Hiking in Lassen Volcanic

The hike to Boiling Springs Lake is located in the lesser visited Warner Valley section of the park. Take Feather River Road from Chester and follow the signs to Drakesbad. The road changes to gravel for the final three miles where it enters the park. The same trailhead is used for the other hikes of the area, including Devil's Kitchen below. At the trail intersections, follow the metal signs toward Boiling Springs Lake. The "lake" itself is a massive, milky green hot spring. The trail circles around it. Heed the warning signs and stay away from the edge. A fall into the water could easily be fatal.

This hike begins from the Bumpass Hell parking area, located along the Main Park Road 6.7 miles from the Southwest Entrance. It is just south of the also popular Lassen Peak area, and Lake Helen can be seen from an early point along the trail. The entire trail is a very scenic walk into the Lassen backcountry. You won't be alone, however. With the possible exception of the hike up Lassen Peak, this is the most heavily used trail in the park. The trail descends steeply at the end to the Bumpass Hell thermal area. Boardwalks lead around to the various features. Some of the boardwalk sections have recently closed due to unstable ground, but it remains a must-do hike.

This hikes begins at the end of the King's Creek Picnic Area parking lot, located off the Main Park Road 12.2 miles from the Southwest Entrance. With the exception of a brief ascent at the start, the trail is flat and easy. It leads to a strange thermal area that looks like a normal, shallow, grassy lake until further inspection. A close look will reveal streams of bubbles silently rising to the surface in spots around the lake. These gases are, of course, escaping the volcanic systems far below, but the lake is otherwise benign. As an option, you can follow the trail another half mile to the shores of Crumbaugh Lake.

The hike begins from the Devastated Area parking lot, located along the Main Park Road 10.1 miles from the Manzanita Lake Entrance. This easy, flat nature trail loops around a small section of the Devastated Area. Displays placed along the way explain various features of this area, flattened by the eruptions of Mount Lassen between 1914 and 1917. Excellent views of Lassen itself can be seen all along the trail as well.

The hike to Devil's Kitchen is located in the lesser visited Warner Valley section of the park. Take Feather River Road from Chester and follow the signs to Drakesbad. The road changes to gravel for the final three miles where it enters the park. The same trailhead is used for the other hikes of the area, including Boiling Springs Lake above. The trail leads over a creek and through some woods, and reaches an intersection with the Dream Lake side trail. At a few hundred feet, it is very worth seeing. The trail then leads through a meadow, then climbs moderately through the woods all the way to Devil's Kitchen, where it drops down into the thermal area. This is Lassen's best thermal area, in our opinion.

This hike beings from the Lassen Peak parking area, located along the Main Park Road 7.9 miles from the Southwest Entrance. The lot is just beyond the high point of the road, and is complete with a snack bar and gift shop, "Peak Necessities". The trail begins at the far end of the parking lot and immediately starts to head upward, and continues to do so steeply almost the entire way. You are gaining almost 2,000 feet in two miles, and ending at an elevation of 10,457 feet. The thin air makes this hike even more difficult than it would normally be, but it is arguably the ultimate accomplishment in the park, standing at the summit of Mount Lassen itself.

This hike begins across the street from the Manzanita Lake Visitor Center/Loomis Museum. It can be found along the Main Park Road 1.1 miles from the Manzanita Lake Entrance. It drops down and skirts around Reflection Lake (shown above) before reaching a pond covered with lily pads at the end.

This hike technically begins at the Summit Lake Ranger Station, located along the Main Park Road 13 miles from the Manzanita Lake Entrance. It follows through marshy woods before reaching the loop portion around the lake. However, it is often taken by those staying at Summit Lake North & South Campgrounds, who can join in at any point along the loop.

The hike begins right off of the Main Park Road, 9.8 miles from the Southwest Entrance. There is only a small pullout area for parking. The trail leads away from the road and starts descending, and continues to do so almost the entire way to Terrace Lake, the first destination, shown at left. Optionally, you can continue downward to Shadow Lake. Going all the way to the end descends almost 500 feet in less than a mile, making the return trip a little difficult.