Best Hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Before we unveil our list of the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park I must say that this entire area is INCREDIBLE! Each trail feels like it’s full of surprises – not only is the scenery gorgeous but the active volcanism in the area puts on a fascinating display of beautiful and interesting sights, sounds and features. These unique features are so intriguing that we felt childlike with excitement each time we set off on another trail.

UPDATE: Sadly, since our visit to Lassen, the 2021 Dixie Fire footprint covers 69% of Lassen Volcanic National Park. One-third of this footprint burned at high severity meaning that there are still many areas and sites that have limited to no impact from the fire. To find our more about visiting Lassen after the Dixie Fire, check out the national park information here. All of the information provided below reflects pre-Dixie Fire conditions. Use the National Park website to stay up to date on the changing trail conditions within the park as the restoration and repairs are underway.

Use the links below to move around the article!

• A Little About Lassen
• Where is Lassen
• Lassen National Park Visitor Centers
• Where are the best hikes in Lassen
• Why Should I Visit Lassen?
• Best Time to Visit Lassen
• Things to Do in Lassen
• Camping in Lassen
• Best Hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park

A Little About Lassen

Lassen Volcanic National Park is an incredibly scenic area with beautiful green forest and fascinating
features shaped by the area’s volcanism. Notice the towering volcanic peaks throughout the park surrounded by blanketed areas of forest and lava flow. There is also an exciting active underground hydrothermal system that is responsible for the various hydrothermal features seen throughout the park. And to complement these volcanic features you can also find beautiful mountain lakes, forested hillsides and flowery meadows. As you check out the best hikes in Lassen you’ll see unique and interesting evidence of this volcanic landscape from both the past and the present.

Where is Lassen?

Lassen Volcanic National Park is located northwest of Lake Almanor, between Susanville and Redding in
Northern California. There are two main entrances that have visitor centers. Click here to get directions to the northern entrance near Manzanita Lake or click here to get directions to the southern entrance at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. You can also access some of the hiking trails within Lassen via Butte Lake Area, Warner Valley Area, and Juniper Lake Area. Note that there is an entrance fee for Lassen: $30 per vehicle good for 7 days. If you visit during winter, December 1 and April 15, the entrance fee is $10 instead. The America the Beautiful Parks Pass is also accepted.

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Lassen National Park Visitor Centers

There are two visitor centers in Lassen which can be found at the Manzanita Lake entrance (NW) and the
Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee entrance (SW). The Manzanita Lake Visitor Center is open during the summer and has a museum, restrooms, nearby lakes, trails and camping. Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor Center is open year round and has a gift shop, cafeteria, informative exhibits, restrooms, trails and camping nearby.

Where are the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park?

Lassen can be accessed in five different areas. And the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park can
be found spread throughout each of the areas. Check out the map below to get oriented with the
entrances and their respective areas. Next to each of the names on our list of the best hikes in Lassen
Volcanic National Park I’ve specified which area of the park each can be found in. Also keep in mind that
just because a hike is listed in one area doesn’t mean that you can’t access it from another area by
combining additional trails and manipulating routes to cater to your preferences! Backpacking in Lassen
is a great way to see a number of the parks main features as well as some of the less visited trails.

Why Should I Visit Lassen?

Lassen Volcanic National Park has fascinating sights and unique features that seem to be from another
planet! And with hiking this good, you’ll be surprised to find that you can find solitude and serenity
that can’t be found at many of the other national parks. Another perk of visiting Lassen is the variety
of intriguing features in such a manageable sized park. This ensures that you can see a good number of
the park highlights when you visit. There is also a diversity of activities that you can enjoy while visiting the park.

Best Time to Visit Lassen

The best time to visit Lassen depends on what activities you wish to do. For hiking, camping, swimming and even a scenic drive through the park the best time to visit Lassen is during the summer months of June-October. Winter conditions are typically found from November through May due to the high elevation within the park.

Things to Do in Lassen

The hiking in Lassen National Park is exciting and memorable! But there’s even more to do during your visit too. Drive the 30 mile scenic highway for a beautiful driving tour of the park. And backpacking is a great way to get deep into the park to enjoy the scenery and solitude. There are numerous lakes and streams throughout the park that provide good fishing, non-motorized boating and swimming opportunities. If you visit in the winter you can sled, snow shoe, backcountry ski and snowboard and even experience snow camping. And don’t forget to look up, the stargazing is incredible.

Camping in Lassen

There are seven campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park. One campground, Southwest Campground, is open year round and the other six are open approximately May/June through September/October. Reservations are highly recommended between July and September. For more information regarding each campgrounds fees, amenities, services and locations this page has all you need to know. Backcountry camping is available with a free permit which can be obtained at self-registration stations near park entrances.

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Best Hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak (SW)

• 5 miles rountrip
• moderate to strenuous
• great views and a great workout to an amazing and unique peak

Lassen Peak is a popular hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park that leads to the highest point within the park. But it is so much more than that! Lassen Peak made it on our list of best hikes in Lassen for several reasons. The main reason being that I have never seen another peak that looks like this one! The lava rocks at the top look so unique and captivating. And also there are amazing everchanging panoramic views from the trails as they switchbacks the entire way up. So if you’re up for a climb to reach this unique peak expect a lot of exposed switchbacks, a bit of traffic and great views of the surrounding area.

Bumpass Hell (SW)

• 3 miles roundtrip
• easy to moderate
• an otherworldly experience you can feel, see, smell and hear

Bumpass Hell is a short hike to the largest and most dramatic display of the underground hydrothermal
activity within Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is a must see! Once you reach the boardwalk you are surrounded by a landscape unlike any other! It is very exciting experience to be among this unique landscape – seeing colors that seem unreal, feeling the steam from the milky streams, hearing the bubbling mud pots, smelling the sulphur and reading the signs warning of the dangerous temperatures.

Boiling Springs Lake (Warner Valley)

• 3 miles roundtrip
• easy
• features an unusual blue lake sitting pretty at 125 degrees

Boiling Springs Lake is one of the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park because of how unique this feature it. The color of Boiling Springs Lake is an unusual and interesting milky blue green. The steam vents under the lake keep the temperature of the lake at around 125 degrees! As you look closer, you may spot some bubbling mud along the shoreline validating the hot temperature of the water and the underground temperatures. As you circumnavigate the lake, there are some great views of the lake with the forested mountain scenery in the distance. If you’re up for it you can continue about 1.4 miles to reach Terminal Geyser, another cool display of hydrothermal activity.

Devils Kitchen (Warner Valley)

• 4.4 miles roundtrip
• easy to moderate
• a less popular yet fascinating display of hydrothermal activity

Devils Kitchen is one of the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park and one of my absolute favorites!
The trail leads through a beautiful forest with trees that are massive – both wide and tall. But the
hydrothermal activity display is out of this world impressive! The trail gets up close and personal with
some of the volcanic features in the area. You can feel the steam and breathe in the sulphurous air while watching the mud bubble. The colors of this area are just gorgeous too. I found this area to feel truly magical. I was in awe. And it helped that we had the whole trail to ourselves!

Snag Lake Loop (Butte Lake Area)

• 13 miles roundtrip
• moderate
• Snag Lake is beautiful and the loop offers amazing views of Fantastic Lava Beds, Painted Dunes and
  Butte Lake as well.

Snag Lake Loop is the longest hike on our list of best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park. And it has a lot to offer! We love loop hikes so that’s already a plus. This hike shows off two beautiful blue lakes that display a cool meeting point of where the lava flow reaches the water. The way the rugged lava flow meets the brilliant smooth blue waters is a sight to see. And along the way, experience the unbelievable painted dunes and the rightly named Fantastic Lava Beds. If you’re backpacking, be sure to add on Cinder Cone for a cool look into the cinder cone itself as well as jaw-dropping views of the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds sprawling below. It looks like you’re on another planet.

Cinder Cone (Butte Lake Area)

• 4 miles roundtrip
• moderate to strenuous
• a rough climb to the rim of a perfect cinder cone with mind blowing views of Fantastic Lava Beds
  and the Painted Dunes.

Cinder Cone is one of the more popular hikes in the Butte Lake area of the park. The hike starts at Butte
Lake and follows a mellow interpretive trail through the trees to the base of the cinder cone. This is where you transition to a steep ascent on loose cinder as the trail winds around and climbs the side of the cinder cone. It can be quite a challenge as each step you gain some ground but lose some as well. This hike made our list of best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park for two main reasons. One being that everyone should experience climbing to the rim and maybe even into a cinder cone. And secondly, the
views of the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds below are out of this world! The vast panoramic views in every direction is worth fighting your way up the cinders.

Brokeoff Mountain (SW)

• 7 miles roundtrip
• moderate to strenuous
• hike the second tallest peak in Lassen without the crowds and with some exceptional views from the top

The trail climbs up through the forest to the rugged base of Brokeoff Mountain, a remnant of the parks only composite volcano. From here, the single track trail follows the beautiful mountainside as it winds its
way up. Once you see the views from the top, you’ll see why Brokeoff Mountain is one of the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Although it is the second highest peak in the the park, we had the summit to ourselves as we looked on in amazement at the beauty all around us. One main thing that sets Brokeoff Mountain apart from Lassen Peak, besides the crowds, is that Lassen Peak is primarily exposed switchbacks whereas Brokeoff Mountain has more diverse trail conditions. If you have the time, we’d still suggest giving them both a go!

Ridge Lake (SW)

• 2 miles roundtrip
• moderate (short but steep)
• quick and easily accessible hike to a beautiful lake tucked into the mountains

If you’re in a time crunch, Ridge Lake is a great hike to fit in. The climb to the lake is steep but it’s over in no time. And the scenery is beautiful! Like many of the other best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park we had the trail and the destination all to ourselves. It’s a great area to enjoy a scenic lakeside picnic. And while you’re parked at the Ridge Lake Trailhead, be sure to check out the Sulphur Works roadside attraction. It’s accessed from the same parking lot and the bubbling mud pots are a quick and cool spot to see the hydrothermal activity at work!

Terminal Geyser (Warner Valley)

• 5.8 miles roundtrip
• easy to moderate
• the hike to terminal geyser is pretty and mellow

Terminal Geyser is another unique volcanic feature in the Warner Valley area of the park. It is not an actual geyser but is instead a large steam vent. Look around while you’re there and you’ll notice some small steam vents scattered about. The Terminal Geyser and the wind put on a cool steam show for us and, you guessed it, we had it all to ourselves. Another thing that puts Terminal Geyser on the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park list is that you can’t help but see the unique Boiling Springs Lake on your way!

Best Hikes in Lassen Runner Ups

Mill Creek Falls (SW)

• 3.8 miles roundtrip
• easy to moderate
• easily accessible hike to a pretty waterfall

Mill Creek Falls Trail starts from the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. The hike feels like a short stroll
with pleasant scenery before reaching a dock that overlooks the waterfall and stream below. Continue
further and you’ll get so close to the top of the waterfall that you can stand on a bridge right above it. And again, no crowds! Mill Creek Falls didn’t make our list of best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park because if you’re limited on time, we don’t feel like this hike exemplifies the unique features of the park like many of the others. But if you have time, it’s definitely a nice hike!

Cold Boiling Lake and Crumbaugh Lakes (SW)

• 2.6 miles roundtrip
• easy to moderate
• short and scenic hike to two lakes, one of which bubbles from the heat underground

Unlike Boiling Springs Lake, Cold Boiling Lake is not warm but instead there are trapped gasses coming
to the surface making it appear to be boiling. This hike is pretty mellow and the lakes are in a pretty valley. We added this hike on to our Bumpass Hell hike and had a picnic lakeside. We encountered just a
few other people on this trail. Again, if you’re pressed for time, we think that there are other hikes that better showcase the fascinating volcanism in the area.

Thanks for Reading About the Best Hikes in Lassen!

As you can see, Lassen is full of diversity! And the hikes are unlike anywhere else that we’ve been. We hope you enjoyed our list of the best hikes in Lassen Volcanic National Park! Let us know which hikes in the park are your favorite 🙂

We love getting outside and exploring new areas! You never know what you’ll find. To see some hikes that we’ve done that have stood out to us, check out the links below:

• Oasis on Black Canyon Trail
• Off the Beaten Path Hiking and Scrambling in Joshua Tree
• Point Trail in West Clear Creek Wilderness
• Backpacking Fall Creek Trail

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