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| Lassen peaks in summer |
Nearly everyone knows about Yellowstone—the geysers and mud pots,
the bears and bison, the magnificent scenery. Unfortunately, because Yellowstone
is so famous, it is also extremely crowded. When we stopped there for a few
days in the autumn of 2010, all the campgrounds were filled. We did manage to
stay one night near Lewis Lake, but on the other nights we had to resort to dry
camping outside the park, then driving long distances to see the sights.
Luckily, there is a less-known alternative to Yellowstone.
In northern California, Lassen Volcanic National Park offers a wilderness
experience complete with dramatic mountain peaks and steamy, impressive
geysers. This unique park is one of our favorites. Anyone traveling between
Yosemite and Crater Lake will find it a fascinating stop.
Lassen is at the southern end of the Cascade Range, a chain
of active volcanoes that range from British Columbia south into northern
California. Though ordinarily quiet, the volcanoes occasionally wake up, as
when Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. Back in 1915, Lassen Peak erupted violently and
devastated a large area. Congress made the surrounding area a national park in
1916; since then it has been preserved as both a park and a natural laboratory where
geologists can study volcanoes and hydrothermal features. The peaks are
snow-covered for much of the year, allowing for snowshoeing and wintry hiking.
They are beautiful at any time.
For short-term visitors, the most interesting feature of the
park may be the aptly named Bumpass Hell, where fumaroles (holes in volcanic
regions through which hot gases escape) emit hot, sulfurous fumes. Mud pots and
steaming water add to the overpowering, unworldly atmosphere. We hiked there
from a parking lot; younger visitors easily hike down to it an hour, but it
took us longer. Along the way we saw spectacular vistas of mountains and
valleys, and an enormous meadow of huge lupines.
Those who stay longer can take long hikes in the
back country, a true wilderness with mountains, lakes, and lava plateaus. Many
trails are strenuous, even dangerous, and have only faint markings or are unmarked; they are not
for the faint of heart. Easy and moderate trails, also, are found throughout the
park, allowing visitors of all abilities to participate in hikes and field
trips. Many sights are easily reachable by car or small RV.
Because of the varied soils and elevations, the park has a great
variety of plants and animals. Lassen has rare wildflowers such as alpine false
candytuft (Amelowskia ovalis) and golden
draba (Draba aureola), which
grows only near the summits of
some volcanoes in the Cascades. Animals include bears, mountain lions, black-backed
woodpeckers, pikas, and other denizens of the mountains.
Several facilities in the park provide information about
Lassen’s environment, about the Native Americans who lived here, and related
matters. They are very helpful for getting oriented to the park. Near the
northern entrance, we especially enjoyed the Loomis Museum; at the southern,
the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is a must. As in all national parks, there
is a variety of ranger-led hikes and other activities to provide an optimal
experience for visitors.
Lassen has eight campgrounds, but only two
are suitable for RVs, and none have hookups for electricity. Manzanita Lake
campground is near the northern entrance to the park; Summit Lake campground
is near the park’s center, and is usually approached from the southern
entrance. Just inside the southern entrance is the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor
Center, where there are a museum and a cafe, plus a gift shop with a
good selection of books. RVers and other campers can stop there to make or
confirm reservations. (Even though Lassen is less crowded than better-known
parks, reservations are advisable. It is a
very long drive to campgrounds outside the park.)
In the summer of 2012, we visited Lassen in late August in order to take part in their Dark Sky Festival . Because Lassen is remote (it is surrounded by Lassen National Forest and the Caribou Wilderness), the night skies are ordinarily very clear, and visitors can see constellations and planets they may never have seen before. Though naked-eye observations are exciting enough, telescopes are set up so that visitors can look at the rings of Saturn and other celestial marvels.
Thane had just been accepted into the National Park Service’s AstroVIP volunteer program, so we were allowed free camping during the festival. Because the campground was many miles from the parking lot where telescopes were set up, and we find it hard to drive at night, we also were permitted to stay in the parking lot all night. In our self-contained RV, we were perfectly comfortable there, and could do any driving in the daytime.
We hope to visit Lassen again and explore places we missed the first time. In 2012 our visit was dramatically
truncated by a wildfire that sent smoke into the night sky and shortened the
Dark Sky Festival. With any luck, our next visit will be calmer, and the sky clearer.
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| With Supervisory Park Ranger Kevin Sweeney |
