On previous visits to Lassen Volcanic National Park, we've noticed cars parked outside/before the…read moresouth entrance. Little did we know it was a trail! A fellow camper at our campsite informed us with the details. We made a return just for this and conquer Lassen Peak once again. Round trip is a little over 7 miles. We started the trail before 8 in the morning as the 2nd and 3rd hikers on the trail. Along the trail we came across deers and signs (scat) of the presence of bears. Be equipped and prepared! The trail begins with plenty of brush then shady trees at mid. The morning breeze is what kept me going. If you enjoy Lassen Peak or incline hikes in general, give this a try. The experience was unforgettable. Check this off your list.

Awesome hike! Mostly uphill on the way up. Make sure to wear shoes that have good grips on the…read morebottom because there can be slippery parts. The view from up top is amazing. Took my friend and I about 4 hours to get in and out!!

The trail to Mill Creek Falls begins right off to the side of the new Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor…read moreCenter in the Southwest parking area. The trail is somewhat easy-moderate, depending how fit you are of course. It has a round trip distance of 4.6 miles with various areas of inclining slopes. The path was not smooth and in many spots there was snow blocking the way (but this was a few weeks ago and it may have melted by now). Hiking poles were very useful here. This trail isn't for those looking for an easy stroll. Keep a close eye on the trail too because it wasn't clearly marked and there are areas were you can get off the main path. With that being said, the hike and the actual falls were beautiful. Along the way there were open areas that offered lovely views of various mountain peaks, as well as areas with towering trees that loomed overhead and offered much leafy shade. There was one part of the trail that brought us to a hillside covered with bushes of yellow wildflowers, which was absolutely beautiful. The Mill Creek Falls itself was stunning. You can walk across a bridge that runs above its cascading waters and also across a second little bridge further up from the first. The bridge gives you a spectacular view of the canyon between the two hills. Be careful though because the wooden bridges do not have railings. It's hard to put into words the beauty and majesty of a natural waterfall. You just have to see it for yourself.

We decided to backpack in to the lake and spend the night as our first attempt at backpacking. We…read morechose this spot because since it is in the National Forest, not the National Park, it is dog friendly, plus it's not often traveled. The road is a good gravel road. No problems for any type of vehicle. You park on the side of the road in a small turnout. No permit needed. The trailhead is well marked. The trail is all uphill, until a few hundred feet from the lake. It's listed as an easy hike, but I think it should be considered a moderate hike. The uphill hike is already on the edge of being moderate, but if you add in the dozens of downed trees, it definitely makes the hike more difficult. In a 25 lb pack, those things are really irritating. Most you can step over, but there are several you have to climb, and as of yesterday 9/14/13, 3 that have to crawled under. Almost at the lake, you cross South Digger Creek. In September this creek is a few inches high and there are lots of rocks to hop over, but I would imagine in the spring this is quite higher from the snow run off. The lake is small, but very scenic. It was heavy on the weeds and quite green though, so we were not going to swim in it. We decided to hike back to the creek so that we could use the creek water (still filtered) for drinking. We found some decent flat spots on the creek to sleep and were very comfortable. The lake, I later found out is quite full of leaches, so do not swim in it. Hang your food, I found a few piles of bear poo around the lake. You cannot make a campfire, only stove use in the summer. Please don't burn our forest down with illegal campfires. Once you see all the downed trees, you will agree this place is a disaster waiting to happen. This was a great place to try backpacking out and I recommend it for being very fun for dogs. See my pictures of the trip attached on the site.

This is a great hike but be prepared. As of our hike (6/3/2012), the trail is in need of…read moremaintenance. There are numerous logs down across the trail and the trail is quite difficult to pick up in places. In one place, close to the lake, the trail leads right into a swamp area. If possible, have a GPS and a map. It's pretty much all up hill on the way in but the views at the lake are well worth the trip.

Moderate hike with a view worth the hike. It's 4.2 miles round-trip, but the trail is relatively…read moreflat throughout. You'll be walking through a beautiful, flat meadow then slowly going slightly uphill the rest of the way. I was lucky enough to catch a bear sighting along the way and watched a bear ripping up tree bark to forage for bugs. You can choose to ride a horse on the trail, but it will only get you to a certain point; you'll still need to hike maybe half a mile to reach the final end point: Devils Kitchen. The end has great up-close views of Lassen's steam vents and boiling springs. You'll have to cross over small sections of the sulfur springs, so watch your step! There's still some work being done at Devils Kitchen and I saw park crew members carrying up logs to the trail to build more fences, so respect the park signs and stay on trail. Parking is somewhat difficult near the trailhead since there's no clear parking lot, but there's more parking available if you're willing to walk a bit more.

Decent hike moderate to beginner level 2.1 miles each way, approximately 1.75hr hike. Devils…read morekitchen is at the end of the hike well worth the effort.

Just came back from the opening weekend. It was so much fun and completely different than our first…read moreexperience last summer. Last summer it was hot! This time it was cool with snow and hail, but beautiful nevertheless. Activities: Our kids loved archery, pony rides, pool time, and hiking. We even got to see some new animals. A new marmot family moved in to the camp grounds. Got an awesome photo of the baby kissing mommy marmot. There was a honeycomb bear. Super cool in the giant field of green. The adult group got massages, ate really well every night. The staff were incredibly nice and helpful. Looking forward to our 3rd trip next year. Accommodations: We stayed at the cabins. We are a group of two family and had two cabins, which was perfect. In the mornings, my son would run over to the next cabin and get his friend to go to the dining room for breakfast by themselves. Next year we're getting a bungalow and our family will be side by side with shower in the room. Cabins don't have electricity and shower. You can take showers by the swimming pool. It's faces the horse stable, which is not an issue in terms of noise and if you love horses. Horses are very quiet and pretty. My kids really enjoyed going over to feed the horses every morning. Duplex is closest to the lodge and dining area, but gets sun hitting it first thing in the morning. It's has the most space if you group has many people. Bungalows has the best view. It faces the field and in the shady area, doesn't get morning sun. It has its own shower and bathroom.

Drakesbad Guest Ranch - Beautiful setting, but still room for improvement…read more Drakesbad Guest Ranch is set in a truly spectacular location, but a few operational issues prevent it from being the exceptional experience it could be. We booked a two-night stay in one of the Annex 2 cabins. About a week before arrival, I attempted to extend our reservation by an additional night. I called multiple times and left messages but never received a return call. I also sent an email and never received a response. As a result, the extra night was never added. When I arrived, I brought it up in person and was told by the property manager that I would need to return at 3:00 p.m. to see if anything was available. He explained that their communication system had been experiencing issues and that calls and emails sometimes do not come through because of limited connectivity and spotty internet service. Unfortunately, this was my first impression. Needless to say, the additional night was never added. This communication issue really needs to be addressed. If guests need to modify, confirm, or cancel reservations, they should be able to reach someone reliably. The ranch itself is located in a remote meadow valley within Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is surrounded by forest recovering from the devastating 2021 Dixie Fire. Burned trees still cover many of the hillsides, but the landscape is showing remarkable signs of recovery. The meadow is filled with tall green grass, colorful wildflowers, and deer grazing throughout the fields. Despite the fire's scars, the setting remains stunning. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find no clearly marked reception desk or office. There are no signs directing guests where to check in, so you may need to find an employee for assistance. The property manager personally checks guests in using a laptop and escorts them to their room or cabin. There is also no information provided in the rooms. No guest guide or information sheet was available, so be sure to ask questions about meals, amenities, and property operations. Since there is no cell service, I asked about Wi-Fi. The ranch uses Starlink, but during our stay the signal was only reliably available outdoors and not inside the cabins. Given today's connectivity expectations, a mesh network or Wi-Fi extenders would significantly improve the guest experience. That said, being mostly off the grid was actually refreshing. Guests should also know that the Annex cabins do not have electric lighting. Small solar-powered lanterns are provided and offer just enough light to get around after dark. In addition, power to the ranch is shut off nightly from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., so plan accordingly and charge devices during the day. The Annex cabins appear relatively new and are in good condition. My only design criticism is the deck railing. It sits almost exactly at eye level when seated, partially blocking what should be one of the cabin's best features--the VIEW. One of the highlights of our stay was the dining experience. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included, and the staff were consistently friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The food exceeded expectations, and it sounded like the kitchen was happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. They also offered a nice selection of beers from local breweries, which was especially enjoyable after a long day of hiking. Unfortunately, horseback riding was unavailable during our visit. From what we were told, reservations appear to depend heavily on a single staff member. If that individual is unavailable, horseback rides may not be offered, which was disappointing. One important clarification for prospective guests: despite what some older information may suggest, Drakesbad no longer has a hot spring pool. The pool was damaged during the Dixie Fire and later destroyed by flooding. Today, all that remains is a pipe flowing hot spring water into a nearby creek. The surrounding hiking trails, including Devil's Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, and Terminal Geyser, were excellent and provided some of the best experiences of the trip. A few sections were heavily overgrown with thorny vegetation, so hiking pants are recommended. In some places the trail became difficult to follow because of vegetation encroachment. During the summer months, you'll also encounter hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, which adds a unique element to the experience. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and but probably not return. The setting is undeniably beautiful, the staff are friendly, and the food is surprisingly good. However, improvements to communication, guest information, signage, Wi-Fi coverage, and activity coordination would elevate Drakesbad Guest Ranch from a pleasant stay to a truly exceptional destination.

Never have I ever been more impressed with a US National Park!! It's not the biggest, nor does it…read morehost the spectacular sites of Yosemite, but Lassen Volcanic National Park is California's GEM!! It is SO clean and SO beautiful and so NOT crowded! The roads are great. The hikes are great. I was SO impressed! I was expecting cinder cones and hot and dry. But, it's a climb to 8000+ ft in a beautiful, wooded forest with hikes to boiling mud pots and hot creeks and sulfur fields. A 100% recommended National Park!

Another gem of a national park. You can see all the volcanic type activity and sulfuric acid that…read moreyou see in Yellowstone Park on a smaller level. Well worth a stop. We downloaded the National parks app and drove through while reading the audible tour. We also took the Bumpass trail to the hot Springs. Also very cool.

We made a spur of the moment choice to hike up Lassen Peak, which might have been for the best? We…read morehad a lot less time to question our choices regarding this strenuous hike, but it was 100% worth it in the end. A five mile roundtrip, strenuous hike, this took us about 5-6 hours to complete - including the time we spent enjoying the view at the peak. And the hike up is definitely steep - about a 2,000ft elevation gain. We just went slow and steady, and it honestly wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Just enjoy taking in all the surrounding beauty - you get gorgeous views of Lassen National Park from the trail. You'll get to the first summit, and there will be some plaques to read amongst the limited views. BUT, you can keep going a short distance more to reach the true summit. This last bit of trail is definitely unmaintained with more loose gravel, rocks, and a bit of climbing. We even had a bit of snow in this area in July. So definitely be safe if you choose to continue, but we found it so fantastic at the end. We found a place to sit, had a snack, and just took it all in. If you do choose to continue to the true summit, be aware of the rocks and use caution. They are very unstable and should not be used as leverage when climbing up or down. Pack lots of water, bring some food, and don't be afraid to take a lot of breaks. There is no shade, so bring a hat and some sunscreen. Plenty of parking at the trailhead. Probably one of our top 5 difficult hikes, but it was so worth it. Highly recommend.

This was the trail we kept on postponing due to mother nature. The trail has always been blocked by…read moresnow on previous visits, but finally we did it! It's one of the reasons we keep coming back to Lassen National Park as we needed it to be checked off on the list. The trail was not difficult as it looks. Just remember it's not a race and keep a steady pace. Staring the trail at 7 AM probably made it easier. I honestly think earlier the better. I don't do well with the heat. Trekking poles are recommended as it will save your knees on the way down. The view is spectacular and worth the time. When you reach the top, it doesn't stop there. Make sure you get to the summit. You are close. It's one of those hikes I'm so glad I've completed and would do it again if the opportunity arises.

A gorgeous waterfall with an equally stunning hike throughout! I had originally planned to hike…read moreLassen Peak but there was still too much snow for the hike to be considered safe in condition. Decided to hike the 5 mile loop trail from Kings Creek to Bench Lake instead and it was awesome! Came here on Memorial Day Weekend around 8:30 am, and I was able to find a close spot near the trailhead. There's no actual parking lot near the Kings Creek staging area, but you can easily park along the road. By the time I finished my hike though, the cars were lined down the highway for almost a mile! Would definitely get here early to secure parking, and especially since it got HOT in the afternoon. There was still snow on the trail in late May. In fact, there was a huge pile of snow right at the beginning of the trailhead. Another lady and I realized that the trail was actually down a set of stairs that we couldn't see because snow was blocking our view. The Kings Creek Trail starts here. The hike to the falls is actually pretty easy. It's a short 2.7 miles round trip, but you can extend your hike by connecting to several other trails nearby. I hiked a 5ish mile loop to I Kings Creek, Bench Lake, and back. The trail starts off pretty mild through a shaded forest that runs alongside Kings Creek. You can hear the water from the creek flowing almost the entire time. The trail was a bit hard to follow due to all of the large snow chunks, but there were several small reg flag trail markers that helped to keep me on track. There's a small break in the trees where you'll have some of the most amazing views of the backside of Mount Lassen as well as the beautiful Shasta Valley. The views are pretty unbelievable here. A little over a mile in, you'll reach Kings Creek Falls. There wasn't anybody at the viewpoint when I arrived, and I had the beautiful view of the falls all to myself. Not too many people on this trail, so it was very enjoyable. From here, you can either go back the way you came, or you can connect to another trail. I took the loop trail to Bench Lake. After Kings Creek Falls, the trail becomes a little hard to follow again, but there are some trailhead signs to keep you on track. Bench Lake is small but very peaceful. Again, there was nobody there when I went. I took a break and had lunch here, and didn't see a soul the entire time (just the ants that really wanted my food). After Bench Lake, there's a steepish hill that you'll hike through but it's shaded. The trail continues until it loops back to the tail end of the Kings Creek trail. Some exposed spots but if you're going clockwise, the sun will be facing your back. Also, there was a ton of thick snow that I had to hike through. If you're coming in May, make sure to wear waterproof hiking boots if you don't want wet socks. The scenery throughout this hike is so amazing. Every little stop and turn affords you the most striking views. This is a hike that I would definitely do again. Kings Creek Falls is beautiful and the hike alone is worth the trek.

One of the handful of lakes around Lassen Volcanic National Park…read more This lake is small and for non-motorized watercraft only (no boat launch), making it a perfect lake to enjoy leisurely kayaking, canoeing, and swimming. Campgrounds surround the lake and a popular hiking trail goes along the backside of it. Bathrooms, picnic tables, and limited parking are nearby. Happy Paddling!

Summit lake is more like a pond. We drove to the campground on the sites are awkwardly close…read moretogether and "intimate". Decided not to stay. Opt instead for the KOA in Shingletown.

I hiked this trail in July 2011 when there was still several feet of snow on the ground. Very…read morelittle of the trail was visible, so I used an app on my phone to trace our way up the trail. It was pretty easy, even though we had quite a few post-holes through the snow. In a few places there was a creek under the snow that we could hear, so be very careful where you walk in snow covered conditions. We arrived at the meadow and it was breathtaking. The entire bowl was flowing water to the creek that runs through the meadow. However, there were clouds of nasty mosquitoes that could probably pick you up and carry you off. I'm serious, it was a plague. We couldn't be there more than about 5 minutes. But it was totally worthwhile to see this beautiful place.

WOW! One of the prettiest, easiest hikes in Lassen National Park. Although the hike is listed as…read moreshort and it IS an easy distance, there is a decent climb up to the meadows but you hardly notice because of the gorgeous, cozy wooded setting. Most of the entire hike you have a beautiful view of the creek bubbling along side you and it's just gorgeous. There are wonderous amounts of wildflowers lining the trail's path: Skyrockets, Red Columbine, Larkspure, Alpine Aster and Daisies. And then the big payoff is the end of the trail where the wooded path opens up to Paradise Meadows where the still beauty is just overwhelming. On the return trip, you need to be careful of the loose rocks and sticks on the trail as you descend. This appeared to be a good hike for kids as we saw a couple of other families with children on our way out and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. Oh, and the weather can only be described as perfect. A cool breeze, beautiful sun, no bugs. I wish there were more than 5 stars to award :o)