corral-Group Site is by reservation only. It is open the beginning of July – late September, weather permitting. The corral is located on the east shore of Juniper Lake via 13-mile road. From the town of Chester on Highway 36 East, look for signs to Drakesbad and Juniper Lake. At the Chester Fire Station, turn onto Feather River Drive. After about a half mile, bear right and follow signs to Juniper Lake. Elevation is 6,792′. There is 1 corral, which can be divided into 2, if needed. Only one stock party is assigned to the corral at any time with a maximum of 10 people. The daily fee is $4 per animal and $10 per night. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, vault toilets, fishing, and swimming. There is no potable water for human consumption. Water is available for stock only. No hookups or dump station are available. Back country permits are required for all horse/stock use in park. Parking is available for 6-head or four-2 head trailers with a maximum of 8 animals. Stock parties must camp at the corral campsite. Owners must bring their own feed. No grazing allowed. Scoop manure and place in container at site. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are required through Manzanita Lake Fee Office (530) 335-7029.

Lost Creek Group Site is by reservation only and is open July 1 – September 19, weather permitting. It is located 4.5 miles south of Manzanita Lake on the Lassen Volcanic National Park Road at an elevation of 5,700′. There are 8 sites and the daily fee is $50. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, vault toilets, and drinking water. Seven sites can accommodate groups of 10-25 people. One site can accommodate a group of 10-15 people. There is a maximum of 6 cars or 1 bus per site. It accommodates tents and RV’s. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are required through ReserveUSA website or phone 1-877-444-6777.

Manzanita Lake is open May 20 – September 20, weather permitting, then dry camping until snow closure. Located adjacent to and south of Manzanita Lake, the elevation is 5,890′. There are 179 sites and the daily fee is $16 during the summer season; $10 late September until snow closure. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, flush toilets, drinking water, boat launch, fishing, and swimming. Pay phone, food, showers, laundromat, and gift shop are located nearby at the Camper Store. Disabled sites are available at #B-9 and #A-32. Each site can accommodate up to three tents or one RV to 45′ with a limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Motorhomes and trailers must park on the pad or pull-through provided. Dump station is available for a fee; there are no RV hookups. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are available for Loop A and C, June 30 – September 6 through ReserveUSA website or Phone at 1-877-444-6777. Additional sites are available first come, first served.

Southwest Walk-In is located on the east side of Visitor Center parking area (near Southwest Entrance Station). The elevation is 6,700′ with 21 sites and a daily fee of $10. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, flush toilets, with no potable water available Nov. 1 through June 30. The campground is close to Sulphur Works, Mill Creek Falls and Brokeoff Mountain trailheads. There are Ranger-led programs on weekends during the winter. Each site can accommodate up to three tents with a limit of 6 people at each site. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. No reservations needed. The walk-in is located adjacent to the parking area; there is no hike. It is open throughout the winter for snow camping for $10 per night. RVs may not park overnight in Visitor Center parking lot; please use other campgrounds.

Summit Lake North is open July 1 – September 6, weather permitting and is located12 miles south of Manzanita Lake, 17.5 miles north of the Southwest Entrance. With an elevation of 6,695′, it has 46 sites and a daily fee of $18. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, flush toilets, drinking water, and swimming. Each site can accommodate up to three tents or one RV to 45′ with a limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Motorhomes and trailers must park on the pad or pull-through provided. There are no hookups or dump station Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are available in loop B through ReserveUSA website or phone 1-877-444-6777. Additional sites available first come, first served.

Summit Lake South is open July 1 – September 19, weather permitting and is located 12 miles south of Manzanita Lake, 17.5 miles north of Southwest Entrance. With an elevation of 6,695′, it has 48 sites and a daily fee of $14. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, pit toilets, drinking water, and swimming. No hookups or dump station. Each site can accommodate up to three tents with a limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are available in loops C and D through ReserveUSA website or phone 1-877-444-6777, July 1 – September 5. Additional sites are available first come, first served.

Summit Lake Stock Corral Group Site is available by reservation only. It is open July 1 – September 6, weather permitting and is located 12 miles south of Manzanita Lake at Summit Lake. At an elevation of 6,695′, there is 1 corral, which can be divided into 2, if needed, with a maximum of 8 animals. The daily fee is $4 per animal and $14 per campsite per night. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, vault toilets, and swimming. There is no potable water. Water is available for stock only. Parking is available for 6-head or four-2 head stock trailers. There is a maximum of 10 people. RV may by used – 45′ maximum. Stock parties must camp at the corral campsite. Owners must bring own feed. No grazing allowed. Scoop manure and place in container at site. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. Reservations are required through Manzanita Lake Fee Office (530) 335-7029. Back country permits required for all horse/stock use in the park.

Warner Valley is open June 3 – September 26, weather permitting, then dry camping only until snow closure. It is located 1 mile west of Warner Valley Ranger Station via dirt road, and 17 miles north of Chester. It is not recommended for trailers. At an elevation of 5,650′, it has 18 sites with daily fees of $14 in the summer and $10 dry camping until snow closure. Amenities include picnic table, campfire ring, bear-proof box, drinking water, pit toilets, and fishing in stream. Potable water is available mid June through late September. Each site can accommodate up to three tents with a limit of 6 people at each site. Parking is available for 2 wheeled vehicles, space permitting. Quiet hours are 10PM to 6AM. No reservations needed.

There are several National Forests, a National Monument and recreational areas within driving distance of Lassen. These include Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mendocino National Forest, Klamath National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest, Lava Beds National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Tahoe. Several of the surrounding small towns have historical significance.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Lassen Volcanic National Park:

By Car:

Ashland, OR – 197.96 miles
(175 miles to northwest entrance)
Carson City, NV – 179.34 miles

Sacramento, CA – 180.56 miles
(168 to southwest entrance)
Eureka, CA – 229.40 miles
(204 miles to northwest entrance)
Redding, CA – 81.74 miles
(48 miles to northwest entrance)
Yuba City, CA – 118.22 miles

Lassen Volcanic National Park
P.O. Box 100
Mineral, CA 96063-0100
Visitor Information (530) 595-4444
For Hearing Impaired Visitors (TTY) (530) 595-3480
Fax (530) 595-3262

Map