Lassen Volcanic National Park provides a wealth of fun activities that are as varied as the seasons of the park.  Here is a sample of what the park has to offer based on your length of visit.  You may also use the links to the left to help you plan your visit.

Several hours:  The Main Park Road offers many scenic vistas and access to several of the most popular hiking trails.  A one-way journey on the road will take approximately 1 hour without any stops in good weather.  A short 3 mile (round-trip) hike to Bumpass Hell is a rewarding way to experience the park's largest hydrothermal (hot water) area.  The Devastated Area interpretive trail is a 30 minute stop that offers amazing views of the destruction caused by Lassen Peak's eruptions of 1914-17.   Sulphur Works is another quick stop showcasing an active hydrothermal area.

One day:  Thousands of visitors hike Lassen Peak every year.  This strenuous hike offers stunning views of the Cascade Mountains and the Sacramento Valley.  At the top of the mountain it is easy to picture the devastation of the 1915 eruption.  Here you can view the crater caused by the eruption and look down upon the Devastated Area from above.  If a strenuous hike does not appeal to you, you could drive the Main Park Road at a leisurely pace, stopping at the Sulphur Works and Devastated Area interpretive exhibits, at Lake Helen or Kings Creek for a picnic, and at Manzanita Lake for a gentle 1.85 mile stroll around the picturesque mountain lake.  At the end of your day you could pitch a tent under the bright stars in one of our eight campgrounds.

Two or more days:  Lassen's backcountry is a wonderful place to find peace and quiet and a wilderness adventure any time of the year.  Click here to apply for your backcountry wilderness permit.

When planning which activities you want to enjoy while visiting the park, please keep one thing in mind. Access to specific trails, or even the park itself, is dependent on the weather and snow conditions. In heavy snow years the park road may open as late as July 21th, but could open as early as May 10th. Click here to visit the road opening status webpage for up-to-date information. For the same reasons, access to many trails may be restricted or limited to those with snowshoes. The Bumpass Hell trail usually does not open until early to mid-July. Call the Visitor Center at 530-595-4480 for the current status of trails throughout the park.