We continued our Cascade Volcano Road Trip south into California, driving past Mount Shasta and on to Lassen Volcanic National Park, where we visited the Devastated Area and stayed in the Manzanita Lake Campground.
We started the day in USFS land just north of Crater Lake National Park in Oregon (which we visited earlier this month), and headed south toward Klamath Falls and the California border. We also chose to drive a bit west toward Mount Shasta rather than revisit roads on the direct route to Lassen. It was an hour longer, but this way we got to see yet another volcano, Mighty Mount Shasta, one of California’s Fourteeners. I hope to climb it one day, but I heard that it is a steep slog through loose cinders, so it’s not that high on my list of Things To Do. Anyway, we also stopped in the town of Weed to fill up the gas tank and get a souvenir “Weed” t-shirt. Weed. The perfect name for a NorCal town.
After that, we headed southeast on Highway 89, the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which sounded like the perfect road to have a Volcano Tour. Along the way, we turned off to check out several waterfalls on the McCloud River. We freely admit to being Waterfall Junkies, so we had no choice but to check them out. The river was flowing well and there was plenty of action. I noticed several people trout fishing, but we were pressed for time, so the waterfalls would have to do. Fishing is a hobby but waterfalls are an addiction. And these produced plenty of joy. An unexpected pleasure on a long drive.
We continued driving south on Highway 89. We stopped at a rest area along Hat Creek for a lunch break. I talked to two local men about trout in the creek, and they said that the fishing wasn’t bad. I stared at the water for a while, but it was flowing fast (no calm pools or eddies) and I never saw a fish. Maybe some other year.
We drove on after that, and watched the puffy clouds building up as the afternoon wore on.
We arrived at the northern entrance to Lassen a short while later. We still had plenty of time to check things out that day. There was a “Road Closed 10 Miles Ahead” sign warning us about the still-closed-for-Winter park. Yes, it was already Summer, but the year 2023 had its own surprises left in store. Parts of the road still had melting snow, and other parts had washed out entirely during the big melt. It was a mess, in other words. But, technically, it was also a Cascade Volcano, and we were not to be prevented from the performance of our Road Trip Duties.
We decided to head all the way to the road closure first, then turn around and explore everything in detail on the way back. That’s how we arrived at a locked gate, with no snow blocking the road beyond it, at the Devastated Area. What a cool name! It sounded like a hellscape of total destruction, and maybe it was a hundred years ago when Lassen Peak last erupted. That was in 1915, and it made International News due to the giant rocks that landed all the way out here in the Devastated Area. One of them, the size of a van, was still hot! Or so the Interpretive Displays told us.
Even though the road was clear, there was still a pile of plowed snow melting in the parking lot, so we took a Summer Snow Selfie-Shot to send to the folks back home. They needed to be reminded occasionally of how jealous they were of us and our awesome Road Trip. It was also fitting that Lassen Peak popped out from behind the clouds to let us know how jealous we were about not being able to drive all the way through the park.
Luckily for us, there was a short Loop Trail nearby. We really needed to stretch our legs. This was where we read about the eruption of 1915, and got to see some of the huge rocks that launched out of the exploding cone, to land here, several miles away. This was a sobering thought. Luckily, these days, there are seismometers strategically distributed all over the mountain, and it would be unlikely to erupt without sufficient warning.
That done, we headed back north. We stopped at each and every pullout along the highway. Most had informative displays, and we learned quite a lot. I typically take a digital photo of every single one, then we read them at home in our spare time. This lets us skim them fast and move on, so that we can see as much of the park as possible. I also take way too many photos of the park, as well. Taking too many photos is what I always do. You only get to see the good ones here at hikingtales. Less than five percent of them, in fact. Think of it as the cream of the crop.
We eventually parked in the big lot near the Loomis Museum, a historic structure if ever there was one. We learned yet more about volcanoes, which came in many sizes, shapes, and varieties. According to the official USGS Website: “All four types of volcanoes found in the entire world are represented in Lassen Volcanic National Park— shield (Prospect Peak), plug dome (Lassen Peak), Cinder Cone (Cinder Cone), and Composite (Brokeoff Volcano) volcanoes.” And now you have learned something, too.
We walked across the highway to see Reflection Lake, to take some photos, and then noticed that there was a short hiking trail nearby, the Lily Pond Trail. So we got yet another chance to stretch our legs. The park wasn’t very crowded (thanks to the road closure) so the trail was quite peaceful. We enjoyed it.
After that, it was time to check in and claim our official campsite at the Manzanita Lake Campground. Luckily for us, we made the reservation yesterday afternoon, and there was only one spot available. The signs at the campground made it clear that you had to have a reservation, that you could only make a reservation online, and that there was no cell service here at this end of the park. Not what I would call a very user-friendly setup! The sign said to drive north until you got signal. Thanks, USPS! Most parks have a reservation board and envelopes to collect fees for first-come-first-served sites, which don’t require internet service. Oh well.
But it worked out well for us, and the campground was fine. In fact, most of the campground was still closed. Only one loop was open, and that one was only for tent camping. Crews were actively cutting all the downed trees and branches in the other loops. 2023 was a tough Winter, indeed.
As we ate dinner, one of the big cumulus clouds looming over Lassen Peak finally decided to let go. It started raining, at the precise moment when we sat down to eat our dinner! Then it rained even harder. We ate as fast as we could, sitting under an umbrella, and then ran for the safety of the car. The moment Vicki got inside it began hailing, as the center of the storm drifted over us. Wow! Thunder and Lightning and Hail! It wasn’t quite as exciting as a volcanic eruption, but it was more than enough for us.
Like most mountain storms, it didn’t last long. Surely, there were other campers, in other campgrounds, anxiously waiting for their turn to get soaked. The sun came out and the forest began to steam. Everything smelled of petrichor. It felt like a proper Summer Day: Hot and sweaty, followed by a nice clean shower. Vicki and I took an after-dinner constitutional around the vacant loop behind our campsite. and simply enjoyed the evening.
Then we headed into the car to plan tomorrow’s adventures. We decided to hike to the Cinder Cone, which was on this side of the mountain, then drive all the way around to visit the southern end of the park. We wished that they would open the road, but the rangers told us that it might not happen until next year. Sad but true. In order to see the missing sections, we might have to take yet another road trip! Oh, yeah. This was a fun thought, and that’s how we ended our day. It’s always good to have a plan.
For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page
Cinder Cone >> 
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