Lassen Volcanic National Park
With steaming fumaroles, boiling hot springs, and volcanoes galore, Lassen Volcanic is an underrated gem amongst Californian national parks. Here you can hike to the summit of active volcanoes, wander through bubbling hydrothermal basins, and explore landscapes carved by lava flows. Lassen Volcanic is a paradise for hikers, photographers, and road trippers alike.
Whether you’re visiting for a day or spending a long weekend, Lassen has plenty to explore. Compact yet incredibly diverse, this national park rewards travelers with its variety of trails, other-worldly scenery, and a scenic drive that ties it all together.
Lassen Volcanic National Park Stats
Founded: August 9, 1916
Annual Visitors: 357,000 visitors in 2024
Size: 106,000 acres
Location: California
Notable Fact: The park contains all four types of volcanoes in the world: shield, composite, cinder cone, and plug dome.
Top Experiences in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Bumpass Hell. This is the largest hydrothermal area within the national park. Enjoy a short, easy hike out to steaming fumaroles and boiling mud pots.
Sulphur Works. This small hydrothermal area sits right along the main road. This is one of the most accessible thermal sites within Lassen Volcanic.
Drive Highway 89. This 30-mile long scenic drive winds through the western region of the park, featuring many of Lassen Volcanic’s top sites.
Lake Helen. This bright blue alpine lake sits at the base of Lassen Peak, creating an impressive backdrop for photos and making for a great picnic spot.
Kings Creek Falls. Kings Creek Falls is a scenic, 30-foot high waterfall. To get here, hikers follow a 2.5-mile long loop through the Upper Cascades and forests ravaged by the 2021 Dixie Fire.
Devastated Area Loop Trail. This short interpretive trail showcases the destruction of Mount Lassen’s 1915 eruption, featuring giant volcanic rocks and boulders.
Manzanita Lake. This large, serene lake is a prime spot for walking, kayaking, camping, and picnics. On a calm day you can catch the reflection of Lassen Peak in the water.
Cinder Cone. Hike to the top of this standalone volcano, enjoying panoramic views over lava fields, lakes, and surrounding mountains.
Warner Valley. Warner Valley is a smaller, more remote region of Lassen Volcanic National Park. This region features a handful of underrated hiking trails that lead out to hydrothermal complexes.
ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
For the ultimate adventure in Lassen Volcanic National Park, hike to the top of Lassen Peak. At a height of 10,457 feet (3,187 meters), Lassen Peak is the largest plug dome volcano in the world, and the highest point in the national park. Along the way, enjoy beautiful views out over the national park on this short but strenuous hike.
Did You Know?
Lassen Volcanic National Park contains all four types of volcanoes in the world: shield, composite, cinder cone, and plug dome.
Lassen Peak violently erupted in 1915, blasting out a 1,000-foot-wide crater and spreading ash to over 200 miles away. The volcano is still considered active today.
Many of the top sites lie along Highway 89, the main road that winds through the western region of the park. However, there are some incredibly underrated hiking trails in the eastern, more remote areas of the park, such as in Warner Valley or by Butte Lake.
Best Hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Explore steaming hydrothermal regions, stroll along serene lakes, hike through alpine meadows, and stand atop numerous volcanoes. Take your pick from short, family-friendly trails to challenging climbs up to the tallest mountain peaks.
Bumpass Hell Trail. The Bumpass Hell Trail is the most popular hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park. It’s easy to hike, is great for all ages, and explores the largest hydrothermal area within the park.
Lassen Peak. Summit the highest peak in the park and stand atop the largest plug dome volcano in the world. The views are incredible, and even though the Lassen Peak Trail is a challenging hike, it’s relatively short.
Brokeoff Mountain. The main reason to do this tough hike is for the views from the summit. This spot offers the best sweeping views of Lassen Volcanic, including Lassen Peak.
Manzanita Lake Loop. Along this 2-mile trail, circle Manzanita Lake and enjoy views out at Lassen Peak. On calm days, you’ll even see the reflection of Lassen Peak in the water.
Reflection Lake. This shorter trail is a quieter alternative to the Manzanita Lake Loop. Along your walk, catch reflections of Lassen Peak and the Chaos Crags on a calm, clear day.
Kings Creek Trail. This 2.5-mile loop out to Kings Creek Falls is an easy-to-moderate hike for those who want to see one of the only waterfalls in the park.
Devils Kitchen & Boiling Springs Lake. Hike through the second-largest hydrothermal area in the park and see a steaming, hydrothermal lake. Located in Warner Valley, very few people venture out this way.
Cinder Cone. In the remote, northeast section of Lassen Volcanic National Park, follow a 4-mile-long trail to the top of Cinder Cone. We think it is the best underrated hike in Lassen Volcanic.
Detailed Hiking Guides
Lassen Peak Trail: Step-By-Step Trail Guide, Photos & Stats
The Lassen Peak Trail is not only one of the most popular hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park, but it also leads to the tallest point in the park at 10,457 feet (3,187 meters). The trail to the top is just 2.4 miles one way, but with a steady ascent and high elevation, this hike […]
The Bumpass Hell Trail, An Essential Hike in Lassen Volcanic
Welcome to Bumpass Hell, a dynamic thermal region with an unforgettable name. The largest hydrothermal area within Lassen Volcanic National Park, Bumpass Hell amazes visitors with its giant steam vents, bubbling mud pots, and colorful, otherworldly landscapes. The Bumpass Hell Trail is one of the most popular trails in Lassen Volcanic National Park. It’s easy […]
When To Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park
The best time to visit Lassen Volcanic is from mid-July through September. During this narrow window, the park’s roads and hiking trails will be cleared of snow, and you’ll have warm weather suitable for outdoor adventures.
Highway 89, the main road through the national park, is cleared of snow in late spring. The road typically opens sometime between mid-May to early July, depending on the amount of snowfall the park receives. You can see the opening dates of the road here.
Many of the national park’s hiking trails open later in the summer, typically in June or July. Due to the park’s high elevation, these trails are snow-covered for most of the year, so hiking is only an option for several months out of the year.
Lassen Volcanic National Park appears in our Best US National Parks Month-By-Month series as a great park to visit in July, August, and September.
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How Many Days Should You Spend in Lassen Volcanic?
With two full days you can see all the top sites along Highway 89, complete a few hikes, and visit either Warner Valley or Cinder Cone.
Three days gives you more time to acclimate to the park’s high elevation, allowing you to hike both Brokeoff Mountain and Lassen Peak. With a third day, you’ll also have more contingency time in the case of poor weather.
You can see the highlights of Lassen Volcanic in one day, but it will be rushed. Drive Highway 89, hike to Bumpass Hell, take a stroll around Manzanita Lake, and even summit one of the higher peaks.
Two Days in Lassen Volcanic
Two days in Lassen Volcanic National Park gives you enough time to see all the top sites in the park’s western region, summit one of the higher peaks, and visit either Warner Valley or Cinder Cone. Just keep your fingers crossed that you have good weather so you can see the peaks such as Lassen and Brokeoff.
Lassen Volcanic National Park Map
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