Winter Exploration at Lassen National Park

While Lassen Volcanic National Park is just as serene and peaceful as other California national parks , it was established to protect and aid the research of a turbulent landscape. The birth of this park as a federally protected area really began in the summer of 1914 when three climbers ascended Lassen Peak in an attempt to uncover the reasons why the dormant volcano had recently started rumbling deep beneath its surface. As they neared the top, the volcano began to erupt, spewing ash and debris into the air forming a 12-mile long mud flow that flooded across the region. The climbers narrowly escaped and survived the event an event that would become one of intense study for many years to come. In 1915, the peak blew its top. The catastrophic eruption forced rock, trees, and debris miles down into valleys, devastating the surrounding areas and changing its landscape forever. Then in 1917, the volcano fell dormant.

Today, the active but sleeping volcano is the high point of a lively wilderness environment. Across 160,000 acres, elevations range from 5,300 to over 10,000 feet creating a diverse landscape decorated by jagged mountain peaks, alpine lakes, forests, meadows, streams, waterfalls, and of course, volcanoes. There are hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, mud pots, steam vents, and other geothermal features in the area as well from where bubbling activity still appears, reminding us of the region's stormy past.

With all of that said, it is not surprising that Lassen Volcanic National Park is known for its extreme weather. During heavy snow years, the main park road along the Lassen Volcanic National Park Scenic Highway (the main park road) may not open until May, and even sometimes not until mid-July putting visitors at the mercy of Mother Nature during any time of the year.

We visited during December when much of the park was closed due to heavy snowfall and icy conditions on the roadways and on the trails. In a way, it was fortuitous for it allowed us to dive into the scenery in a different way and share here a side of the park that many visitors never get a chance to see... So with that, we want to share with you a few ways to experience this park during the winter when it is virtually free of crowds and in a raw state.

Hike through the snow to geothermal features When winter falls, the best way to explore this park is on foot. A great starting point is in the southwestern area of the park at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center where you can head out to explore as much of the 30-mile snowed-over park road that you wish to see. Not too far into the hike you will come to a mysterious bubbling mud pot called Sulphur Works, a geothermal feature that relentlessly breathes hot life into an otherwise still landscape. This is the most easily accessible hydrothermal site in the park, and one of the only (if not the only) one open during the winter season. You can reach it after a relatively short walk from the parking area at the visitor center. The park doesnt rent snowshoes but you can find them in outlying towns, so plan ahead and bring your own equipment. If you are new to snowshoeing and/or want to learn more about the park, there are ranger-guided snowshoe walks where gear is provided.

Ski the foothills of Lassen Lassen is an ideal place to learn, practice, or crush cross-country skiing techniques. There are easy-to access areas at the southwestern entrance of the park where there are 30-miles of snowed-over park road to explore from the doorstep of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. There are also marked trails at Manzanita Lake and at the Forest Lake Trail, also in the western area of the park. Wherever you choose to strap on your skis, pushing off into the wintery wilderness of the South Cascade Range is a peaceful and exciting way to connect with one of America's least known (but most beautiful) national parks. Download this winter trail map (PDF) and head to the visitor centers for info before heading into the park!

Catch views of Lassen Peak on an easy day hike Manzanita Lake is one of the park's most popular attractions during anytime of year. During the summer, it is a favorite area for kids of all ages to hike, swim, and paddle. National Park Service rangers at Lassen also provide regular guided tours that examine summer bird species in the area (there are 213 species in the park!) During the winter, the lake is frozen over and the area transforms completely into a winter wonder where you can hike, snowshoe, and cross-country ski. The one thing that never changes at Manzanita Lake is the straight-on view of Lassen Peak from its north side. Gorgeous!