Lassen Volcanic

NATIONAL PARK

By DIENEKE

Lassen Volcanic National Park was the second stop on our One Way Road Trip. We rolled into this park on a spare that Brandon changed when the van got a flat on OR-44. Tip: remember to engage the parking brake when changing a flat, especially if you’re on a small shoulder with timber trucks running at 60+ mph. We ended up limping along through the park until we could get to a Firestone in Bakersfield, CA.

To this day, when I look back on this park, I think “we discovered a hidden gem.” I would describe Lassen as a mini Yellowstone except without the gobs of people! It’s got mountains, it’s got steam holes and mud pots. And to top it all off, it’s got all 4 types of volcanoes: cinder cone, composite, shield and plug dome. This is also one of the rare times we could actually get into a National Park campground (as we were planning this trip on the road). So, we began our day at Manzanita Lake Campground, dropped the Burro and took off south.

We drove through Anklin Meadows, which would be covered in colorful wildflowers in the summer months, surrounding crystal clear lakes with mountain peaks in the background. Even without the blooms, the drive is a beautifully scenic 30 mile road. Pick up a Road Guide and follow along!

After planning our day the evening before at camp, we leisurely but briskly headed toward the Brokeoff Mountain trailhead, figuring to get our hike on before the crowds and then take our time getting back to the campground for the night.

Brokeoff Mountain is a strenuous 7.2 mile hike on mostly steep, forested trail. You will hike the shoulder before getting to the top of Brokeoff, providing panoramic views of the entire park. This remains one of our favorite NPS hikes. We enjoyed a lunch of PB&J, apple and Babybel at the peak.

After lunch on the mountain, we headed back north to Bumpass Hell. As I’ve mentioned, I absolutely love the naming conventions of the National Park Service. Bumpass Hell turned out to be exactly what it sounds like. We took the Bumpass Hell rocky trail that descends to into the basin of Lassen’s largest hydrothermal area. It’s what I imagine the surface of the moon to be like, but with lots of steam and a strong odor of sulfur. This moderate 3 mile hike does have some boardwalks, but not in the “accessible” way one might assume.

After going to the very top and then descending to the bottom, we made our way back to camp continuing to learn about the varied geology at pull-outs and reflecting on this small but impactful Park.