All four types of volcano found on Earth exist within this one park, alongside boiling mud pots, steam vents, and alpine lakes.
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.
Lassen Volcanic is a genuinely rare geological showcase — all four types of volcano found on Earth exist within this single park, alongside boiling mud pots, hissing steam vents, and quiet alpine lakes. It's a much quieter alternative to California's more famous parks, despite scenery that rivals Yellowstone's geothermal features on a smaller scale.
Because the park sits at high elevation and gets heavy snowfall, its main road often isn't fully open until well into summer — worth checking current conditions before planning a visit.
Driving the park road with a stop at Bumpass Hell — a boardwalk trail through boiling mud pots and steam vents — is the essential Lassen experience. Lassen Peak itself is a strenuous but rewarding hike to the summit of an actual active volcano, one of the more unique peak-bagging opportunities in the park system.
For a quieter pace, the alpine lakes scattered through the park, like Manzanita Lake, offer easy walking trails and good picnic spots with mountain reflections.
Crater Lake National Park is about 3.5 hours north and pairs well on a broader Pacific volcano-focused road trip through Oregon and Northern California.
