Lassen Volcanic National Park Visitor Guide

Above, a view of Lassen Peak from Devastated Area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first national park I ever visited was Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. The year was 1968 and my parents and went up there for a vacation.

I returned to Lassen last year during my Great American Eclipse and it was pretty much as I remembered it.

Above, The Beast at Manzanita Lake Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As in 1968, I stayed at Lassen's Manzanita Lake Campground. Fortunately, there were plenty of open campsites available to choose from.

GearJunkie has an article on Lassen Volcanic National Park that is an informative read.

It begins with:

You may have never heard of Lassen Volcanic National Park, but spoiler alert — it’s magnificent! We were awestruck on our recent visit and reveled in the feeling that its myriad volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls, and thermal features were our own little secret. 

Just east of Redding, Calif., in the northern part of the state, Lassen Volcanic National Park is actually one of the oldest National Parks in the U.S. It’s our ninth National Park, established in 1916 during a series of volcanic eruptions from Lassen Peak, the largest plug dome volcano in the world. 

Lassen Peak has been dormant for nearly 100 years and its surroundings have been preserved ever since the last eruption, both for scientific observation and recreation. My wife and I recently visited the park, which we both knew very little about. But its unique beauty quickly surprised us. 

Here’s what we loved most — enjoy!

To read more, go here.