Home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a dynamic showcase of volcanic activity, plant and animal life, and high-elevation beauty in northern California. The park preserves all four types of volcanoes and tells the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to shape the land. It offers year-round adventure, with a summer road season, winter snow play, and spectacular hikes and camping options for all seasons.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is a land of volcanic wonders, vibrant ecosystems, and scenic trails. Explore hydrothermal features, dramatic landscapes, and serene lakes within a vast wilderness. Plan your visit for hiking, camping, ranger programs, and more. The park is open year-round, with seasonal access changes.
Plan Your Visit
Lassen Volcanic National Park is open year-round, although heavy snow limits access in winter and spring. The main park road is cleared of 30-40 feet of snow each spring, with a historic opening usually by late May or June (weather permitting). Two visitor centers—Kohm Yah-mah-nee (northwest entrance) and Journey (southwest entrance)—welcome guests and offer orientation, maps, and ranger information.
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
Located at the park’s northwest entrance, this center provides trail information, exhibits, a bookstore, and ranger-led programs. It is a key starting point for popular hydrothermal area hikes and access to the Bumpass Hell Trail.
Journey Visitor Center
Situated near the southwest entrance on the scenic Lassen Peak Highway, this center offers exhibits on volcanic geology, trip planning resources, and access to Lassen Peak trailhead and Kings Creek Falls.
Main Park Road / Spring Road Clearing
The 30-mile scenic park road connects the two visitor centers, passing iconic sites like Sulphur Works, Bumpass Hell, Manzanita Lake, and Lassen Peak. Each spring, crews clear deep snow to reopen this vital corridor for the summer season.
Lassen offers multiple campgrounds, some reservable and others first-come, first-served. Camping is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the park’s natural beauty.
Manzanita Lake Campground
The largest campground, near Manzanita Lake, has tent and RV sites, flush toilets, and nearby showers. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Lassen Peak Campground
Located near the Lassen Peak trailhead, this site is popular with hikers and offers tent-only sites. Reservations required.
Summit Lake North and South Campgrounds
These campgrounds sit on scenic Summit Lake, offering tent and RV sites, and beautiful lakeshore access. Both require reservations.
Butte Lake and Juniper Lake Campgrounds
More remote and tent-only, these sites provide a wilderness feel and are first-come, first-served.
The park features over 150 miles of trails, ranging from easy boardwalks to challenging summit hikes.
Bumpass Hell Trail
A 1-mile loop (1.5 miles round trip) to the park’s largest hydrothermal area, featuring boiling springs, colorful pools, and fumaroles. Seasonal access (usually July-Oct) due to snow.
Lassen Peak Trail
A 5-mile round trip strenuous hike to the summit of Lassen Peak, offering panoramic views of the entire region—terrain shaped by the 1915 eruption.
Sulphur Works Trail
Short, accessible boardwalks explore an active hydrothermal area with bubbling mud pots and steam vents.
Kings Creek Falls Trail
A 2-mile round trip hike through forest to a scenic waterfall tumbling over volcanic rock.
Devils Lake Trail
A 2.5-mile round trip hike to a serene lake with views of Lassen Peak reflecting in its clear waters.
Mill Creek Falls Trail
A 1.5-mile loop through a lush forest to a 90-foot waterfall—one of the park’s most beautiful.
Ranger-led programs are offered seasonally at visitor centers, campgrounds, and scenic sites. Join talks, walks, or evening campfires to learn about the park’s geology, ecology, history, and wildlife.
Lassen has no entrance reservations or pre-pay requirements—just drive in and enjoy! Fees apply for vehicle entry and camping.
Geology & Hydrothermal Features
Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the few places on Earth that shows all four types of volcanoes—shield, composite, cinder cone, and lava dome. The park is constantly shaped by volcanic and hydrothermal forces.
Volcanic History
The park’s most famous eruption, from 1914 to 1921, centered on Lassen Peak—the largest lava dome volcano in the western hemisphere. Eruptions included blasts, lava flows, and hydrothermal explosions, permanently altering the landscape.
Other volcanic features include the 1659 lava flow at Chaos Crags/Devils Lake and older flows from the region’s million-year history.
Hydrothermal Areas
Lassen is alive with geothermal features, including boiling springs, fumaroles, mud pots, and geysers. Key sites include:
- Bumpass Hell: The largest hydrothermal area, with a colorful, bubbling landscape and steamy walkways.
- Sulphur Works: Easily accessible, featuring boiling mud pots and strong fumarole activity.
- Mill Creek Falls: Hydrothermal activity seen near scenic waterfalls and along trails.
- Terminal Geyser and Boiling Springs Lake: Extreme hydrothermal features in the southern part of the park.
These features illustrate ongoing geothermal energy just below the surface, reminding visitors that the park is still volcanically active.
Wildlife
Lassen’s diverse habitats—from meadows and forests to lakes and hydrothermal fields—support many animal species.
Birds
The park hosts woodpeckers, warblers, owls, Clark’s nutcrackers, eagles, and ospreys. Riparian areas and forests are great birdwatching spots.
Mammals
Black bears, mule deer, coyotes, mountain lions, red foxes, beavers, and squirrels roam the park. Many are most active at dawn and dusk.
Amphibians & Reptiles
Lassen is home to rare species like the Cascades frog, western toad, and garter snakes. Hydrothermal ponds provide crucial breeding grounds.
Fish
Trout are stocked in park lakes and streams, offering excellent fishing opportunities for visitors.
Plants
The park’s plant life reflects its high-elevation environment and volcanic soil.
Forests
Mixed conifer forests feature ponderosa pine, incense cedar, white fir, and sugar pine. Mountain hemlock and red fir dominate higher elevations.
Meadows and Wetlands
Wildflower-filled meadows, such as those around Manzanita Lake and Kings Creek Falls, burst into color each summer. These areas are vital for pollinators and amphibians.
Unique Habitats
Lassen’s hydrothermal areas support specialized plant communities adapted to hot soils and steam, including rare mosses and alpine species.
Additional Resources
- Lassen Volcanic National Park – NPS Homepage
- Plan Your Visit | NPS
- Camping in Campgrounds
- Trail Conditions, May to October
- Park Maps
- Ranger-Led Programs
- Park Alerts & Conditions
- Entrance Fees & Passes
- Wildlife of Lassen Volcanic
- Lassen Geology and Volcanic History
- Lassen Plant Life
Discover the power, beauty, and diversity of Lassen Volcanic National Park—where Earth’s fiery history is on full display, and natural wonders await every explorer!【5:7】【5:10】【5:16】【5:2】【5:3】【5:6】【5:0】
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Last updated: Sat Jun 7, 2025
