A part of the Cascades range, Mt. Lassen is a dormant volcano outside of Chester, California. While the volcano is considered dormant, it last erupted in 1915 and has many geologically active features, such as mud pots and hot springs. During the winter, this park is nearly inaccessible due to snowfall, but from late spring to early fall, it is a paradise for outdoor explorers and day trippers alike.
Much of Mt. Lassen National Park can be seen via car, with a paved road connecting the two visitor centers and entrances, but many of the attractions are short walks from the parking lots as well. There are several educational signs on multiple trails detailing the history of the park and the people who have lived there. Even just pulling into a parking lot offers glimpses into the past via signs and photography posted by the National Park Service.
Due to its fairly close proximity to Reno, my family loves to take day trips to Mt. Lassen. I have been several times over my lifetime, both as a child and as an adult, and I have always had a ton of fun exploring the park. I typically prefer to take shorter hikes in order to maximize how many different locations I get to enjoy throughout the day.
If we choose to take a weekend trip instead, we typically stay in the town of Chester and also enjoy the beauty of Lake Almanor nearby. Staying in Chester allows us to get an earlier start on the park and enjoy it with even less crowds than usual. I love how serene and peaceful Mt. Lassen is when you’re alone while exploring.
My favorite places to visit in the park are Emerald Lake, Helen (Sapphire) Lake, both Visitor Centers, Bumpass Hell, the Mud Pots, and the Devastated Area. Many of these locations are directly beside the road or parking areas, allowing for quick visits while still getting to enjoy nature. Mt. Lassen is also one of the only locations where the beautiful and rare snowplant thrives naturally.
I vividly remember visiting the park in early fall one year. I had desperately wanted to hike a trail up to the lakes but it was freezing cold and raining. My grandma and I decided to go for it anyway and got to see the mountains along the trail with beautiful clouds surrounding them. The trail was difficult but worth it, as the lakes at the top were worth the work. They were chilly and had such a beautiful color. On the hike back down, my grandma was rushing to the car to warm up when I lost my footing and tumbled down part of the trail. I ended up with a severely sprained ankle, but decided to go ahead and do the Devastated Area walk on my injured ankle anyways.
Mt. Lassen National Park is so accessible that the next day, we were able to come back and do the drive through of the park and still have a lot of fun, even without being able to walk well. For me, Lassen is the perfect accessible day trip and I go back all the time.
I recommend coming in late summer, as there tends to be quite a bit of snow still in Spring, and enjoy all the thermal features as well as take a dip in Helen Lake with the volcano looking over you. Sometimes, when you’re driving down the road, you can see waterfalls along the way and, if you’re lucky, you can even see streams of boiling water flowing alongside the road. I absolutely love getting to see that personally, it’s such a cool experience to pop your door open and watch boiling water flow next to the road instead of being contained to a hot spring.
Some things to be cautious about: don’t feed or approach wildlife, don’t step off the designated trails, don’t lean over or enter the hot mud or water pools, and double check with the rangers if the hikes you’re looking at will require a permit. Keep yourself, animals, and the park safe by following all park guidelines and bringing water on all hikes.
Overall, I think Mt. Lassen National Park is a beautiful, accessible park that should be considered by all people visiting California. It offers a look into the beautiful Cascades and their history while allowing visitors to see the aftermath of a recent eruption. The lakes, waterfalls, thermal features, and mountain views alone make the park worth a visit.
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