Mt. Lassen: Northern California's Hidden Gem
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
If Yosemite National Park is more like a bustling city to you, Lassen Volcanic National Park may be the kind of park of your dreams. It's beautiful, secluded, and most of all, there's plenty of room to breathe the fresh air. If you're looking for pine-scented forests, hiking trails, fishing, camping, and clear blue skies without the hassle of too many people, Mt. Lassen may become your favorite Northern California getaway.
The nearest major airports are Sacramento, California (165 miles) and Reno, Nevada (180 miles).
Lassen's Hot History
Part of the famous Pacific Ring of Fire, Mt. Lassen now lies dormant, and no one knows when she may erupt again. Lassen's last major eruption cycle began in 1914. The cycle culminated on an early May morning in 1915, when a 30,000 foot high column of ash steam rocketed into the calm morning air. After the big bang, activity gradually dwindled. By 1921, scientists recorded more than 298 eruptions, then the crater quieted.
Today, visitors can see the results of thousands of years of volcanic activity all around the park. The blast in 1915 created many park features, like Hat Lake, and the Devastated Area. Others have been building up for thousands of years from previous activity. Lassen is also one of the largest geothermal fields outside the Yellowstone area.
When To Visit
Lassen is open throughout the year, but in winter, the road over the top of the park is closed. Visitation is highest in August and lowest in March. January, February, and March are the best months to snowshoe in the park. Camping is open from June or July through September, but snow can exist in the higher elevations until July or even longer, so plan your dress and equipment accordingly.
You can find many hotels and restaurants outside the park, just a few miles from both the South Entrance and the Manzanita Lake Entrance. There are no lodges inside the park. You can find a visitor center, store, gas station, showers, Laundromat, and gift shop at Manzanita Lake. The Chalet at the South Entrance station has gifts, and a snack bar.
Camping In The Park
Camping in Mt. Lassen is a delightful experience. The high country camping spaces lie sprinkled between Ponderosa and whitebark pine, white fir, and quaking aspen. Most of the spaces are large enough for you to enjoy a bit of privacy from your neighbors. Sitting out under the pines and breathing in their clean fragrance is one way I unwind when I get to the park.
You can choose from six campgrounds at several different elevations. The highest is Juniper Lake, at 6,792 feet. Lowest is Warner Valley, at 5,650 feet. You don't need to make reservations for any of the campgrounds. However, during the most popular summer months, it's a good idea to try to get a camping spot before noon. Otherwise, you might not find a space. The last time we camped at Lassen, we did make it to the park before noon, but still had to settle for a campsite with pit toilets, instead of running water. So, the earlier you arrive, the better the availability.
The two largest and most popular campgrounds are Manzanita Lake (where most of the camper services are, like showers and a store), and Summit Lake North.
Here There Be Bears
As with most of the cool-weather, higher elevation parks, bears live in Lassen, and you need to take some precautions when you visit. The black bear is the only type of bear found in the park. The most common time to see them is at dawn or dusk. They can run up to 30 miles an hour in a sprint, so outrunning a bear isn't a good idea. If you see a bear, keep your distance, especially if it's a mother with a cub.
One of the most important things you can do to guard against bears is to make sure you store your food properly. Never, ever, put food in your tent! Not even chewing gum! Bears have a highly developed sense of smell. They can smell food and cosmetics miles away and will tear apart anything in their path to get to that food. They've even torn the doors off cars in some parks, so a tent is nothing to them. I can't stress this enough!
Put all your garbage in the bear-proof trashcans throughout the park. Store food, soap, toothpaste, sunscreen and hair spray in bear-proof storage lockers, also provided in the higher-risk campgrounds. Cover up your ice chest or cooler if bears can see it through your car window. Bears recognize coolers, and will rip open a door or window to get at the goodies.
Hiking In Lassen
You'll find plenty of hiking trails for all levels of fitness in the park. We did the Bumpass Hell trail, one of the most popular. This trail descends into a geyser basin that rivals any in Yellowstone, and is the largest thermal area in Lassen. It's a three-mile hike round trip, mostly flat and level, except the 250-foot descent into the basin. Here you'll find mud pots, hot springs, steam vents, and the unmistakable odor of rotten eggs. That's the sulfur, coming to the surface from deep inside our planet, as all that steam and hot water. Plan to spend at least three hours hiking and exploring this fascinating region. The colors on a clear day make for great photos, too.
Don't forget, the area was named for Kendall Vanhook Bumpass. Bumpass discovered the area, and lost a leg to burns he suffered after stepping into one of the thermal pools. Those pools are darned hot, so stay out!
Mt. Lassen is peaceful, scenic, and a joy to visit. Once you try Mt. Lassen, you may never be happy with the bigger National Parks and their crowds again!