Introduction
Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in Northern California about 60 miles from Redding. All four types of volcanoes found in the entire world are represented here. They include shield (Prospect Peak), plug dome (Lassen Peak), Cinder Cone (Cinder Cone), and Composite (Brokeoff Volcano) volcanoes.
In 1915, Mount Lassen erupted, blowing ash up to 30,000 feet in the air, flinging house-sized boulders miles away and devastating a large forested area. As you might expect, part of today’s landscape was formed by this event, with lava flows and a devastated area still clearly visible.
When to go
Because of its altitude (10,457-foot (3,187 m) tall), the best season to visit is Summer. Fall is still OK but it comes very chilly before and after sunset. Heavy snows close most of the main road in winter.
Direction (On Google Map)
There are a total of five vehicle entrances to the park: the north and south entrances of SR 89, and unpaved roads entering at Drakesbad and Juniper Lake in the south, and Butte Lake in the northeast. The Park can also be accessed by trails leading in from Caribou Wilderness to the east, as well as the Pacific Crest Trail, and two smaller trails leading in from Willow Lake and Little Willow Lake to the south.
If you fly, you would land in Redding and Chico in California or Reno in Nevada. From Redding, follow CA 44 east then CA 89 south to Manzanita Lake Entrance (about 45 miles). From Red Bluff, follow CA 36 east to Mineral, turn north on CA89 to Southwest Entrance.
How to Visit
The most common way people see the park is on a driving tour. It’s roughly 25 miles from one entrance to the other and takes about an hour with no stops. Stops include Manzanita Lake, the devastated area, Bumpass Hell (a 3-mile hike with 300-foot elevation gain) and Sulphur Works. The road’s high point is 8,512 feet. The visitor center near the south entrance has a small cafe if you’re hungry. There’s also a small store near Manzanita Lake and the north entrance. Reserve 0.5 to 1 full day for the visit.
Accommodation
Eight campgrounds are located inside the park, all of them above 5,650 feet elevation. Amenities vary, but some have running water and pay showers. Some have RV sites but none have hookups.
Drakesbad Guest Ranch is at the end of an unpaved road near the south entrance. It’s open in summer only, offering horseback riding and a hot spring-fed swimming pool. Some people love it and making reservations far is advance is recommended, but it’s not for everyone – rooms have no electricity and the place barely has telephone service.
Other options for places to stay are available within a 30-minute drive of each entrance in Shingletown, Redding, Red Bluff or Chester.
Please visit lodging websites to find the accommodations that best meet your needs.
