Lassen Volcanic became a national park in 1916 because of its significance as an active volcanic landscape. Lassen Peak began erupting in 1914, had the most significant activity in 1915, and minor activity continued until 1921. All four types of volcanoes in the world are found in Lassen's 106,000 acres.

Use the menu below to quickly access information on this park:

General Information
History
Reservation Information

General Information

Visitation

Highest in August; lowest in March

Location

Mineral, California

Address

Lassen Volcanic National Park
P.O. Box 100
Mineral, CA 96063-0100

Telephone

(530) 595-4444

Operating Hours & Seasons

The park is open year-round, however, access is difficult in winter and spring. The best time of the year for hiking and car touring is August and September. The best time of the year for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing is January, February and March.

Climate & Recommended Clothing

Snow covers much of the park mid-October through early June. The Lassen Park Road, the main road that connects Highway 89, is usually closed late October through early June. Many of the main parks attractions are snow covered and inaccessible by car and foot. July, August, and September may bring mostly sunny skies with warm daytime temperatures and cold nighttime temperatures.

Directions

Fifty miles east of Red Bluff on state Highway 36, and 50 miles east of Redding on state Highway 44.

Transportation

The best access to the park is by private automobile. Auto rental services are available in Redding, Red Bluff, Chico, Susanville, or Reno. Greyhound and Trailways bus lines serve cities within 60 miles of the park. Major airlines serve Redding, Chico, and Reno. Within the park, you can use private automobile and bicycles.

Fees, Costs & Rates

Private, non-commercial vehicle and passengers: $10 dollars for seven days.

One individual on foot, bicycle, or by taxi: $4 for seven days.

Call (530) 595-4444, ext. 5155, for group fees.

Golden Access, Golden Age, and Golden Eagle passports honored.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Facilities & Opportunities

Visitor Center & Exhibits

The Loomis Museum, near Manzanita Lake, is open weekends from late May to mid-June. It is open daily from mid-June to late September, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Trails & Roads

The Lassen Park Road, the main road that connects Highway 89, runs 29 miles south-north through the park and is usually open early June through mid-October, depending on the weather. There are three access roads into other areas of the park: Butte Lake Road, 6 miles of gravel; Juniper Lake Road, 13 miles of gravel;, and the Warner Valley Road, 14 miles of paved road, then 3 miles of gravel. The Warner Valley and Butte Lake roads are usually open June through late October. The Juniper Lake road is usually open early July to late October.

Programs & Activities

Naturalist programs are offered late June to Labor Day. Snowshoe programs are offered to the public on Saturdays, usually mid-January to early April. Call (530) 595-4444, ext. 5133 or 5132 for more information.

Lodging & Camping Facilities

Drakesbad Guest Ranch offers the only lodging in the park. Call (530) 529-9820 for information and reservations.

There are eight campgrounds in the park. Groups must camp at either Lost Creek or Juniper Lake. Reservations for the group campgrounds are required and must be made in advance. Contact (530) 595-4444, ext. 5155, for information on group camping.

All other park campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations can be made.

Food & Supplies

The Lassen Chalet and Manzanita Lake Camper Store operate daily in the summer and offer food and gifts.

Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities

Park headquarters in Mineral offers information and publications year-round. The Loomis Museum offers information and publications in the summer months.

Accessibility

The Loomis Museum and park headquarters are handicap accessible, as are the Devastated Area Interpretive Trail and certain naturalist programs.

Reservations & Permits

A wilderness permit is required for overnight camping outside campgrounds. Contact park headquarters at (530) 595-4444, ext. 5134, to apply for a wilderness permit. School groups must make reservations for naturalist-led activities, call (530) 595- 4444, ext. 5133 or 5132.

Basic Visit Recommendations

Allow at least three hours to drive across the park and to make stops. Allow at least two days to hike some of the spectacular trails.

Adjacent Visitor Attractions

Lassen National Forest surrounds the park.

Additional Information

Write to Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063-0100, or call (530) 595-4444. TDD phone (530) 595-3480.

Back To Top

History

The Mountain Reawakens

In May 1914, Lassen Peak erupted, beginning a seven-year cycle of sporadic volcanic outbursts that climaxed in 1915, when the peak blew an enormous mushroom cloud some 7 miles into the stratosphere. The awakening volcano, which began as a vent on a larger extinct volcano known as Tehama, profoundly altered the surrounding landscape.

The area was made a national park in 1916 because of its significance as an active volcanic landscape. The park is a compact laboratory of volcanic phenomena and associated thermal features, except true geysers. It is part of a vast geographic unit - a great lava plateau with isolated volcanic peaks that encompasses Lava Beds National Monument in California and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

Until the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the eruption at Lassen was the most recent in the contiguous 48 states. The eruption of Mount St. Helens increased the park's significance as a 70-year-old laboratory providing possible recovery patterns. The Devastated Area evidences the combined mud flow and gas blast destruction typical of many volcanic eruptions in the Cascades. The Chaos Jumbles evidences similar destruction, but for a different reason. An air-cushioned avalanche - one that fell so rapidly it trapped and compressed air beneath itself - crashed down the Chaos Crags about 300 years ago. The air enabled the avalanche to rush across the valley at more than 100 miles per hour. It pushed 400 feet up the side of Table Mountain before losing momentum and surging back down across Manzanita Creek.

Ancestral Mount Tehama

About 600,000 years ago, a great Pacific Ring of Fire strato-volcano, Mount Tehama, gradually built up here through countless eruptions. Before Lassen Peak was emplaced, Mount Tehama had collapsed, but its caldera was breached and no lake developed as did Crater Lake in Oregon. Mount Tehamas main vent was probably what is now the park's Sulphur Works. Remnants of its caldera flanks are Brokeoff Mountain, Mount Dillar, Pilot Pinnacle and Mount Conard. Connect these peaks in a circle to envision Mount Tehamas base, more then 11 miles wide.

Lassen Peak began as a volcanic vent on Mount Tehamas northern flank. Considered the world's largest plug-dome volcano, it rises 2,000 feet to an elevation of 10,457 feet. The parks lava came from many vents. Recent geological evidence indicates that Cinder Cone, also a volcano, erupted in the 18th century.

Indians, Emigrants And Historians

The Lassen area was a meeting point for four Native American groups: Atsugewi, Yana, Yahi, and Maidu. Because of its weather and snow conditions, high elevation and seasonally mobile deer populations, the area was not conducive to year-round living. These Native American groups camped here in warmer months for hunting and gathering. Basketmakers rather than potters, they left few artifacts other than stone points, knives, and metals.

Californias gold rush in 1848 brought the first settlers. Two pioneer trains, developed by William Nobles and Peter Lassen, are associated with the park. In 1851, Nobles discovered an alternate route to California, passing through Lassen. Sections of the Nobles Emigrant Train are still visible in the park. Lassen, for whom the park is named, guided settlers near here and tried to establish a city. Mining, power development projects, ranching, and timbering were all attempted here. The areas early federal protection saved it from heavy logging.

B.F. Loomis documented Lassen Peak's most recent eruption cycle and promoted the parks establishment. He photographed the eruptions, explored the geology, and developed an extensive museum collection. The Loomis Museum was closed in 1974 because it was located in a potentially hazardous area. Samples of the Loomis collection are displayed at the Manzanita information station.

Back To Top

Reservation Information

Campgrounds

The park's seven campgrounds operate on a first-come first-served basis. Reservations are not accepted. There are limited sites for organized groups of up to 25 people, but fees are charged. Groups must have reservations.

Backcountry

A wilderness permit is required for overnight camping outside of campgrounds. Contact park headquarters at (530) 595-4444, ext. 5134, to apply for a wilderness permit.

Naturalist-led

School groups must make reservations for naturalist-led activities. Call (530) 595- 4444, ext. 5133 or 5132.

Back To Top

Return to National Parks Directory

This content is provided courtesy of Maptech¨.

Perfect for the active explorer, the Maptech National Park Digital Guide is available for sale now.
Click here for more information and online ordering.