Sitting in Northern California, just East of Interstate Highway 5, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a thermal wonder featuring sulfur springs, volcanoes, and even snow.
Lassen is home to all four types of volcanoes: shield, cinder cone, plug dome, and composite. The most famous volcano in Lassen Volcanic is the eponymous Lassen Peak, a plug dome volcano that last erupted in 1917.
After a series of tremendous blasts between 1914 and 1917, the volcano’s activity has since ceased, allowing for trails to be opened around the peak.
One such trail is the Lassen Peak Trail. Starting in a parking lot about 8,500 feet above sea level, this trail is two and a half miles to the peak. The Lassen peak sits tall above the rest of the park at 10,457 feet. Although not an extraordinary elevation, the relative altitude of the mountain and the rest of the park allow for an incredibly vast view of the surrounding mountains.
One of the mountains that can be seen is Mount Shasta, the second tallest in the Cascade Range. This composite volcano is regarded as the sister volcano of Lassen Peak, standing at 14,179 feet. It is the fifth tallest mountain in California.
These volcanoes are the the first places to find snow in Lassen Volcanic. When the winter season begins, it becomes immediately clear why Lassen peak is considered one of the snowiest places in California. Most of the park is closed of because of the snowy conditions, and as a result the park entrances are no longer connected by road.
Although the snow makes driving difficult, it brings many winter activities to the park. As soon as the winter season begin, the tracks of snowshoers and skiers can be found all along the powder coated highway.
Whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall, Lassen Volcanic and its collection of volcanoes are a necessary visit for any eager traveler.
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