Lassen Volcanic National Park is a wonder of nature.  Made up of over ten distinct volcanic peaks and countless lakes and creeks, Lassen is a testament to the ever-changing Earth.  Many years ago, there used to be one overshadowing volcano in Lassen, much taller than any of the four currently in its place.  Over time, however, erosion ate away at the peak so much that it formed a crater, leaving four mountains to mark the original sides of the peak.  The only way to envision the former volcano is to almost connect the peaks of the five existing ones, and imagine where they would have met.

Lassen, I have heard, is fabulous for camping.  Unfortunately, because we were going with some non-camping enthusiasts, we decided to rent a log cabin in the small town of Viola (population of 96.)  The cabin was beautiful, and had easy access to a creek, hammocks, a fire-pit, and the woods in its backyard.

So, what did we do at Lassen?  On the first day we went on a 3 mile (roundtrip) hike to Bumpass Hell, to see boiling mudpots, fumaroles, steam vents.  It was amazing.  We could actually see areas of muddy water as hot as 300 degrees Fahrenheit with steam rising from them.  In fact, there was one such mud pot that was close enough to the path that whenever the wind shifted, we would get dowsed in steam.  It was a very refreshing feeling, almost like having a steam bath (except for the sulphur smell.)  The hike to Bumpass Hell was about 2 hours long roundtrip, and consisted of large uphills and downhills and rocky terrain.  At the highest point of the hike, there is an overlook spot that offers a fabulous view of the canyon and surrounding peaks (that is where I took the panorama at the beginning of this post.)

On the second day, we went kayaking in Manzanita Lake.  My brothers and I were not keen on going, because the creek next to our house was freezing cold.  However, Manzanita Lake turned out to be surprisingly warm, and we even jumped out of our kayaks to take a swim.  I guess one of the benefits of a volcanic park is the all-natural water heating system. 🙂

What I liked most about Lassen, however, was the landscape.  There was a stark contrast between the barren peaks and the variety of foliage in the woods.  In fact, in Bumpass Hell itself, on one side was the barren landscape of the fumaroles, and on the other side was a marsh-like area full of flora.  Never before have I seen such a stark contrast in nature.

Enjoy the pictures, and feel free to contact me if you are interested in going to or have gone to Lassen.  I’d love to hear about your experiences!