How to Spend One Perfect Day in Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Sarah Brooks
- Sep 3
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Lassen Volcanic National Park was my first stop on an epic three national park road trip this summer. It was my 30th national park and it's such a wonderful hidden gem tucked away in Northern California. The park is so diverse! You'll see everything from stunning mountains and wildflower fields to bubbling geothermal areas and calm lakes.
The best part is, you can see Lassen Volcanic in just one day! Here's my itinerary - plus where to stay and some helpful tips to plan your visit.
What to Know Before You Visit Lassen Volcanic:
Where is it Lassen Volcanic National Park located?
Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in a remote area of Northern California. It's in the southern Cascades and about four hours from Sacramento. The closest city of note (and I use that term very loosely) is Chester, CA. That is where we stayed and I'll share some details on that, later!
When is the best time to visit?
The window to visit Lassen is very narrow. The park gets so much snow the roads don't typically open until June and even then, some areas of the park may still be closed. July, August and September are your safest bets to visit before the show starts to fall again (which sometimes happens as early as October!)
There are no timed reservations needed to enter the park or for any of the trails within.
How badly was Lassen damaged by the Dixie Wildfire?
Much of Lassen and the surrounding area was devastated by the Dixie fire in 2021. Nearly 70% of the park was scorched and the damage is very evident as you tour the park.
So many of the tall trees have been blackened and the signs of regrowth are just starting to show.
Don't let this discourage you from visiting; however, it is something to keep in mind. Despite the research I'd done on the park, I had no idea just how dominant the destruction remains.
Is Lassen Volcanic National Park worth visiting?
Absolutely!
Lassen is such a diverse park with beautiful lakes and geothermal areas. It reminds me of Yellowstone in that regard, but on a much smaller scale and without the crazy crowds.
That said, if you have the time, I would pair Lassen with other nearby national or state parks. Lassen is not the easiest park to reach and the only major airports are Reno and Sacramento, which both require a 2-3 hour drive.
We did a three-national-park road trip; from Lassen to Redwoods and then north to Crater Lake. (That full itinerary is coming, soon!)
Can I really see the park in just 24 hours?
You can!
This itinerary is a rundown of everything we did in just one day in Lassen Volcanic National Park. We focused on the west side of the park and explored from the southern entrance all the way to the northern.
We hiked three very unique trails in the park and that was plenty for us to experience the diversity Lassen has to offer.
We initially planned to spend a second morning in the park but didn't feel like it was necessary and we were eager to keep exploring Northern California!
The Itinerary - One Day in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Starting at the south entrance of the park, these are the can't miss stops and hikes!
Southern End Drive and Sulphur Works
The 30 mile drive through the park is stunning!
The southern entrance tends to be less crowded than the north and you'll have beautiful views of mountains and valleys on the right side of the road as you head north. You'll also hit most of the hot spots in quick succession.
Your first stop will be the Sulphur Works, which is a hydrothermal area (really just a small, smelly mud pot) just a few minutes past the entrance. It's right on the side of the road so you can hop out to see it quickly.
There's a small parking lot just before you reach the pull-off that was nearly empty when we arrived just before 10AM.
(Also of note, the pit toilet here is one of the nicest I've ever experienced! It smells like coconuts!)
Emerald Lake
Just little further along the road is Emerald Lake. It is a shallow alpine lake named for its green hues, which come from algae growing in the water. On a sunny day (like we had!) the surface seems to glow green and the surrounding pines reflect in the surface. It's another quick stop and a great place to take some amazing pictures.
Bumpass Hell Trail
If you only do one hike in Lassen Volcanic, you should definitely make it this one! This trail offers all of the best of Lassen in one hike - stunning mountain views, beautiful wildflower fields and geothermal areas.)
Be sure to check the NPS website before your trip to see current trail conditions. Bumpass Hell typically does not open until early to mid-July, once the snow has melted.
The parking lot fills up extremely quickly; we got lucky arriving around 11AM and snagged one of the last spots. (Pro-tip: If the lot is full, there’s a pullout on the main road across from Lake Helen with a short trail up the hill that connects to the Bumpass Hell trail.)
The hike itself is relatively moderate with a gradual elevation gain (about 100 feet) during the first mile, before you head down about 200 feet into the heart of the geothermal area.
That said, the altitude definitely kicked our butts at around 8,000 feet. There was some serious huffing and puffing!
You follow a dirt trail along a ridge line with amazing mountain views and wildflower meadows. The trail winds through areas of fire damage from the Dixie Fire, giving the landscape an eerie but beautiful mix of destruction and regrowth.
You'll start heading downhill and eventually encounter the boardwalk that takes you through the geothermal area.
The hydrothermal features are remnants of volcanic activity - much like Yellowstone on a smaller scale but without the crowds!
When you approach the geothermal area, the trail splits to form a loop. I recommend going left to the Frying Pan Trail for an incredible view of the boiling pools from above before descending to the boardwalk near the steaming vents. There are stairs that help with the descent, making it a little easier.
We actually did the hike in the opposite direction and went right at the split. This direction was more winding and gradual taking you through a wooded area on the way down. It was beautiful, but we wished we’d gone the other way! The approaching views are fantastic from the Frying Pan.
Cold Boiling Lake Trail
From the geothermal basin at Bumpass Hell, there’s an option to continue hiking to Cold Boiling Lake. We didn’t take that route but instead hiked to Cold Boiling Lake from the opposite trailhead.
This entire area was badly damaged by the Dixie Fire, with severely burned trees lining the 1.6 mile roundtrip trail. It was an eerie and sad hike, but in a hauntingly beautiful way.
For me, this hike wasn't about the destination, but about the journey. The trek through the scorched forest was incredibly heartbreaking, but once the trail opens up into the lush meadow surrounding the lake, the stark contrast was breathtaking.
The lake is small and beautiful. Tiny gas bubbles rise to the top of the glassy surface, giving it a "boiling" appearance. It's incredibly peaceful and there are some benches on the shore if you want to take a moment to rest and soak it in.
You can also connect to the Bumpass Hell Trail on the other side of the lake.
South and North Lake Summit
This is the perfect spot for a picnic! North of Bumpass Hell, Summit Lake’s north side has plenty of picnic tables for a perfect lunch spot. The only food options in Lassen are at the visitor centers at the north and south ends of the park, so we packed some snacks and ate here!
Bonus: The picnic area is connected to the campground, so there are flush toilets and showers here!
Loomis Museum
There's a small museum across from Reflection Lake that features some amazing images captured during the Lassen Volcano eruption in 1914. The photos were fascinating!
Manzanita Lake
Lake Manzanita was our final stop in Lassen, located in the northwest corner of the park. We stopped here to soak in the gorgeous scenery on our way out.
We didn't spend a lot of time here, since we on a tight timeline and were off to our next destination. The lake offers amazing views of Lassen Peak - so I've heard. The clouds were completely blocking the view while we were there. (We did get some other fantastic views of the volcano along our drive, though.)
However, there is a 1.7-mile loop trail that goes around the lake, as well as kayak and paddleboard rentals if you want to spend some time on the water!
There's also a small visitor center if you want to grab a snack and have a picnic on your way out.
Bonus Day and Nearby Adventures
Lassen Peak
If you have the time and the gumption, you might consider hiking Lassen Peak - the
volcano that created the park. We had carved out time for this hike, but ultimately decided against it.
My hiking style is very much based on effort vs reward. I'll take on a challenging hike if I think there's going to be a worthwhile payoff at the end.
As harsh as it sounds, I just didn't want to tackle a strenuous hike with 2,000 feet of elevation in 2.5 miles on a partially snow covered mountain for views of the scorched earth that surrounds the park right now.
Burney Falls
About an hour north of Lake Manzanita, this stunning waterfall is located in Burney Falls State Park. It costs $10 to enter and it's an easy 0.3-mile walk on a paved trail to the base. You can also take a longer scenic loop around the falls or climb down onto the rocks at the base of the falls.
Subway Cave Lava Tube
This is located just outside the northern border of Lassen Volcanic. It formed about 20,000 years ago when a lava flow left a tunnel-like cave.
It's free and makes for a quick and interesting stop. The cave is about .03 miles long and takes about 15 minutes to walk all the way through. It's very dark and cold inside, so bring a headlamp and a jacket!
Where to Stay?
If you've done any national park traveling, you know luxury accommodations are few and far between. There are slim pickings near Lassen Volcanic, but we found a super fun gem!
Chances are, you'd never happen upon Chester, CA unless you're on a road trip. We spent two nights at the Timber House Lodge and we honestly loved it. It's a nine-room inn and is part of Timber House Brewing and Distillery.
The inn offers self-check in, which is super convenient when you don't know exactly when you'll be arriving.
Each room has a unique (and frankly, hilariously over the top!) theme. We stayed in the Gypsy Soul and what a treat! it was I was not expecting the glittery chandeliers, antique furniture and fuzzy pillows. Our traveling companion stayed in "The Cowboy," which was more safari than cowboy - but so much fun!
The inn is still very rustic and bare-bones, but it had everything we needed. It's also only a 30-minute drive to the south entrance of the park, and proximity was our number one priority.
The lodge is part of Timber House Brewing and Distillery, which has an onsite brewery serving handcrafted beers and house-made vodka. The beer is good and the food was fantastic. We actually ate there both nights of our stay. I highly recommend the cheese curds (we had them twice!)
We explored a bit of what Chester has to offer - and to be honest, there isn't much. We did visit the Olsen Barn, which appears to be the main attraction. It's said to be one of the oldest standing barns in Northern California.
Chester also sits on the shore of Lake Almanor, which is considered a major local attraction.
Since we were only using Chester as a home base for Lassen National Park exploration, we didn't have any time to spend on the water, but it is popular for boating and fishing.
We did have a nightcap one evening on the aptly named Catfish Beach, which did indeed stink like dead fish and I wouldn't necessarily recommend!
