Lassen Volcanic National Park Guide

Transportation and Accommodation in Lassen Volcanic National Park

English name : Lassen Volcanic National Park
Tickets : 30 USD/car/7 days, you may consider purchasing the US National Park Annual Pass
Latest information : road opening information , trail opening information
Travel season : Summer and autumn from June to early October, the main road of the park is closed from mid-October to the end of May - most attractions cannot be visited during this period
Duration : 2 days and 1 night or 3 days and 2 nights
Others : There is no internet in the park, please download the offline map in advance
Official website : See here

Lassen is a dormant active volcano, the last eruption was on May 19, 1915

by YS | Leo

Transportation in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in northern California, 235 miles/378 kilometers from San Francisco , and takes 4-5 hours by car.
Most students will first stay in the nearby city of Redding and visit nearby attractions.

Accommodation in Lassen Volcanic National Park

The largest residential area near the park is Redding , which is a 1-hour drive from the park. You can choose:
Americana Modern Hotel ★★★
Location 8.9 points Facilities/Service 9.0 points Value for money 8.9 points
Oxford Suites Redding ★★★
Location 8.9 points Facilities/Service 8.5 points Value for money 8.4 points
Best Western Plus Hilltop Inn ★★★
Location 8.7 points Facilities/Service 8.7 points Value for money 8.0 points

How to Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park

2 days and 1 night or 3 days and 2 nights sample itinerary :
Day1 - Depart from San Francisco > Drive for 5 hours > "1. Cinder Cone Trail" ( 2-3 hours hike ) > Drive for 2 hours > Stay in Redding
Day2 - Depart from Redding > Drive for 1.5 hours > "2. Bumpass Hell" ( 1.5-2 hours hike, if you are not in good physical condition, you can skip the subsequent itinerary and return to San Francisco directly ) > Lunch at the lakeside near the parking lot > Drive for 10 minutes > "3. Kings Creek Falls" ( 1.5-2 hours hike ) > Drive for 25 minutes > "4. Sulphur Works" ( 15 minutes of viewing ) > Drive for 4 hours > San Francisco
Day3 [Optional] - Go to "6. Zen Waterfall Burney Falls" ( 30 minutes-1 hour, 10 US dollars/car ) or go to "7. Lake Shasta Caverns" ( 2 hours, 42 US dollars/person ) > San Francisco [Must Go] 1. Cinder Cone Trail - a special trail, 4.8 miles long, takes about 2-3 hours [Must Go] 2. Bumpass Hell - a large geothermal area, takes about 1.5-2 hours [Recommended] 3. Kings Creek Falls - a strong contrast beauty, 2.6 miles long, takes about 1.5-2 hours [Optional] 4. Sulphur Works - a geothermal area next to the road, can be arranged for 15 minutes [Optional] 5. Manzanita Lake - lake view, 1.9 miles long, takes about 1 hour [Optional] 6. Burney Falls - you can see it from a distance or walk to the bottom of the waterfall, 10 US dollars/car, takes about 30 minutes [Optional] 7. Lake Shasta Caverns - To see the stalactites, it costs 42 USD/person and takes about 2 hours. It is recommended to book a 5-day, 4-night circular self-driving tour : The following is for demonstration only. Please adjust according to your own preferences/rhythm. Day1 - Depart from San Francisco, drive for 5 hours and stay in Eureka. Day2 - Spend 1 day to visit Redwood National Park and stay in Crescent City at night. Day3 - After 3.5 hours of self-driving, visit Crater Lake National Park and stay in Medford at night. Day4 - After 3.5 hours of self-driving, visit Lassen Volcanic National Park ( you can stop at Lake Siskiyou Beach on the way to enjoy the snow-capped mountain Mt Shasta), and stay in Redding at night. Day5 - You can explore Lassen Volcanic National Park again in the morning and return to San Francisco in the afternoon . * If you depart from Seattle, you can fly to Medford first.

Places of interest in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park

1. Cinder Cone Trail 

Cinder Cone is the cone of a dormant volcano.
Cinder Cone Trail is the most distinctive trail in the park.

How long to play : 2-3 hours
How to play :
‣ The trail is 4.8 miles/7.6 kilometers round trip, with an elevation gain of 321 meters. The latest information can be found here
‣ Because of the slope and slippery road surface, the walking difficulty is higher than it looks. It is very helpful to carry trekking poles. It is also recommended to wear mid-to-high-top hiking shoes. Please refer to " Recommended Hiking Equipment for Beginners "
Address : Cinder Cone trailhead Butte Lake Rd, California


Recommended video : You broke into the childhood of the volcano, and every bit of green is like a pilgrimage. Photography : by Thomas Fields | Leo_Visions








2. Little Yellowstone Bumpass Hell 

The largest geothermal area in the park, nicknamed "Little Yellowstone Park"

How long to play : 1.5 - 2 hours
How to play : The trail is 2.7 miles/4.3 kilometers round trip, with an elevation gain of 132 meters. The difficulty is low. The latest information can be found here
Note :
‣ Please bring enough water and sunscreen‣
If your phone/hat falls outside the wooden boardwalk in the geothermal area, do not pick it up! Because the surface outside the boardwalk may be fragile, you will fall into boiling water if you step on it...
Address : Bumpass Trailhead Parking Parking lot, Mill Creek, CA


Recommended video : Exploring the Geothermal Wonderland in Lassen Volcanic National Park Photography : by Priya Karkare | Quentin Burgess Next to the trail parking lot is Lake Helen. The lake water comes from the nearby high mountain snowmelt. It will appear azure in summer and is a beautiful picnic spot, but the lake water is cold and not suitable for swimming by Will Truettner

3. Kings Creek Falls waterfall trail

Although the waterfall itself is not as distinctive as Burney Falls outside the park, the area experienced a wildfire in 2021. On the way there, you will see burnt forests, but the area near the waterfall is lush and green. Because of this contrasting beauty, it has received numerous praises

. How long to play : 1.5-2 hours
How to play : The trail is 2.6 miles/4.5 kilometers round trip, with an altitude gain of 150 meters. The difficulty is medium. The latest information can be found here.
Address : Kings Creek Trailhead Lassen Volcanic National Park,, Mill Creek, CA
Recommended video : Kings Creek Falls Trail




4. Sulphur Works Mud Pool 

A geothermal area where you can see steaming rock caves and boiling mud pools.

How long to play : 15 minutes
. How to play : After parking your car, walk along the road for a few steps.
Address : Sulphur Works, Mineral, CA


Recommended video : Sulphur Works - Lassen Volcanic National Park




5. Manzanita Lake Lakeside Trail 

Manzanita Lake is located in the northwest of the park. The scenery is average and it is an optional attraction

. How long to visit : 1 hour
How to play :
‣ Walk along the lakeside trail, which is 1.9 miles/3.1 kilometers long and has an elevation gain of 16 meters. The latest information can be found here
‣ Rowing, double kayaking is US$22/hour, for specific information, see here
Address : Manzanita Lake Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA


Recommended video : Manzanita Lake Trail Lassen Volcanic National Park

6. Zen Waterfall Burney Falls

The waterfall is located in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.
The waterfall is 129 feet/39 meters high and has a very Zen style. The water volume is at its maximum from early April to October

. Opening hours : 8am - sunset.
Tickets : 10 USD/car.
Duration : 30 minutes - 1 hour.
How to play : First go to the observation deck to see the waterfall from a distance, then hike to the bottom of the waterfall to see it (the trail was closed when I updated this article, so I couldn't walk to the bottom. The latest information is here )
Address : Burney Falls California 96013


Photographs - Looking from the observation deck :

by Karam Alani

Photographs - Hike to the bottom of the waterfall for a closer look :


by Arnav Maiti & YS


7. Lake Shasta Caverns National Natural Landmark 

Discovered in 1878, the underground cave opened to the public in 1964 The
temperature in the cave is 14-20 degrees Celsius all year round, the humidity is high, and it is very cool in summer

Opening hours : 8am - 4.30pm
Tickets : 42 US dollars for adults, 26 US dollars for children, recommended reservations
How long to play : 2 hours
How to play : Buy tickets next to the parking lot > Walk for 10 minutes to the pier ( the boat leaves about once every half an hour ) > Take a 10-minute boat ride across the river > Take a 10-minute drive to the cave > Visit the cave for about 60 minutes ( there are about 600 steps in the cave, and you need to wear sneakers ) > Finally return to the original route


Official website : See here
Address : Free parking, 20359 Shasta Caverns Rd, Lakehead, CA
Recommended video : Lake Shasta caverns worth a road trip this summer ◉ Appendix : If you have more time to travel You can also arrange a more interesting Northern California loop tour Please refer to the Northern California Travel Guide ~ End ~ Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a happy time! *⸜( •ᴗ• )⸝*