Lassen Volcanic National Park

About this place

Lassen Volcanic National Park lies in north-eastern California, and its centrepiece, Lassen Peak, stands about 76 km in a straight line east of the city of Redding. Lassen Peak is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost volcano of the Cascade Range, and the park is one of the few places on Earth where all four types of volcano are found: plug dome, shield, cinder cone and stratovolcano. The area began as two national monuments, Cinder Cone and Lassen Peak, created in 1907. From May 1914 until 1917 a series of eruptions shook Lassen Peak, and the national park was established in 1916. The Atsugewi people, who lived here long before European settlers arrived, knew the peak was full of fire and water. The ground around Lassen Peak is still active, with boiling mud pots, steaming fumaroles and hot springs. The park road winds past bare volcanic slopes, forests of tall conifers and clear mountain lakes such as Juniper Lake, with views of the peaks, and some forests still show the marks of recent wildfires. Entry is paid. The main park road is usually closed by deep snow from late autumn to early summer, so July to October is the best time to visit. Stay on the boardwalks in the hydrothermal areas, as the ground can be thin and the water scalding.