The parking lot was huge, but the visitor center itself was pretty small. There's security guards…read moreat the visitor center and dam. Came on a weekend and it was pretty crowded. There's a video in one of the room that taught about the dam's history. Apparently, the staff ran two free hour long tours at 11AM and 1PM the day we visited. We were told the tour schedule changes all the time so you need to call ahead for their schedule. You need to arrive an hour in advance and it's first come first reserve. You cannot reserve before the hour. There were a lot of people waiting for the tour. Hopefully, we can return one day for the tour.

We were able to join the 1:00pm tour on the Memorial Holiday weekend. The staff at the visitor…read morecenter were great! Our tour guide Bri was excellent...could not have had a more knowledgeable, energetic, positive guide. I highly recommend this tour.

Quaint aka very small park located along the Sacramento River. Quiet, scenic, and well maintained…read morewith two public bathrooms on prem. We enjoyed a nice outdoor lunch here en route and this park is located conveniently off the 5. The park ranger was friendly and on-duty when we were here too. Plenty of parking too. Definitely a nice outdoor lunch, restroom break, or doggy walk spot when passing through Red Bluff.

Very clean and quiet lots of shade and no homeless sleeping in bushes very well maintained and the…read morefishing is lightweight alright, the trail to the river has lots of Bees so be careful

DONT FORGET TO GET YOUR ENTRANCE PASS AT THE VISITOR CENTER!!…read more We did not know this and had to drive all the way back to the visitor center to get our pass. Also they don't have a daily pass, only a weekly one for $25! Our dogs enjoyed this place. We enjoyed it so much we came back twice during our trip. Crystal creek was a trail we did and ended up swimming in the water. Note: water was FREEZING!! Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a place to take their dogs

Visiting Redding, CA and swung through here to use our National Park pass. Wasn't sure what to…read moreexpect or how active we would be, given it's November, rainy and we showed up after 2pm. Rangers were FANTASTIC at the Visitor's Center and guided us toward 3 driving tours we could take. Started with the South Fork Lookout fire trail, which winds up to an amazing view of all of Whiskeytown Lake and environs. It was a very chilly 40° but, for us, beautiful. The could of rain were sweeping up, and over, the mountain we were on. We got out of the car long enough for photos, videos, fresh air, then dodged back in and headed back down. We were able to appreciate the width and breadth of the Carr Fire in 2018 and imagined the beauty prior to that fateful event. But we also took a moment to appreciate the beautiful remnants left on the scorched earth and how beautiful it will be again in time. After the South Fork Lookout trail, we headed to the sight dedicated by JFK during his last trip to California, just a few months before his assassination. It is now a memorial and is a fantastic look at an incredible engineering accomplishment. After this, we intended a 2+ hour circle tour of Hwy 299 W + SR 3 circling back towards Redding, but the evening was nearing, sunlight fading, so we changed plans and headed just around Whiskeytown Lake on Shoreline Drive. We are so glad we did! Lots of deer, beautiful scenery and a feeling that all this beauty was just for us. Note: both these trails, South Fork and Shoreline are dirt, so better to do these treks in a vehicle made for these drives. We thoroughly enjoyed this area and stopped back in to the Visitor's Center to thank the rangers again. Great day!

What a great visitor center! Was honestly surprised to find one so large here…read more Located at the southwest entrance to Lassen National Park, you'll find so much here - clean bathrooms, a water-bottle refill station, free Wi-Fi. There's also some wonderful displays about the park, rangers to help plan your day, some souvenir shops, and a little restaurant. Definitely stop and take advantage because you won't find anything like this again until you're near the Manzanita Lake entrance. Plenty of parking. A great stop while visiting the park!

By far the biggest building in the park and with the most amenities. You'll find a huge souvenir…read morearea inside along with a café. There's also a park film that plays inside and very nice flushing restrooms. There's a back area where you can eat if the incredibly deep snow has melted.

What a hidden gem! This visitor center has a "free" interactive museum showcasing how the dam was…read moreengineered; the history of the native Yahi Indian culture and of Ishi, Oroville, and the local fish and wildlife. My favorite exhibit was the story and photos of Ishi. The center also has a viewing tower which is accessible by stairs or elevator. You can see the dam. Don't worry if you are afraid of heights. The tower is not very tall. Plus it has coin operated telescopes. But I put a quarter in one of the telescopes...it didn't work. I suggest bringing your own binoculars, if you have one, because the center is on top of the ridge overlooking the dam with pretty nice views. The center also is the starting point to several easy 1-1.5 mile round trip hikes. To boot the parking is free and the lot is paved. So come on and visit the center, soak up nature and a bit of fun facts...all free. Oh by the way, the road to the dam is off limits to the public still due to repairs. Per the center docent, there is no ETA on when it will open back up.

I'll keep this very nice and simple: The folks at the Lake Oroville Visitor Center are SO NICE!…read more Basically, a few weeks ago my friends and I were planning a perilous trip to Feather Falls and Oroville. The only reason why we were so hesitant about going was because of the raging fires happening throughout NorCal. We decided to go anyway, because we weren't going to pass up on the opportunity. A week before, I called the Lake Oroville Visitor Center because I wanted to see whether it was possible to head down to the Oroville Damn, or at least what's remaining of it. If you haven't been living under a rock, you'll know that the damn spillway cracked in half in 2017 because of the extreme flooding and they've been repairing it since then. Well, a lovely park ranger on the phone told us that we could definitely drive NEARBY the damn and grab pictures. She also recommended we stop by the visitor's center for recommendations around the area. And that's exactly what we did. After surviving an intense, 8 mile hike to and from the gorgeous Feather Falls (https://www.yelp.com/biz/feather-falls-trail-oroville), we made a pit stop the next day at the Lake Oroville Visitor Center. It was only about 45 or so minutes from where we stayed in Marysville and all we had to do was drive up Highway 70 and then east on Highway 162. The visitor center had a pretty big parking lot, there was a large picnic area, and we saw deer roaming around! Not knowing what to expect, we bravely went inside the visitor's center. I honestly believe that the woman who approached us was the same as the one who talked to me on the phone because this lady was SUPER NICE. She eagerly ushered us into the theater room and showed us a zoomed-in image of the Oroville Damn. She discussed the history of the damn and then proceeded to walk us through how to drive to the road nearest the damn that just opened up! Afterwards, she suggested we check out the tower structure that's at the visitor's center. I highly recommend it because that 3 story tower provided AMAZING 360 degree views of the surrounding area. Before we left, we asked if she had any other places we should go to and she also directed us to Bidwell Bridge - supposedly the oldest suspension bridge in the U.S.? We would eventually go there, and had a really fun time! Need to give a major shout-out to the people at the Lake Oroville Visitor Center because they gave us a few awesome things to do for our Sunday morning in the Butte County area. We could have totally just gone home after our hike, but instead had some fun exploring! I give the folks here an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. have fun and prosper,

A challenging hike around 2 hours from EG/Sacramento. It's nearly 9 miles round trip but has a…read morebeautiful view of Feather Falls from the viewpoint deck. We went in March when the weather was unusually warm this year and the water was f l o w i n g. There isnt much tree cover as there used to be after the fires in this area, so if you're coming on a sunny day, be well prepared with sun protection and water. The majority of the hike is uncovered if you start after the morning hours. Parking lot is decent sized, on the day we came there were hardly any cars at 9am, but we saw more people when we finished around 1pm. There's also vault toilets at the trailhead

How amazingly gorgeous it is here!!! Full of sweet sweet serenity…read more.. For Easter, my daughter & I decided to go here for our hike!! First, the directions on Google maps suck. You need to keep going down the freeway passed Coal Canyon Road We parked in a large rocky parking lot. At this point, you need to use the bathrooms because there aren't any along your path or trail. I found it hard to stay hydrated because since there aren't bathrooms along the way. I didn't want to drink too much water in case it makes me have to go. We started our hike at 1:15pm. The first part of the hike is a very rocky dirt path. No shade. So wear your sun screen! It was beautiful along the way with beautiful green grass, gorgeous flowers. There were free range cows roaming around. This hike can be very challenging to someone who doesn't work out or get their heart rate up daily. There were a couple large Oaks trees offering us some shade just before you approach the quarry. It's a good resting point but we kept on. For this part, we were climbing down into a quarry, surrounded by trees and bushes, over the rocks, down the path, going back and forth... to come to the first waterfall. It was refreshing and rewarding! Being able to feel the water coming down over you after hiking down from the sun was exhilarating! Now, you have to climb your way up the other side. This is where a big challenge comes in. Up the other side, walking up a very vertical hill, over the rocks... really takes your breath away and makes your legs burn.. we loved every minute of it. When you get to the top, there are no trees up here, just more hills to walk up with rocks below your feet. So wear some good shoes! Getting to the top of that part was another waterfall. It was only visible from far away, but even more gorgeous! The sun was hitting it just right to make a rainbow in the mist. It took us 2 1/2-3 hours to get to that particular part of the hike (we spent quite a bit of time at the previous waterfall). At this point we decided to go back... but you need to go back the way you came. We were pretty out of shape for this hike but we love challenges. So up and back over the hills, back down the steep quarry full of trees, down the rocky path, back to the first waterfall (and we spent time down there again, lol) and then climbing out of that quarry, we decided to stop at those big oak trees to make a sandwich to share. After our long rest, getting some fuel in our bodies, and getting nice and hydrated, we started out way down the rocky path. Again, the rocky path made it very challenging. Our legs were really worked from all the climbing up the hills we did so we've smaller hill after that made us feel the burn! Oh... there nothing like the motivation of seeing that parking lot, lol. It was indeed time to get into the air conditioned car and into a comfy seat in the car. Oooh and finally!!! Bathrooms!!! Lol My daughter & I had a blast on our hike for Easter. There were so many families that day who had the same idea. The weather was perfectly sunny with a slight breeze. It was 6 p.m. by the time we sat in the car and turned on the air conditioning. Great timing since I didn't have to drive in the dark on our way home!

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 had an amazing trip here! Arrived in a Yhursday and enjoyed exploring about 1/2 of the park,…read moremostly the western half.

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.

The place kinda looks like a library but it has a lot of maps and best of all, they sell stickers…read more(I love tiny stickers, but the one from Weed made me laugh). It's cool to visit, but unfortunately they don't hold a candle to the one a few miles from when you leave California and enter Oregon. That one has picnic tables, a dog run, lots of bathroom stalls and when you enter the building, you feel like you're in a gigantic lodge for a state park. The Oregon one also has tons of freebies, including beautiful half sheet posters of some of the nature and activities of some of the big towns and kids walk away with a bag of toys, pins, and stickers for free. I know it's not fair to compare the two, but when you've seen better, everything else kinda pales in comparison. The lady who helped me at this Welcome Center was nice though.

This is a must stop when you are driven North or South. They have lots of resources, maps, history…read moreetc. There is a shop with very unique items like a t-shirt made of California dirt. Clean restrooms available too.

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