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.

Such an amazing and absolutely beautiful waterfall nice and clean very cold lol yet it was so niceread more

Super great place to visit, especially in the summer when it's hot. You park in the lot at the…read moretrailhead and it's a short walk down to the Falls. The Falls are located at the end of the trail, and from there it's a very short clamber down to the Falls themselves. The Falls fall into a reasonably sized pond that is shallow and great for wading in the cool waters during a hot day. It's shallow enough so you can bring a folding patio chair into the water. I recommend the Crystal Creek Falls.

Very fun lava tube (cave)…read more Short hike. Easy parking. Bathroom at parking area. You will definitely need a flashlight and close-toed shoes. It is not dangerous, but it is very dark and the ground is bumpy and uneven.

Wonderful pit stop to cool down in the extreme heat!…read more Limited parking Picnic area Non flushable toilets

Stopped by here a few years ago during winter and it still had snow, it was a hidden gem for sure,…read morebut scary hiking in the snow as you had to look for trail signs and make sure you dont accidentally walk into the areas you are not supposed to (dont want to walk over the thermal beds!)!! we used our snow shoes and hiking gear and it was a fun trip! Follow all the trail signs and bring plenty of water Read less

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Lassen Volcanic National Park was one of the biggest surprises. The drive into the park was beautiful, and despite evidence of recent wildfires in parts of the forest, the landscape is recovering and remains absolutely stunning. Nature has an incredible ability to heal, and seeing young trees growing alongside older burned areas was a reminder of how volcanic landscapes are constantly changing. Lassen is one of the few places in the world where you can experience all four types of volcanoes: shield, composite, cinder cone, and plug dome. That alone makes it geologically fascinating, but what really impressed us was how much variety the park offers. One moment we were standing beside steaming fumaroles and bubbling mud pots that reminded us of a smaller, quieter version of Yellowstone. The smell of sulfur, the hissing steam, and the boiling earth beneath your feet make you appreciate that this landscape is still very much alive. The next moment we were hiking around peaceful alpine lakes with spectacular reflections of Lassen Peak mirrored in the crystal clear water. Manzanita Lake was especially beautiful, and seeing the volcano reflected on its calm surface was one of the highlights of our visit. We also loved exploring quieter trails to places like Lily Pond, where we could hike for long stretches while seeing only one or two other people. There is something special about having so much natural beauty almost entirely to yourself. For those who enjoy being on the water, the lakes are perfect for kayaking or simply sitting quietly and taking in the scenery. The combination of volcanic landscapes, mountain forests, meadows, lakes, and wildlife makes every part of the park feel different. We stayed in the nearby town of Chester, which turned out to be a charming little base for exploring the park. It has several good restaurants, friendly people, and everything we needed after long days of hiking. Lassen Volcanic National Park may not receive the attention of some of California's more famous parks, but it absolutely deserves it. It combines dramatic volcanic features with peaceful alpine beauty in a way that feels both exciting and calming at the same time. If you enjoy hiking, geology, photography, or simply discovering places that are a little less crowded, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a hidden gem that should be on every national park lover's list.

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.

Worth a visit. About 3-4 miles and 700ft elevation change. The final part to drive there is a…read morewindy road and there is a small parking area. Also a vault toilet is there too. Mostly shaded so it was fine on this hot weekend in the 90s. Once at the falls, you can wade in. The water is quite cold. There were a bunch of butterflies as well on the trail which was cool too.

Amazing trails I loved how well taken Care of is this National Park. My family love to do this…read morehiking again every year

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.

We came Saturday morning around 8:30am. We were greeted with a warm welcome from the gate staff…read more Parking is $10. There is a parking lot, which can be limited when the weather is warmer. In the beginning of the trail, there is a General Store and restroom. The restroom is an actual restroom with toilet and sink. Not a portable potty! The trail to Burney Falls was easy. Different parts of the trail, there is a different view of the fall. The view from bottom of the fall was breathtaking. Be very careful if you want to get close to the fall. The rocks can be very slippery. We went off season so the crowds were not as bad as expected. If visiting Friday-Sunday or during the holidays, reservations are required. This is something new that they implemented on May 15, 2026. Check out their website for more information. Plan accordingly and enjoy the hiking adventures!

My family and I were booked to stay at one of their cabins (cabin #68) this past weekend and it was…read morea complete nightmare. We found bed bugs everywhere! We did not sleep the night we got there as we were trying to scramble to find another place to stay at. We ended up staying in our vehicle and contacted the manager to report the infestation. The manager claimed that they've done their due diligence to keep their cabins sanitized, but if you refer to the photos and videos I posted that is a complete LIE! Instead of enjoying our vacation, we ended up having to go to a local laundry mat to clean our clothes. Not to mention upon coming home my nephew finds a bed bug on one of his bags. Can you imagine the hell we've been through? It's terrible! To top it off, my niece's friend gets rushed to the ER yesterday due to these bed bugs biting her all over her body. She was sent home with topical and oral medication. Refer to the photos! I'm severely disappointed with the lack of accountability of the manager and its property. My sister tried speaking to a staff member today to follow up and she hung up on my sister after claiming someone would call her today to get this settled. We are planning to file a complaint and a report to the local health department. We are concerned that other people may encounter the same problem. Please beware!

One of my top two hikes in Lassen National Park, and probably their most popular and well-known…read morehike. If you have the chance to hike down to Bumpass Hell, I'd highly recommend you do it. If you visited Sulphur Works, that's just a small bit of what Bumpass Hell has to offer. It's about a 3 mile round-trip hike with only about 200 elevation gain. All in all, it was a pretty easy hike. The views of these hot springs are absolutely gorgeous - a good variety of hydrothermal areas with such strikingly beautiful colors. If you've been to Yellowstone National Park, it might be a bit of a let down because the ones there are next level. So just keep that in mind when visiting! Make sure to stay on the boardwalk. The ground off trail is completely unpredictable and can lead to severe injuries. This trail is only open about 4 months of the year. So check the website in advance. It also gets so busy as this is their park gem. And there is not as much parking as you would like. So plan accordingly to ensure you'll be able to do the hike - the ranger did advise to go earlier in the morning. Amazing hike in Lassen. Highly recommend!

A Must-See Hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park!…read more Bumpass Hell is a fantastic hike and one of the highlights of Lassen Volcanic National Park. The trail offers incredible geothermal features--bubbling mud pots, steaming vents, and vibrant colors that make it feel like you're walking through another world. Keep in mind, the hike is at high elevation, so the trail is typically only open from July through late October, depending on snow conditions. Please inform yourself before traveling here. In some years, it might not open until August - based on the information provided by rangers. Be sure to check trail conditions before you go, especially if Bumpass Hell is a must-do on your list. National Park fee applies. Even if the trail happens to be closed, don't worry--there are plenty of other great hikes throughout the park to explore. But if it's open, this one is absolutely worth the trip! If you happened to be fluffy like me, take it slow and drink water.