Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the most unique National Park in California. Located in northeastern California, it is a hidden gem of the state. Plan to spend at least one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park, but two if you have time. Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the few places to find four different types of volcanoes! About 500,000 people visit the park a year.
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History of Lassen Volcanic National Park
The original settlers of the area were the Native Americans, including the Yana, Yahi, Atsugewi, and Maidu Indians. They understood it was a volcanic area and tended to not get too close to the volcanoes. In the 1800s, various immigrants began to travel to the area to witness some of the volcanic activity.
In 1907, the area became two National Monuments: Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument. From 1914 to 1921, a series of volcanic eruptions happened which created a great deal of ash and lava as well as a new crater. Finally, in 1916, the area became designated as Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to spend one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park is during the summertime or early fall when all of the trails are open. Most of the park is shut down for the winter months. You can check which roads are open here.
How to get to Lassen Volcanic National Park
Redding Municipal Airport is the closest airport to Lassen Volcanic National Park. However, flights here are not frequent and can be pricey, so it is better to fly into Sacramento International Airport or Reno International Airport.
From Sacramento, take the 5 North to the 36 East. This will take you to the Lassen Volcanic Highway.
From Reno, take the 395 North to the 44 West to get to the northeastern area of the park. Take the 70 West to the 89 North to get to the Lassen Volcanic Highway.
From Redding, take the 44 east to the Lassen Volcanic Highway.
Transportation Around Lassen Volcanic National Park
The 30-mile Lassen Volcanic Highway connects the two entrances to the park. It is about an hour’s drive without stopping. You will need a car to get around during your one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park as there is not a shuttle and no public transportation options to the park.
Hours and Admission
Lassen Volcanic National Park is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. However, road access is limited in the wintertime from about November to May. The Visitor’s Center is typically open from 9am-5pm.
To get into Lassen Volcanic National Park, it costs $30/car during the summertime or $10 during the winter season. The fee is good for 7 days. If you are interested in visiting more than one National Park, invest in an America the Beautiful Pass to help save some money!
Where to Stay
Inside the park, you can opt to stay at the Drakesbad Guest Ranch (starts at $220/night and includes meals) or the Manzanita Lake Cabins (starts at $76/night). Note that the Manzanita Lake Cabins do not have an attached bathroom. Lassen Volcanic also has 8 different campsites throughout the park.
If you want a cheaper option, you can opt to stay in Redding which is about an hour away. We opted to stay at the Red Lion Hotel Redding which was around $125/night. Redding also has several Hilton and Mariott Properties.
What to See During One Day at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park is divided into five different sections: Manzanita & Summit Lakes, Southwest, Warner Valley, Juniper Lake, and Butte Lake. To fully see the park, you will want two days in Lassen Volcanic National Park, but you can see quite a bit during one day.
Day 1
During your one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park, you will focus on the Southwest and Manzanita & Summit Lakes areas. If coming from Redding, you will enter from the Northwest Entrance of the park.
Bumpass Hell Trail
Distance: 2.6 miles round trip
To start off your one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park, hike the Bumpass Hell Trail. This is one of the most popular trails in the park. It takes visitors to the hydrothermal features of the park. For the most part, the trail is pretty flat, but near the end of the trail, it descends 300 feet into a basin to a boardwalk. When you get to the fork in the road, take the Frying Pan trail down to the boardwalk.
Make sure to hike a little bit past the boardwalk and thermal pools up the small hill to get the best views of the area. Overall, this is a pretty easy hike and it is one of the best in the park. There are random active heat pits, so for your safety, always stay on the trail.
Teacher Tip: Park at Lake Helen instead of Bumpass Hell if the lot is full or if you want to cut off a little bit of the trail.
Sulphur Works
After hiking the Bumpass Hell Trail, stop at the Sulphur Pots. The Sulphur Pots are great for a quick stop to see hydrothermal activity. It is a super quick walk from the parking lot to see some boiling pots! Nearby is the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor’s Center which has shopping, food, and a 20-minute park film.
King’s Falls
Distance: 3 miles round trip
Next up during your one day at Lassen Volcanic National Park, hike the King’s Falls Trail. This trail takes you through a meadow and forest to an impressive waterfall. The trail is mostly an out-and-back, but you have the option to take a one-way trail with lots of steps along a narrow staircase on the way back. This offers gorgeous views of the falls and the area, so it is well worth it!
Summit Lake
At Summit Lake, you can opt to take a swim, grab an inflatable, and float around, kayak, or SUP. It is a great place to spend some time relaxing. You can also opt to take a stroll around the lake.
Devastated Area
Distance: 0.5-mile loop
The last hike to take during one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park is the short Devastated Area trail. This area was destroyed during the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak. This short path tells the story of the destruction and offers a peek into what it was like.
Manzanita Lake
End your one day at Lassen Volcanic National Park by grabbing a drink and/or an ice cream from the Manzanita Lake Camper Store and chilling by the lake. You can also opt to swim or kayak in this area.
More Than One Day at Lassen Volcanic National Park?
In total, Lassen Volcanic National Park has over 150 miles of trails that range from easy to strenuous hikes. If possible spend two days at Lassen Volcanic National Park to see all of what the park has to offer.
Cinder Cone
Distance: 4 miles
Area: Butte Lake
One of the other super popular hikes to take during one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park is the Cinder Cone trail. This path takes you to a great look at the Cinder Cone Volcano. Part of the trail is very steep, so keep that in mind when opting to hike this trail. This trail also offers great views of Lassen Peak and the Painted Dunes.
Devil’s Kitchen
Distance: 4.2 miles
Area: Warner Valley
The Devil’s Kitchen trail takes hikers through a meadow and forest to an area with mud pots, steam vents, and hot springs. This is the second-largest area of geothermal activity in the park. It is a pretty easy trail with a few uphill areas.
Lassen Peak
Distance: 4.8 miles round trip
Area: Southwest
This is one of the most difficult hikes in the park, but if offers some of the best views. It climbs up 1,957 feet to the top of Lassen Peak, the tallest volcano in the park.
Burney Falls
Cost: $10/car
Although not in Lassen Volcanic National Park, make sure not to miss Burney Falls. This 129-foot waterfall is located at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, 43 miles north of Lassen Volcanic National park.
Subway Cave
Cost: Free
Also not located within the National Park, Subway Cave is another cool stop in the area to explore. This ⅓ mile route takes you to a lava tube that you can walkthrough. Make sure to have hiking shoes and a flashlight. It is located 15 miles from the Northwest Entrance of the park.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Cost: $25/car or free with America the Beautiful Pass
If staying in Redding, you can also add Whiskeytown National Recreation Area to your itinerary. This area is located about 15 minutes west of Redding. It is great for swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking.
Tips for Spending One Day at Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Stay on the paths! Some of the areas contain geothermal activity that you do not want to get caught in. If you step in the wrong areas, you can get severely burned.
- Bring sunscreen and lots of water as it can get hot on some of the trails.
- Bring a lunch as there are not a lot of food options in the park.
- Get an early start on the Bumpass Hell Trail before the lot fill up and the trail gets crowded.
If staying in Redding, make sure to eat dinner in Downtown Redding at the Vintage Public House. They have delicious food and fantastic cocktails!
One day in Lassen Volcanic National Park should be added to any Northern California road trip or to a California National Parks trip. If you have extra time, head up to Oregon after visiting Lassen and stop at Crater Lake National Park.
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The sulphur pots looks so interesting to make a stop at! This is definitely a very unique national park to hike around, and some of the views you had look incredible!