Park Overview
Lassen Volcanic National Park encompasses over 166 square miles in California’s rugged northeast corner. The park’s crown jewel is Lassen Peak, also known as Mt. Lassen, a plug dome volcano that last erupted in 1915 and devastated the surrounding area. Today, visitors enjoy the numerous volcanoes and fascinating hydrothermal areas, including steaming fumaroles, boiling pools, and bubbling mud pots. The park also offers a wide range of recreational activities such as hiking and backpacking, highway audio tours, birdwatching, camping, skiing, stargazing, and more.
Quick Facts
Region: Northern California – about 1 hr. east of Redding
Park Size: 106,372 acres
Established: August 9, 1916
If visiting one of California’s national parks in on your vacation to-do list, you simply cannot miss Lassen Volcanic National Park- stunningly unique in that it features all four types of volcanoes found on Earth and puts on a spirited show of nature’s geothermic forces in action. The park is significantly less crowded than other California National Parks but every bit as spectacular.
Top Attractions
4. Lassen Peak
Rising 10,457 ft. high- some 2,000 ft. above the surrounding terrain- Lassen Peak is one of the largest lava domes on the planet and experiences the highest snowfall amounts in California. Looking at it today, it is hard to imagine that it erupted such a short time ago, geologically speaking. Needless to say, the hiking here is magnificent and the views nothing short of spectacular.
3. Sulphur Works
Right near the park’s main road you’ll find all sorts of fascinating geothermal activity. Best of all, there is a short path that loops around the area, allowing visitors to get an up close look at the actively bubbling earth. Prior to being part of the park, the area was originally a sulphur mining area and later was converted to a tourism hot spot for mineral baths. One word of caution: make sure to stay on the designated path. Ground that appears solid can easily crumble, causing serious burns.
2. Manzanita Lake
One of the park’s most iconic features, Manzanita Lake offers fishing, wildlife viewing, kayak rentals, swimming, and an easy, kid-friendly hike around the lake. Visitors especially enjoy the lake views at sunset. Make sure to snap a photo of the iconic Lassen Peak reflecting in the sparkling blue lake waters, framed by the deep green forest. If you have more than an afternoon to spend, rent a cabin and stay awhile- you’ll enjoy lots of creature comforts including flush toilets, showers, and a coin laundry.
1. Bumpass Hell
This area is home to the largest span of geothermal features in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The basin was named after explorer Kendall Bumpass, who fell into a boiling pool and lost a leg; giving the ‘hell’ its rightful place in the title. Here you can tour 16 acres of steam vents, hot bubbling springs, mud pots, and steaming fumaroles.
You’ll also want to stop by the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center to better plan your visit, peruse the exhibit hall, and learn about everything the park has to offer. You can even chat with a park ranger for hiking tips or participate in a ranger-led program.
Check out the Lassen Volcanic National Park website for up-to-date information on hours of operation, fees, park alerts, and helpful park tips.
Brief History
The area encompassed by the park served as a meeting point for four neighboring Native American groups: Yahi, Yana, Atsugewi, and the Maidu. These groups seasonally camped, hunted, and gathered in the region during the summer months.
The California Gold Rush brought the first permanent settlers to the region. This influx of non-native people brought widespread sickness and disease and mostly obliterated the Yani and Yahi tribes.
These early settlers used Lassen Peak as a landmark; however, the peak officially remained unnamed. Capt. Don Luis Argüello, a military captain under the Spanish government, named the mountain San Jose in 1821. In 1827 explorer Jedediah Smith designated it Mt. Joseph, and later inhabitants of the area commonly referred to it as Snow Butte. An official government exploring party named it Mt. St. Joseph in 1841.
Finally, the name Lassen Peak was chosen in honor of Peter Lassen, a Danish immigrant who explored the area extensively in the 1840’s, guided a large number of settlers to the area, and developed ranching, timbering, and other projects. Such was Mr. Lassen’s influence in the area that the entire park was eventually dedicated in his honor.
By 1900, logging ventures threatened forests in the region and citizens united to help protect and advocate for the conservation of the forests. In 1905, President Roosevelt declared the area the Lassen Peak Forest Reserve. Just two short years later, in 1907, he designated Lassen Peak and Cinder Cone Volcano as National Monuments. Together, these monuments encompassed about 6,400 acres.
Early pioneers believed the volcano’s peak was extinct; however, in 1914 they learned that was not the case when a series of volcanic eruptions began. In 1915, one of these eruptions ejected a column of smoke that was visible over 50 miles away and sparked massive mudslides. A local businessman named B.F. Loomis photographed the devastation, thereby generating a huge interest in the area and in what was the only active volcano in the U.S. This kicked off a wave of enthusiasm in establishing Lassen as a national park. After several proposed bills, Congress approved the measure in 1916. Cinder Cone and Lassen Peak National Monuments were incorporated into the boundaries.
Of note is that Mr. Loomis also built the Loomis Museum in 1927, which is still open to the public.
Park development lagged a bit during the early years due to lack of funding and legislative neglect. But in 1925 the National Park Service completely took over the administration of the park, funding became more reliable, and expansion gradually took place.
As was common during the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) contributed to the development of the park by installing water, power, and sewer systems, constructing buildings, and building fire trails.
Since that time, additional park lands have been acquired, hiking trail and campgrounds have been developed, park staff has increased dramatically, new roads and buildings have been opened, and a visitor center has been established
As was common during the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) contributed to the development of the park by installing water, power, and sewer systems, constructing buildings, and building fire trails.
Since that time, additional park lands have been acquired, hiking trail and campgrounds have been developed, park staff has increased dramatically, new roads and buildings have been opened, and a visitor center has been established
Animals, Plants, & Environment
Because of its geographic location and varying altitudes, Lassen experiences variances in moisture, air temperature, and soil types that support various plant and animal species. In fact, you’ll find over 300 species of vertebrates alone.
Most of the park area below 7,800 ft. hosts mixed conifer forest including various types of fir and pine, and is home to black bears, mule deer, marten, white-headed woodpecker, and a variety of bats.
Above 7,800 ft. trees become more limited to mountain hemlock and smaller animals such as deer mice, Clark’s nutcracker, and several species of chipmunks. Continuing to climb, and one encounters the subalpine zone- an area with very little vegetation. Here you’ll find golden-mantled ground squirrels and gray-crowned rosy finch. At lower elevations, expect to see scattered chaparral which hosts dark-eyed junco and some sagebrush lizards.
Wet meadows can also be experienced seasonally in the valley bottoms and along streams and lakes. Mountain pocket gophers, garter snakes, and tree frogs make their homes here.
Some of the more majestic park birds include the bald eagle and peregrine falcon.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is also home to the California Tortoiseshell Butterfly, whose populations within the park have exploded recently, possibly due to forest defoliation in other areas. These orange-brown butterflies can sometimes be spotted at the tops of peaks, where the wind has carried them, often by the thousands. This makes driving conditions slippery, as the road (and your windshield) can become slick with dead butterflies.
