At 10,457 feet, Mount Lassen's domed summit is visible for more than 100 miles. It blew its top in 1914, with continuing eruptions through 1918. Now dormant, the volcanic-based geology—pumice boulders, volcanic rock, and spring-fed streams from underground lava tubes—dominates this landscape. Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the few national parks where you can enjoy the wilderness in relative solitude. The best hikes are the Summit Climb and Bumpass Hell. Highlights include canoeing and fly-fishing at Fall River, Big Lake, and Ahjumawi State Park. McArthur-Burney Falls State Park, along with the Pit River and Lake Britton, make the best destinations for families. In remote Modoc County, Lava Beds National Monument boasts caves and lava tubes, including the 6,000-foot Catacomb Tunnel. Nearby is pretty Medicine Lake, formed in a caldera, which provides good exploring.
3 THOMAS WRIGHT BATTLEFIELD TRAIL/BLACK CRATER
11 MCARTHUR-BURNEY FALLS MEMORIAL STATE PARK TO ASH CAMP (PCT)
12 HI GRADE NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL
20 BLUE LAKE LOOP NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL
23 TAMARACK TRAILHEAD/LAKE EILER
25 HAT CREEK RIM TO MCARTHUR-BURNEY FALLS MEMORIAL STATE PARK (PCT)
39 LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK TO HIGHWAY 44 (PCT)
40 JUNIPER LAKE TRAILHEAD/INSPIRATION POINT
41 HAY MEADOWS TRAIL TO LONG LAKE
42 SPENCER MEADOW TRAIL/CANYON CREEK FALLS
43 DOMINGO SPRING CAMPGROUND TO WARNER VALLEY (PCT)
46 RANCHERIA TRAIL TO MILL CREEK
51 HUMBOLDT SUMMIT TO DOMINGO SPRINGS (PCT)
52 FEATHER RIVER TO HUMBOLDT SUMMIT (PCT)
1.7 mi/1.5 hr
in Lava Beds National Monument south of Klamath Wildlife Refuge
Captain Jack’s Stronghold provides a history lesson and an introduction to the Lava Beds National Monument. It’s an easy walk on a clear trail amid a volcanic plateau, with a few trenches, dips, and rocks. From this trailhead, there are actually two loop trails available, including a shorter route that is just 0.5 mile long. The general terrain is level, with a trailhead elevation of 4,047 feet and a high point of 4,080 feet.
Captain Jack was a Modoc warrior who fought U.S. troops attempting to relocate Native Americans off their lands and onto a reservation. His hiding place in this natural lava fortress was betrayed by his own troops, and in 1873, Captain Jack was finally captured and hanged, and this site was later named for him.
Note that during the winter, this is an outstanding area to see mule deer. Many of the famous photographs of big bucks in California were taken in this area. The wildlife viewing is best at the onset of winter, after the first inch or two of snow has fallen. In addition, a good nearby side trip is Tule Lake, a favorite wintering area for waterfowl and bald eagles.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair access.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $15, good for seven days, is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A free brochure is available by contacting Lava Beds National Monument. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Captain Jack’s Stronghold.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 68 miles to the exit for Central Weed/Highway 97-Klamath Falls. Take that exit to the stop sign, turn right and drive one mile through town to the junction with Highway 97. Bear right on Highway 97 and drive 54 miles to Highway 161. Turn right (east) on Highway 161 and drive 20 miles to Hill Road. Turn right (south), drive 18 miles to the visitors center, and look for the main road of the Lava Beds National Monument (it’s unnamed). Turn north and drive 13 miles on the main monument road to the Captain Jack’s Stronghold access road. Turn right and drive to the trailhead.
Contact: Lava Beds National Monument, Tulelake, 530/667-8113, www.nps.gov/labe.
6.8 mi/4.0 hr
in Lava Beds National Monument south of Klamath Wildlife Refuge
The Whitney Butte Trail is one of three wilderness trails in Lava Beds National Monument, and for many, it’s the best of the lot. From the top of Whitney Butte, 5,004 feet, a cinder cone, the views are spectacular across the volcanic landscape. The trailhead, 4,880 feet, is at Merrill Ice Cave. The trail goes west for two miles near the edge of Whitney Butte to a trail junction. Turn left and walk 1.2 miles to the end of the trail at the edge of the Callahan Lava Flow. Be sure to climb Whitney Butte. This area bears a resemblance to the surface of the moon, and skilled photographers who know how to use sunlight to their advantage can take black-and-white pictures that can fool most people into thinking they are looking at a lunar surface. Most people arrive just to see the Merrill Ice Cave (which is actually a lava tube) at the beginning of the hike. If you plan to explore the cave, bring plenty of flashlight power, a hard hat, and kneepads. The views are often spectacular across the volcanic landscape to 14,179-foot Mount Shasta.
Catacombs Cave on the Whitney Butte Trail
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $15, good for seven days, is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A free brochure is available by contacting Lava Beds National Monument. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Schonchin Butte.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 68 miles to the exit for Central Weed/Highway 97-Klamath Falls. Take that exit to the stop sign, turn right and drive one mile through town to the junction with Highway 97. Bear right on Highway 97 and drive 54 miles to Highway 161. Turn right (east) on Highway 161 and drive 20 miles to Hill Road. Turn right (south), drive 18 miles to the visitors center, and look for the main road of the Lava Beds National Monument (it’s unnamed). From the visitors center, turn north on the monument main road and drive 1.2 miles north to the turnoff for Merrill Ice Cave. Turn left and drive 0.7 mile to the parking lot and trailhead, at the end of the road.
Contact: Lava Beds National Monument, Tulelake, 530/667-8113, www.nps.gov/labe.
2.2 mi/1.0 hr
in Lava Beds National Monument south of Tulelake Wildlife Refuge
One trail, two pay-offs. After just 0.25 mile on this trail, hikers reach a short spur to the awesome Black Crater. In the world of volcanic geology, this is a spatter cone. It feels as if you are looking into the bowels of the earth. When ready, return to the main trail. It’s an easy glide along lava fields, but note: As you continue on, you might even get the sense that ghosts are shadowing your footsteps. That is because some say this area is haunted by the ghosts of Modoc Indians, who fought troops in several violent battles for custody of the land. Though the Modoc warriors eventually lost that war, some say they actually won in the long run, since their spirits haunt modern-day visitors. At the end of the trail are interpretive signs that explain the Thomas Wright battlefield site. For an excellent side trip from here, continue off trail, clambering up to the Hardin Butte, a 130-foot climb, for a view. The butte sits on the western edge of the huge Schonchin Lava Flow.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $15, good for seven days, is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A free brochure is available by contacting Lava Beds National Monument. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Captain Jack’s Stronghold.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 68 miles to the exit for Central Weed/Highway 97-Klamath Falls. Take that exit to the stop sign, turn right and drive one mile through town to the junction with Highway 97. Bear right on Highway 97 and drive 54 miles to Highway 161. Turn right (east) on Highway 161 and drive 20 miles to Hill Road. Turn right (south) and drive five miles to the trailhead on the left (the visitors center is another five miles south).
Contact: Lava Beds National Monument, Tulelake, 530/667-8113, www.nps.gov/labe.
1.8 mi/1.0 hr
in Lava Beds National Monument south of Tulelake Wildlife Refuge
This is a short hike, but for many, it’s a butt-kicker. A portion of it is quite steep—enough to get most folks wheezing like old steam locomotives. The trail climbs 600 feet, from a trailhead elevation of 4,700 feet to the lookout at 5,300 feet. There are benches along the trail in case you need to catch your breath. Schonchin Butte has an old fire lookout, and the views are spectacular, of course, especially of the Schonchin Lava Flow to the northeast. Because of the proximity to the visitors center, as well as the short distance involved, many visitors make the tromp to the top. After completing this trip, always explore some of the caves in the matrix of underground lava tubes. You need a hard hat and flashlight to do it (available for a fee at the visitors center). For extensive caving, always wear kneepads. There are more than 700 caves in a five-mile radius, including 15 with signed entrances on the Cave Loop.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $15, good for seven days, is charged per vehicle.
Maps: A free brochure is available by contacting Lava Beds National Monument. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Schonchin Butte.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 68 miles to the exit for Central Weed/Highway 97-Klamath Falls. Take that exit to the stop sign, turn right and drive one mile through town to the junction with Highway 97. Bear right on Highway 97 and drive 54 miles to Highway 161. Turn right (east) on Highway 161 and drive 20 miles to Hill Road. Turn right (south), drive 18 miles to the visitors center, then look for the main (unnamed) road for the Lava Beds National Monument. Turn north and drive 2.3 miles to the turnoff for Schonchin Butte. Turn right at the sign for Schonchin Butte and drive about one mile on a gravel road to the trailhead.
Contact: Lava Beds National Monument, Tulelake, 530/667-8113, www.nps.gov/labe.
1.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Modoc National Forest northeast of Mount Shasta
When you stand on the shore of Medicine Lake, it might be difficult to believe that this was once the center of a volcano. The old caldera is now filled with water and circled by conifers, and the lake is clear and crisp. Set at 6,700 feet, it’s a unique and popular destination for camping, boating, and fishing. At some point in their stay, most campers will take a morning or afternoon to walk around the lake. Although there is no specific trail, the route is clear enough. There is a sense of timelessness here. Although its geology is comparable to Crater Lake in Oregon, Medicine Lake is neither as deep nor as blue. But a bonus here is the good shore fishing for large brook trout, often in the 12- to 14-inch class, buoyed by the large stocks of trout. There are also many excellent nearby side trips. They include the ice caves (along the access road on the way in); a great mountaintop lookout from Little Mount Hoffman, Little Medicine Lake (very deep, good fishing), and nearby little Bullseye and Blanche Lakes.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. There are wheelchair facilities at the beach and the boat ramp.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free unless you’re camping.
Maps: A free brochure on the Medicine Lake Highlands is available by contacting the Doublehead Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Medicine Lake.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 58 miles to the exit for Highway 89. Bear right at that exit and drive 26.5 miles to Harris Springs Road. Turn left on Harris Springs Road and drive 4.4 miles to Medicine Lake Road. Turn right on Medicine Lake Road and drive 27.5 miles (paved, but narrow at times) to the turnoff for Medicine Lake. Turn left and drive 0.3 mile to a T. Turn left at the T for beach and boat ramp. Turn right at the T for campgrounds, Little Medicine Lake, and Hoffman Lookout. For a shoreline walk, turn left to the boat ramp, and then walk to the right along the swimming beach.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Doublehead Ranger District, Tulelake, 530/667-2246, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
0.5 mi/2.0 hr
in Modoc National Forest east of Medicine Lake
Little Glass Mountain is a spectacular volcanic “glass flow” that covers a square mile in the Medicine Lake Highlands. It was created when glassy dacite and rhyolitic obsidian flowed from the same volcanic vent without mixing, creating a present-day phenomenon that exhibits no modification from weather, erosion, or vegetation. It’s about 100 feet high. There are no designated trails on Glass Mountain, so visitors just wander about, inspecting the geologic curiosities as they go. Take care to stay clear of the obsidian, which is quite slippery and can have arrowhead-sharp edges. Don’t walk on it, and don’t handle it. Be sure to stay on the gray-colored dacite instead. Got it? Stay on the gray stuff. Stay off the black stuff. The mountain was formed 1,000 years ago as a lava flow. If you wear rings, you will scuff the bottom of the ring with lava when you grab for hand holds. A panoramic view of Little Glass Mountain backed by Mount Shasta is available at the Little Mount Hoffman Lookout near Medicine Lake.
Note: In some previous editions of this book, we sent readers to Glass Mountain, a mistake (much of the obsidian there appears to have been excavated, and a road bisects some of the flow); if you love unique volcanics, Little Glass Mountain is the one you want to see.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. The terrain is not suitable for horses or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A free brochure on the Medicine Lake Highlands is available by contacting the Doublehead Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Medicine Lake.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 58 miles to the exit for Highway 89. Bear right at that exit and drive 26.5 miles to Harris Springs Road. Turn left on Harris Springs Road and drive 4.4 miles (turnoff to Medicine Lake Road on right), and continue straight on Harris Spring Road for 7.9 miles to Forest Road 44N05. Turn right and drive 0.6 miles to Forest Road 43N77 and continue for 0.5 mile to the foot of Little Glass Mountain. Park and trek in the volcanic landscape.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Doublehead Ranger District, Tulelake, 530/667-2246, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
1.0 mi/1.5 hr
in Modoc National Forest south of Medicine Lake
The Burnt Lava Flow is called a land of "rocks that float and mountains of glass." It may seem as if you’re exploring some prehistoric area that resembles the moon. But get this: The lava formation is only a few hundred years old, the youngest flow in the Medicine Lake Highlands. It’s located south of Glass Mountain and covers some 8,760 acres, with little islands of forest amid the bare, jet-black lava flow. High Hole Crater, located at the north end, rises up 386 feet above the base layer of the flow, and is about 150 feet deep. There is no trail, so pick any direction—most visitors go from tree island to tree island. There are a few weird spots where the ground can be like quicksand when dry and like wet concrete when wet. Just walk around those spots, staying on the hard, black lava flow. When we took an aerial survey of the area, the Burnt Lava Flow was one of the most fascinating portions of the entire region. On foot, it’s even stranger.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. The terrain is not suitable for mountain bikes or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Porcupine Butte.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 58 miles to the exit for Highway 89. Bear right at that exit and drive 26.5 miles to Harris Springs Road. Turn left on Harris Springs Road and drive 4.4 miles to Medicine Lake Road. Turn right on Medicine Lake Road and drive 19.6 miles (paved, but narrow at times) to the turnoff for Burnt Lava Flow (straight would instead take you to Medicine Lake). Turn right and drive 4.1 miles to Forest Road 43N17. Turn right and drive 1.7 miles to the foot of the Burnt Lava Flow Geologic Area.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Doublehead Ranger District, Tulelake, 530/667-2246, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
1.0 mi/1.0 hr
in Modoc National Forest north of Medicine Lake
First, a good story: In 1965, the Medicine Lake Glass Flow was selected by the Manned Spacecraft Center for study by astronauts preparing for the first manned trip to the moon. It feels much the same today as you make your visit. The Medicine Lake Glass Flow Geologic Area covers 570 acres. It has no designated trails. You can explore in any direction you wish, where you probe about the stony-gray dacite, which runs 50-150 feet deep. This part of the Medicine Lake Highlands is located about a mile north of Medicine Lake. It is set within the caldera of the Medicine Lake Volcano. Before the first lunar landing, many originally believed this area to resemble the surface of the moon. Most people will just poke around for an hour or two, take a few pictures, and leave, saying they’ve never seen anything like it.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. The terrain is not suitable for mountain bikes or horses. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A free brochure on the Medicine Lake Highlands is available by contacting the Doublehead Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Medicine Lake.
Directions: From Redding, take I-5 north for 58 miles to the exit for Highway 89. Bear right at that exit, merged with Highway 89, and drive 26.5 miles to Harris Springs Road. Turn left on Harris Springs Road and drive 4.4 miles to Medicine Lake Road. Turn right on Medicine Lake Road and drive 27.5 miles (paved, but narrow at times) to the turnoff for Medicine Lake. Turn left and drive 0.3 mile to a T. At the T, turn right and drive (slow) past the campgrounds and Little Medicine Lake for 1.5 miles to a junction with Lava Beds/Forest Road 44N75. Turn right on Forest Road 44N75 and drive 1.2 miles to the foot of the Medicine Lake Glass Flow on the right. There are no designated trailheads or trails.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Doublehead Ranger District, Tulelake, 530/667-2246, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
1.2 mi/0.5 hr
in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park north of Burney
Spectacular Burney Falls is one of the prettiest waterfalls in the north state. The trip starts by taking in Burney Falls at a lookout point for the full frontal. This is the eye-popping 129-foot waterfall. If you look close, you will see that the surrounding moss-covered canyon wall is a mosaic of oozing water. That is because lava tubes feed underground water through the basalt rock: 100 million gallons a day, year-round—making it an endless freshwater fountain. The waterfall plunges over the brink in two pieces, split at the rim by a small bluff, where two trees have managed toeholds (although the river flows over the top of them during high water from the spring snowmelt). From a parking lot, it’s a 100-foot walk to the overlook. This spot also marks the start of Burney Falls Loop Trail, an easy 1.2-mile loop around the waterfall and back.
Burney Falls Loop Trail
At the start of the trail, you descend 200 feet and skirt the plunge pool of the waterfall. Then the trail is routed downstream along Burney Creek and crosses a wood bridge. You then hike upstream back to the waterfall for more fantastic views. At one spot, you are situated directly adjacent to the water’s cascade for midlevel flows. The trail climbs up past the brink of the falls and continues upstream along Burney Creek. It then crosses another bridge. Look up to your left here to the treetops, where a mated pair of bald eagles tend a nest atop a towering pine. The trail then returns to the falls overlook. It’s also a self-guided nature trail, but rather than having to carry a brochure with you, you can just read the small signs that explain the featured sites.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. There is paved wheelchair access at the falls overlook point, at the beginning of the trail.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park day-use fee of $8 is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: A trail guide is available for a fee at the state park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Burney Falls.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue five miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn left (north) and drive 5.8 miles to the state park entrance on the left. At the entrance station, continue straight for a short distance and park in the main lot on the right. The trailhead is across the road at the falls overlook.
Contact: McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Burney, 530/335-2777, www.parks.ca.gov.
3.0 mi/1.75 hr
at Lake Britton in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park north of Burney
The Rim Trail provides an easy walk for campers at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. The trail starts at the campground and is routed to the rim of Lake Britton, a distance of 1.5 miles. It’s an easy walk, and pretty too, heading first through forest, then emerging in a pretty cove, with PG&E’s Camp Britton across the water. From here, the trail traces the shore of Lake Britton, a sheltered area of the lake, and leads to the road. It’s another minute to the little marina on the left, with kayak and paddleboat rentals, or to the swimming beach on the right. The lake is kept full nearly year-round, even in drought years. In recent summers, algae has been a problem for swimmers.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A state park day-use fee of $8 is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: A trail guide is available for a fee at the state park. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Burney Falls.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue five miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn left (north) and drive 5.8 miles to the state park entrance on the left. At the entrance station, continue straight for a short distance and park in the main lot on the right. The trailhead is across the road at the falls overlook.
Contact: McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Burney, 530/335-2777, www.parks.ca.gov.
52.0 mi one-way/4 days
from McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park west into Ash Camp in Shasta-Trinity National Forest
For PCT hikers, it may be difficult to leave the woods, waters, and aura of McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, but off you go, facing dry country and some of Northern California’s least-used portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. Typically the only hikers who complete this section are the ones hiking the entire route from Mexico to Canada; they’re virtually forced to endure it.
From Burney Falls, the PCT heads west, touching the Pit River arm of Lake Britton, and then continues forward into Lassen Volcanic National Park, crossing into Shasta-Trinity National Forest and up to Grizzly Peak. Much of this route is across dry, hot, exposed slopes, where the trail has deteriorated in many spots due to the encroachment of brush and the zero trail maintenance by the U.S. Forest Service. Fire damage is a problem too, in Lassen Volcanic National Park and the vicinity. Knowing you’re smack between the lush beauty of Burney Falls (behind you) and the McCloud River (ahead of you) can make dealing with the present landscape a frustrating encounter. Always fill your canteens with water wherever you find it, and don’t hesitate to make a camp if, late in the day, you find even a small flat spot with water nearby. In extremely dry years it’s possible to travel this entire stretch without finding any water.
After the hot climb near Grizzly Peak, most hikers will want to make a lightning-fast descent to the Eden of the McCloud River at Ash Camp. But hold your horses. As long as you’ve come this far, make the short side trip up to Grizzly Peak, and while you’re looking at the incredible view of Mount Shasta and the McCloud Flats, congratulate yourself for completing such a terrible hike. Considering the PCT is the feature national recreation trail in America, this stretch is an embarrassment to the U.S. Forest Service and an abomination to hikers. It’s almost as bad as the choice to route the PCT on the Hat Creek Rim.
To continue north on the PCT, see the Ash Camp to Castle Crags Wilderness (PCT) hike in the Shasta and Trinity chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Hat Creek Rim to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park (PCT) hike in this chapter to continue south.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs (except in the state park boundaries), and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. A fee of $8 is charged per vehicle at the state park.
Maps: For USGS topographic maps, ask for Burney Falls, Skunk Ridge, and Grizzly Peak.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue five miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn left (north) and drive 5.8 miles to the state park entrance on the left. At the entrance station, continue straight for a short distance and park in the main lot on the right.
Contact: McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Burney, 530/335-2777, www.parks.ca.gov.
1.1 mi/0.5 hr
in Modoc National Forest east of Goose Lake
The Hi Grade National Recreation Trail is actually 5.5 miles long, but only 1.1 miles are specifically designed for hiking. The remainder of this trail is an old jeep road designated for four-wheel drive use, one of the only national four-wheel-drive trails in the state. Of course, you can still hike all of it, but it’s better to use four-wheeling to get out there, then hike the final mile to get way out there. As you go, watch for signs of old, abandoned mining operations, because gold was discovered here. They never found enough to cause any outpouring of gold miners, though, and the result is a sparsely populated county, with this area being abandoned completely. The surrounding habitat is a mix of high desert and timber, although the trees tend to be small.
A good side trip from the nearby Buck Creek Ranger Station is to Fandango Pass, where there are nice views to the east of Surprise Valley and the Nevada Mountains. This is where a group of immigrants arrived, topped the ridge, looked west, saw Goose Lake, and shouted, "Aha! The Pacific Ocean! We have arrived!" So they started dancing the fandango. That's how the mountain pass got its name. As lore has it, the local natives then massacred them.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Mount Bidwell and Willow Ranch.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 146 miles to Alturas and the junction with U.S. 395. Turn north on U.S. 395 and drive about 35 miles to Forest Road 9. Turn right on Forest Road 9 and drive 4.5 miles to Buck Creek Ranger Station. At the Buck Creek Ranger Station, turn left on Forest Road 47N72 and drive about six miles to the trailhead. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are required.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
12.0 mi/2 days
on the northern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
The six-mile trip on Summit Trail to Patterson Lake is the most popular hike in the South Warner Wilderness. That still doesn’t mean you’ll run into other people or horses, because the Warners are a remote, lonely place rarely visited by hikers from the Bay Area, Sacramento, or Los Angeles. Patterson Lake is set in a rock basin at 9,000 feet, just below Warren Peak (9,718 feet), the highest lake in the wilderness and the highlight destination for most visitors. The Pepperdine trailhead (at 6,900 feet) is located just beyond Porter Reservoir, where a primitive campground and a horse corral are available. The hike is a sustained climb, gaining 2,100 feet, passing to the right of Squaw Peak (8,646 feet) and then tiny Cottonwood Lake. From Squaw Peak, looking east, you’ll feel as if you’re looking across hundreds of miles of a stark, uninhabited landscape.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Warren Peak.
Directions: Take U.S. 395 to the south end of Alturas and to County Road 56. Turn east on County Road 56 and drive 13 miles to the Modoc National Forest boundary and Parker Creek Road. Turn left and drive six miles on Parker Creek Road, to the sign for Pepperdine Campground. Turn right and drive to the trailhead.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
4.0 mi/3.0 hr
on the northwestern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
This is one of the great short hikes anywhere. The Pine Creek Trail is a magnificent traipse into the beautiful South Warner Wilderness.
The trail starts along the south fork of Pine Creek, about 6,800 feet in elevation, then heads straight east into the wilderness, climbing the lush western slopes. In the course of two miles, the trail rises 1,000 feet to the Pine Creek Basin. Along the trail are several small lakes, the largest being the two set right along the trail as you enter the basin. Above you is a stark, volcanic-faced rim with few trees, where the headwaters of eight small creeks start from springs, pour down the mountain, join, and then flow into several small lakes. To lengthen the hike, go on to Patterson Lake, a gorgeous mountain lake surrounded by towering rock walls; the round-trip is 11 miles.
Modoc County is the least-populated and least-known region of California, with only 10,000 residents sprinkled across a huge area. Yet there are many outstanding adventures available here.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Eagle Peak.
Directions: Take U.S. 395 to the south end of Alturas and to County Road 56. Turn east on County Road 56 and drive 13 miles to the Modoc National Forest boundary and West Warner Road. Turn right (south) on West Warner Road and go about 10 miles to the sign for the Pine Creek trailhead. Turn left (east) and head 1.75 miles to the parking area. The road is unpaved for the last 12 miles.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
on the western boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
Mill Creek is a small, pristine trout stream that brings the lonely Warner Mountains to life. It’s a short hike to get here, up a hill and then down, heading into a valley. On this valley floor, you’ll find Mill Creek, only a 1.5-mile walk out of the Soup Spring trailhead. Mill Creek is a great spot for a picnic lunch or a high-finesse fishing trip. The trout are extremely sensitive, so anything clumsy—like letting your shadow hit the water or clanking your boots on the shore—will spook them off the bite. The trout are small, dark, and chunky, unlike any seen elsewhere.
Some hikers use Slide Creek Trail as a way of climbing up near the Warner Rim and to the intersection with the Summit Trail, the feature hike in the South Warner Wilderness. That makes sense, as there is a primitive campground and corral at the trailhead; then it’s a four-mile romp uphill to the Summit Trail junction. It includes a 1,000-foot climb on the way, with the trail routed up the Slide Creek Canyon over the last two miles.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Eagle Peak.
Directions: From Alturas, take U.S. 395 south for 18.5 miles to Likely and Jess Valley Road (County Road 64). Turn east on Jess Valley Road and drive nine miles to West Warner Road (Forest Road 5). Turn left on West Warner Road (Forest Road 5) and drive 4.5 miles to Soup Loop Road (Forest Road 40N24). Turn right and drive six miles (a gravel road) to the campground parking lot, on the right.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
0.5 mi/0.5 hr
on the southwestern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
The short, easy walk from the Mill Creek Falls trailhead to Clear Lake leads to one of the prettiest spots in Modoc County. It’s 0.5 mile to Mill Creek Falls and another 0.5 mile to Clear Lake. At the fork, bear left for the waterfalls, or bear right for the lake. Most hikers will take in both. The trail skirts along the perimeter of a pretty lake set at 6,000 feet. Of the lakes and streams in the Warners, it’s Clear Lake that has the largest fish, with brown and rainbow trout ranging to more than 10 pounds. There just aren’t many of them. Backpackers can head onward from Clear Lake on Poison Flat Trail, but expect a very steep howler of a climb before intersecting with Mill Creek Trail.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Some wheelchair-accessible facilities are available at the nearby campground, but there is no wheelchair access on this trail. No mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Eagle Peak.
Directions: From Alturas, take U.S. 395 south for 18.5 miles to Likely and Jess Valley Road (County Road 64). Turn east on Jess Valley Road and drive nine miles to a fork. At the fork, bear left on Forest Road 5 and drive 2.5 miles to Forest Road 40N46. Turn right and drive two miles to the trailhead.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
7.0 mi/2 days
on the eastern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
Don’t be yelpin’ about the dreadful climb up to North Emerson Lake, because we’re warning you right here, loud and clear, that it qualifies as a first-class butt-kicker. A “kill-me, eat-me” kind of hike. If you choose to go anyway, well, you asked for it. The trail climbs 2,000 feet in 3.5 miles, but much of that is in a hellish 0.5-mile stretch that’ll have you howling for relief. Your reward is little North Emerson Lake at 7,800 feet, a wonderland in a rock bowl with a high sheer back wall.
The Emerson trailhead, the most remote of those providing access to the Warners, is located on the east side of the mountain rim, near stark, dry country. A primitive campground is available at the trailhead. Out of camp, take North Emerson Trail. And while you’re at it, get yourself in the right frame of mind to cheerfully accept that you’ll be getting your butt kicked. But rest assured that North Emerson Lake is worth every step. You also get incredible long-distance views across the desert to the east.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Emerson Peak.
Directions: From Alturas, take Highway 299 east for 22 miles to Cedarville and County Road 1. Turn right (south) on County Road 1 and go about 16 miles to Eagleville and continue another 1.5 miles south on County Road 1 to Emerson Road. Turn right on Emerson Road and go three miles to the trailhead. Emerson Road is very steep and is slippery when wet or icy. Four-wheel drive advised.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
15.0 mi/2 days
on the southern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
The East Creek Loop is a favorite loop hike in the Warner Mountains. It can be completed in a weekend, not including driving time, and provides a capsule look at the amazing contrasts of the Warners. The hike includes small, seemingly untouched streams, as well as high, barren mountain rims.
To start this trip, take the East Creek Trail, elevation 7,100 feet. It is routed 5.5 miles north into the wilderness. Just before the junction with Poison Flat Trail, a spring is located on the left side of the trail. Don’t miss it—you’ll need the water for the upcoming climb. Turn right at the junction with Poison Flat Trail to make the 800-foot climb above tree line, and turn right again on Summit Trail. The loop is completed by taking Summit Trail back south, crossing high, stark country—most of it more than 8,000 feet in elevation. In the last two miles, the trail drops sharply, descending 1,000 feet on the way to Patterson Campground, which marks the end of the loop trail. Reaching the parking area at the East Creek trailhead requires a 0.5-mile walk on the forest road.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Emerson Peak.
Directions: From Alturas, take U.S. 395 south for 18.5 miles to Likely and Jess Valley Road (County Road 64). Turn east on Jess Valley Road and drive nine miles to South Warner Road (Forest Road 64). Turn right and drive southeast (heading toward Patterson Campground) to the access road for East Creek Trail. Turn left and drive a short distance to the parking area.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
45.0 mi/4 days
on the southern boundary of the South Warner Wilderness east of Alturas
The Summit Loop is the backpacking trek that most hikers yearn to take someday. If you are one of the lucky few to get here, you’ll find this hike traverses both sides of the Warner ridge, providing an intimate look at a diverse place. The west side of the Warner Mountains is a habitat filled with small pine trees, meadows, and the headwaters of many small streams. The east side, however, is stark and rugged, with great long-distance lookouts to the east across high desert and miles of sagebrush and juniper.
Start the trip at the Patterson Camp trailhead (at 7,200 feet). From here the trail climbs quickly, rising to 8,200 feet in two miles, accessing high, barren country. Great views abound from here as hikers head north. Then, to reach the north end of the wilderness, take the turn at Owl Creek Trail and hike to Linderman Lake, set at the foot of Devils Knob (8,776 feet). Continue past Squaw Peak (8,646 feet). To return in a loop, make the hairpin left turn at Summit Trail and walk back on the mostly lush western slopes of the Warners. Highlights on the return loop segment include Patterson Lake, 9,000 feet, the headwaters of Mill Creek and North Fork East Creek, and many beautiful and fragile meadows. The trail ends at the East Creek parking area, a 0.5-mile walk from the Patterson Camp trailhead.
Savor every moment of this trip—it’s one of the greatest little-known hikes anywhere in the United States. The Warner Mountains have a mystique about them, a charm cultivated by the thoughts of hikers who dream of an area where the landscape is remote and untouched, and the trails are empty. However, only rarely do they get around to it. For most, the Warners are just too remote and too far away, and the trip requires too much time.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest or South Warner Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Emerson Peak.
Directions: From Alturas, take U.S. 395 south for 18.5 miles to Likely and Jess Valley Road (County Road 64). Turn east on Jess Valley Road and drive nine miles to South Warner Road (Forest Road 64). Turn right and drive 16 miles to Patterson Campground. The trailhead is at the camp.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
2.0 mi/1.25 hr
at Blue Lake in Modoc National Forest southeast of Alturas
Blue Lake is the prettiest lake you can reach with a car in Modoc County. The Blue Lake Loop National Recreation Trail is simply a trail around the lake. With a campground at the lake, this trail makes a good side trip for overnight visitors. In addition, a fishing pier and wheelchair-accessible restroom are available. Most visitors are here to camp, boat, and fish. Some of the surrounding forest has evidence of a past fire in the area.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. The fishing pier and restroom are wheelchair-accessible. No horses or mountain bikes.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Modoc National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Jess Valley.
Directions: From Alturas, take U.S. 395 south for 18.5 miles to Likely and Jess Valley Road (County Road 64). Turn east on Jess Valley Road (County Road 64) and drive nine miles to a fork. When the road forks, bear right on Blue Lake Road (Forest Road 64) and drive seven miles to Forest Road 39N30 (signed for Blue Lake). Turn right and drive to the parking area.
Contact: Modoc National Forest, Warner Mountain Ranger District, Cedarville, 530/279-6116, www.fs.usda.gov/modoc.
0.25-8.0 mi/0.25-3.0 hr
in Lassen National Forest south of Burney
The view is just so good from the top of Burney Mountain (elevation 7,863 feet) that the trip had to be included in this book. If you drive to the summit, the "hike" consists of just moseying around and gazing off in all directions. There is a fire lookout on top of the mountain. Occasionally, tours are available. Burney Mountain often gets lost in the shadow of its big brothers, Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta, but of the three, the view just might be best from Burney. That’s because a view of Lassen or Shasta offers impressive panoramas that just can’t be duplicated.
If you show up in the winter or after 6pm, when the access road is gated, or if you simply want the exercise, it’s a four-mile hike up the road to the top of the mountain.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Burney Mountain West and Burney Mountain East.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue five more miles east to Highway 89. Turn south (right) on Highway 89 and drive 10.5 miles to Forest Road 26/Forest Road 34N19 (signed). Turn right on Forest Road 26 and drive 10 miles to Forest Road 34N23. Turn right and drive seven miles to the mountain summit. Note that the summit access road is blocked by a gate at 6pm each day and throughout winter. You can park at the gate and hike to the top.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
6.0 mi/1 day
on the north boundary of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness north of Lassen Volcanic National Park
The relocation of the Tamarack Trailhead means that the Cypress Trailhead is no longer the top starting point for the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. The wilderness is located at 5,400 feet, with many small lakes sprinkled about in a radius of just two miles. But getting here involves a climb of more than 1,000 feet. The primary destination is Lake Eiler, a round-trip of six miles, though it is 9.9 miles if you also hike around the lake and return to the trailhead. It is the largest lake in this region, set just below Eiler Butte. But a network of trails here connects to other lakes, so an option is to keep on going for an overnighter. From the south side of Eiler Lake, the trail loops deeper into the wilderness in a clockwise arc. It passes near several other lakes, including Box and Barrett Lakes. Both of these provide good fishing for small trout.
This wilderness is not called "Thousand Lakes" because there are a lot of lakes. After heavy rains or snowmelt, there are thousands of little pockets of water-breeding mosquitoes here in spring. And that is how it was named.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. A wilderness trail map is available for a fee from the Hat Creek Ranger District. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Thousand Lakes Valley and Jacks Backbone.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue east five miles to Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive 10.5 miles to Forest Road 26 (Forest Road 34N19). Turn west on Forest Road 26 (Forest Road 34N19) and drive 8.5 miles to Forest Road 34N60. Turn left and drive 2.5 miles to the parking area.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
7.0 mi/3.5 hr
on the east boundary of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness north of Lassen Volcanic National Park
From the Tamarack Trailhead, it’s a 3.5-mile walk with a 400-foot climb to Lake Eiler. The lake is gorgeous, but note that the Eiler fire burned much of the national forest in the vicinity. Most visitors will do this as a weekend trip, or locals will venture in as a day trip; have a picnic, swim, or fish, and then return.
If you are setting out on a multiday backpacking trek, then go onward to several other wilderness lakes. The trail is then routed into the northwestern interior of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. After two miles, you’ll reach a fork in the trail; turn left (south) to reach Barrett Lake in just another mile of hiking.
Note that there is a complex trail network in this area with many junctions, creating a situation in which backpackers can invent their own multiday route. From Barrett Lake, other attractive destinations include Durbin Lake, 0.5 mile to the south, and Everett and Magee Lakes, another (very challenging) 2.7 miles away.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. A wilderness trail map is available for a fee from the Hat Creek Ranger District. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Thousand Lakes Valley and Jacks Backbone.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue east five miles to Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive about 14 miles to Forest Road 33N25. Turn west on Forest Road 33N25 and drive 7.5 miles to a Y junction. Turn right and drive just about 1.5 miles to the trailhead (the new route is well signed).
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
8.0 mi/2 days
on the south boundary of the Thousand Lakes Wilderness north of Lassen Volcanic National Park
This trailhead is obscure and difficult to reach, and because of that, few visitors choose it as a jump-off spot for their treks. The trailhead is the southernmost access point to the Thousand Lakes Wilderness. The destination is Durbin Lake, a four-mile hike one-way, which can make for a destination for a weekend backpack trip. The trailhead elevation is 5,680 feet, and from here, it’s a fair walk in, up and down. The landscape is a mix of lodgepole pine and open terrain. If you’re not in shape, you’ll know it well before you reach the lake. You’ll come to Hall Butte (at 7,187 feet) and then Durbin Lake. A side-trip option is to climb Hall Butte. Break off the trail at three miles in, for a 0.5-mile tromp to the top with no trail.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. A wilderness trail map is available for a fee from the Hat Creek Ranger District. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Thousand Lakes Valley and Jacks Backbone.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 299 east for 50 miles to Burney and continue east five miles to Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive 31 miles to Forest Road 16 (Forest Road 33N16). Turn right on Forest Road 16 and drive seven miles to Forest Road 32N45. Turn right on Forest Road 32N45 and drive two miles to Forest Road 32N42Y (which is very steep). Turn left and head to the parking area, at the end of the road.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
40.0 mi one-way/3 days
from the Highway 44 parking area north to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
This section of the PCT includes the infamous 27-mile section without water. Unless you are through-hiking the entire PCT, there is no reason to suffer this ignominy. Yet this 40-mile section also features Hat Creek, Baum Lake, Crystal Lake, and spectacular Burney Falls. The good news is that a trail angel has been providing a water cache at about midpoint on the Hat Creek Rim, where he drives in on a Forest Service road that crosses the PCT here. We’ve seen many PCT hikers cheat by hitchhiking past this section on Highway 89, but with a water cache, there is no reason to do that, and defeats the purpose of the challenge of a thru-hike on the PCT.
From the trailhead at Highway 44, the trail passes through the wooded watershed of Hat Creek to a long, shadeless section that will have you counting the drops of water in your canteen. This is the Hat Creek Rim section of the PCT, the roughest section of the entire route from Mexico to Canada, with no water available for 27 miles of trail. A single drop of water will be valued more than a $10,000 bill.
After departing from Hat Creek, the PCT heads past Baum and Crystal Lakes. You cross Highway 299, and from there, it’s an eight-mile romp to McArthur-Burney Falls State Park and its breathtaking 129-foot waterfall.
To continue north on the PCT, see the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park to Ash Camp (PCT) hike in this chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Lassen Volcanic National Park to Highway 44 (PCT) hike in this chapter to continue south.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs (except in the state park boundaries), and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. A state park entrance fee of $8 is charged per vehicle.
Maps: For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Cassel, Dana, Old Station, Murken Bench, Hogback Ridge, and Burney Falls.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 60 miles to Highway 89/44. Turn left (north) on Highway 89/44 and drive 13 miles to Old Station and continue a short distance to Highway 44. Turn right (east) on Highway 44 and drive 0.25 mile beyond the Old Station Post Office to Forest Road 32N20. Turn right on Forest Road 32N20. The trail crosses the road about 0.5 mile from the junction of Highway 44 and Forest Road 32N20. If you have horses and need to park a horse trailer, use Mud Lake trailhead, located three miles from the junction of Highway 89 and Highway 44.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
5.0 mi/3.0 hr
from the Manzanita Lake Trailhead in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
The trail, with its easy, moderate grade, passes first through an old forest with towering firs, cedars, and pines. About 2.5 miles in, you’ll arrive at Lassen’s strange Dwarf Forest. Not only will you be surrounded by stunted trees, but you also get views of Chaos Crags, a jumble of pinkish rocks constituting what’s left of an old broken-down volcano. Many visitors hike to this point, then turn around and return to the campground.
The most difficult part of this hike is the first two steps. Why? Because the trailhead is set near the northern park entrance amid a number of small roads and a maintenance area, and despite a trail sign, many visitors can’t find it and give up. It’s worth the search, because it’s a great day hike for campers staying at Manzanita Lake.
It’s a historic trail, of course, that follows part of a historical route that was originally an east-west portion of the California Trail, used by emigrants in the 1850s. There is no water available on the trail, so be sure to have at least one filled canteen per hiker. Because of the moderate slope, this trail is an ideal cross-country ski route in the winter months.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Manzanita Lake.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 46 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive one mile to the park entrance station. Continue on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) for 0.5 mile to the turnoff for Manzanita Lake. The trailhead is across the road from Manzanita Lake, just past the Loomis Museum.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
1.5 mi/1.0 hr
at the northern entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park on Highway 44
There’s no prettier lake that you can reach by car in Lassen Volcanic National Park than Manzanita Lake. That is why many consider the campground here an ideal destination. With 179 sites, it’s the largest camp in the park, and it’s easy to reach, located just beyond the entrance station at the western boundary of the park. The trail simply traces the shoreline of this pretty lake at a 5,950-foot elevation and is easily accessible from either the parking area just beyond the entrance station or from the campground. Rental park model-style camping cabins are available in forest near the lake, and along the shore below the cabins are kayak rentals. Nearby Reflection Lake, located just across the park’s entrance road, provides a side trip; that adds about a half mile. Note that the fishing at Manzanita Lake is catch-and-release only, where anglers must use artificials, that is, do not use bait, and pinch down your barbs.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Manzanita Lake.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 46 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive one mile to the park entrance station. Continue on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) for 0.5 mile, to the turnoff for Manzanita Lake Campground. Turn right and drive 0.5 mile to the day-use parking area.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
4.0 mi/3.0 hr
from Butte Lake Trailhead in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Huge chunks of Lassen Volcanic National Park are overlooked by visitors simply because access is not along the Lassen Park Highway. Butte Lake and the Cinder Cone Trail (and the next hike, the Prospect Peak Trail), set in the northeastern corner of the park, are such areas. When you arrive by car, you’ll find a pretty campground on your right, then Butte Lake on your left, and just beyond, the end of the road and the trailhead. The trailhead for Nobles Emigrant Trail/Cinder Cone Trail is set at an elevation of 6,100 feet. The trail starts out easy, and for a few stretches in the first half mile, the surface can have short stretches of sand. It heads southwest through forest. At 1.5 miles, you’ll reach the Cinder Cone cutoff, and there, everything suddenly changes. The last 0.5 mile rises to the top of the Cinder Cone, a short but very intense climb of 800 feet to the summit rim at 6,907 feet. The views are unforgettable, especially south to the Painted Dunes and Fantastic Lava Beds. This is a classic volcanic landscape. The cinder cone itself looks like a moon crater.
Cinder Cone Trail
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Prospect Peak.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 60 miles to Highway 89/44. Turn left (north) on Highway 89/44 and drive 13 miles to Old Station and continue a short distance to Highway 44. Turn right (east) on Highway 44 and drive 10 miles to Butte Lake Road (Forest Road 32N21). Turn right (south) on Butte Lake Road (Forest Road 32N21) and drive six miles to Butte Lake (pass the campground on the right, boat ramp on the left) and continue to the end of the road, parking, and trailhead.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
7.0 mi/4.5 hr
at Butte Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Your rewards on this trail are a series of great views in Lassen Volcanic National Park and a trail that gets little use. We’ve never seen anybody else here or a single piece of litter. The trailhead (Nobles Emigrant Trail), at 6,100 feet, is located past Butte Lake. After less than 0.5 mile (flat, wide, and sandy), you’ll turn right at the junction with Prospect Peak Trail. The trail immediately starts to climb. Get used to it, because there’s no respite. It climbs more than 2,200 feet over the course of just 3.3 miles. Views emerge below of Butte Lake, Snag Lake, the Fantastic Lava Beds, Cinder Cone, and then to the volcanic rim on the horizon crowned by 10,457-foot Lassen Peak. It finally tops the summit at 8,338 feet. It’s a flat-top summit, not a peak. The best view is not from the actual peak, but from the left of the summit where you can best see Lassen Peak, Mount Hoffman, and Crater Butte, along with thousands and thousands of acres of national forest to the north. Since the snowmelt occurs earlier here than in the rest of the park, this trip makes a perfect hike in the early to mid-spring, when the air is still cool. If you wait until summer, you’ll find this a dry, forsaken place. Hiking to the top of most mountains requires a long, grinding climb. Gaining the summit of Prospect Peak is somewhat different. Long? No. Grinding? Yep.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Prospect Peak.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 60 miles to Highway 89/44. Turn left (north) on Highway 89/44 and drive 13 miles to Old Station and continue a short distance to Highway 44. Turn right (east) on Highway 44 and drive 10 miles to Forest Road 32N21. Turn right (south) on Forest Road 32N21 and drive seven miles to Butte Lake (pass the campground on the right, boat ramp on the left) and continue to the end of the road, parking, and trailhead.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
4.0 mi/2.5 hr
on the boundary of Caribou Wilderness east of Lassen Volcanic National Park
Triangle Lake is the prize destination with only a two-mile hike in the northern Caribou Wilderness near Black Butte. The trailhead is located at tiny Cone Lake, just outside the wilderness. From here, you walk for nearly a mile before passing the wilderness boundary, which is clearly marked. At that point, you can sense the change in features, as the land becomes wild and untouched. Continue one mile south to Triangle Lake, which provides good fishing during the evening for pan-sized trout. If you want more, you can get more. For an overnighter, the best campsites are on the west side of the lake.
At Triangle Lake, the trail forks and you can continue your adventure. The right fork is routed right into Lassen Volcanic National Park, a distance of only 1.5 miles, from which you can access Widow Lake. A free wilderness permit is required from Lassen Volcanic National Park for overnight use. The left fork, on the other hand, leads to Twin Lakes over the course of just 0.5 mile.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required for day use. Campfire permits are required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from the Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Caribou Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Bogard Buttes.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 60 miles to Highway 89/44. Turn left (north) on Highway 89/44 and drive 13 miles to Old Station and continue a short distance to Highway 44. Turn right (east) on Highway 44 and drive 30 miles to Bogard Work Station and continue a short distance to Forest Road 10 on the right. Turn right on Forest Road 10 and drive 5.9 miles to Forest Road 32N09. Turn right (still Forest Road 32N09) and drive one mile to Cone Lake Road. Turn left on Cone Lake Road (still Forest Road 32N09) and drive 1.7 miles to the Cone Lake trailhead. Note that from Highway 44, the roads are unpaved to the trailhead.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
12.0 mi/2 days
on the boundary of Caribou Wilderness east of Lassen Volcanic National Park
From the Caribou Lake Trailhead, you get wilderness access to an array of pretty mountain lakes. Rarely are so many wilderness lakes this close to a trailhead. The trip starts at Caribou Lake (low lake levels are often a problem in late summer and fall), where the trail heads west. In no time you pass all kinds of tiny lakes. The first one, Cowboy Lake, is only 0.25 mile down the trail. In another 15 minutes, you’ll come to Jewel Lake, which is one of our favorites, and often the prettiest. This procession of lakes never seems to stop. Eleanor Lake is next. Then, two miles in, turn left at the fork and you pass Black Lake, North and South Divide Lakes, and farther on, Long Lake. Long Lake is six miles from the trailhead and makes a great two-day backpacking adventure. The Caribou Wilderness is quite small, just nine miles from top to bottom, and only five miles across, with elevations ranging 5,000-7,000 feet. This trip provides a visit to the best of it.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses (a horse corral is available at the trailhead). No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from the Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Caribou Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Red Cinder.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 82 miles to Westwood (east of Lake Almanor) and Mooney Road/County Road 21. Turn left on Mooney Road/County Road A21 and go 13.9 miles to Silver Lake Road. Turn left on Silver Lake Road and drive five miles to a Y with Forest Road 10. Bear right on Forest Road 10 and drive 0.25 mile to a fork with Forest Road 31N18. Turn right on Forest Road 31N18 and drive 0.8 mile (at 0.2 mile, requires a left turn, same road) to Caribou Lake and the trailhead.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.fed.us/r5.
8.0 mi/5.5 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
You get it all on this hike to Lower Twin Lake: beautiful lakes, forest, meadows, and wildflowers. The route provides testimony to the beauty of the Lassen Wilderness. The trailhead elevation is 7,000 feet. The trail starts on the north side of Summit Lake. Right off, the trail climbs 500 feet in the first mile. After this climb, the rest of the hike will be a breeze. You’ll arrive at Echo Lake in just another mile and at Upper Twin and Lower Twin in the next two miles, dropping 500 feet on your way. Views of Lassen Peak are spectacular. It’s all very pretty and is a great bonus for Summit Lake campers. For campers staying at one of the Summit Lake campgrounds, it makes an outstanding day hike or an easy overnighter for backpackers. If you are not camping, start at the day-use area near the North Summit Lake Campground.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee at park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Reading Peak.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 46 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive one mile to the park entrance station. Continue on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) for 12 miles to the turnoff for Summit Lake North Campground. Turn left and park in the day-use area near the lake. Look for the boardwalk that leads to a trail sign, then turn left and start your hike.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
0.5 mi/0.5 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
Summit Lake is a beautiful spot where deer visit almost every summer evening. Nearby campgrounds on both sides of the lake (north and south) are set in conifers, with a pretty meadow just south of the lake along Kings Creek. This hike is a simple walk around Summit Lake. From the South Summit Lake Campground, the trail starts next to a day-use parking area, near the campground entrance road, and leads a short distance to the shore of the lake and the trail. From the North Summit Lake Campground, there is an area for kayak launching along the shore, and from there, you can walk to your right. The pretty walk is best taken at dusk, when the changing evening colors reflect a variety of tints across the lake surface. The best place to see wildlife, especially deer, is in the meadow adjacent to Kings Creek, the lake’s outlet stream. The elevation is 7,000 feet. This trail was once a “fisherman’s trail.” No more. No lakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park are stocked with trout and the fishing is terrible.
Summit Lake Loop
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee at park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Reading Peak.
Directions: From Redding, take Highway 44 east for 46 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn right (south) on Highway 89 and drive one mile to the park entrance station. Continue on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) for 12 miles to the turnoff for Summit Lake North Campground. Turn left and park in the day-use area near the lake.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
5.0 mi/4.0 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
When you gain the rim of the caldera at Lassen Peak, you realize in a flash why you came this far. As you top the rise, hardened lava flows extend in the caldera in front of you, a jumble of crags and craters crowned by the plug-dome summit at 10,457 feet. The air is cool and clear, the sky cobalt blue. About 100 miles to the north, Mount Shasta rises like a diamond in a field of coal. Far below to the southeast, giant Lake Almanor looks like a sapphire nestled in a sea of conifers. After six years, the trail to Lassen Peak reopened in 2015 after being reconstructed and stabilized. It’s again among a handful of world-class hikes to mountaintops that can be completed by most people in reasonable physical condition as a day hike: 2.5 miles with a 2,000-foot elevation gain, five miles in all.
The trailhead is located at an elevation of 8,500 feet along the Lassen Park Highway, with a large parking lot and several restrooms, but no drinking water (so bring your own). When you peer up, you look across the steep slopes of dacite that lead to the crag rim of the caldera, and while 2,000 feet up, it seems in close range. The first 1.3 miles are routed up the backside of a sub-ridge up to Grandview, where you can see Lake Helen below to the south, and across to the southeast to Lake Almanor. This is where the rebuilt trail starts. Trail crews constructed a series of rock stairs at several areas that had been vulnerable to rock slides. The route follows the ridge much as previously, but in several sections, the rock stairs and reinforcement walls are now in place. New interpretive signs also have been installed.
With each step you climb, the views get better. You get a lookout for nearby 9,239-foot Mount Brokeoff, a panorama of the scope of the caldera of the giant 500,000-year-old Tehama Volcano, and to the north, across the 32,000-acre burn zone of the Eiler Fire in 2014. That is just a sideshow once you make the rim. In the caldera of Lassen Peak, the jumbled volcanics span more than a quarter mile. It’s a perfect spot to crown the day with a trail lunch and a view. Youngsters could play for hours in the volcanic crags.
The ambitious can instead walk north across a snowfield toward the summit peak. At the foot of the plug dome, the trail then forks. The right fork leads to several perches near the top with fantastic views for a seat and a trail lunch. The left fork is routed around the backside of the summit, where you can then rock climb to gain a perch on one of the pinnacles. Lassen Peak is a huge volcanic flume with hardened lava flows, craters, outcrops, and extraordinary views in all directions.
Note: Winds are common at Lassen Peak, especially on summer afternoons. Hikers should stash a windbreaker in their daypacks. In addition, if you see cumulus clouds starting to form on the rim, common on summer afternoons, don’t go. Quick-forming thunderstorms with lightning are also common on hot afternoons. It’s always a mistake to suddenly climb the summit without planning the trip. Stay at lower elevations if there’s any chance of lightning activity.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee at park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Lassen Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn north (left) on Highway 89 and continue 4.5 miles to the park entrance. Continue seven miles on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) to the parking area and store on the left. The trailhead is at the west end of the parking lot.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
1.6 mi/1.0 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
A hike of less than a mile on this trail will take you past little Terrace Lake (7,800 feet) and then shortly after to Shadow Lake (7,600 feet). It’s rare to reach such a pretty lake surrounded by wildlands in such a short distance. From Shadow Lake, the views are excellent of Lassen Peak. The trail is routed through the large basin nestled between Reading Peak and Lassen Peak. You make a short, steep climb to Terrace Lake, and then a 0.25-mile junket to skirt the southeast shoreline of Shadow Lake (which is at least three times the size of Terrace Lake). The lakes are set just north of Reading Peak, 8,701 feet. From Shadow Lake, add 0.75 mile to reach Cliff Lake (7,250 feet), another beautiful spot.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee at park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Reading Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn north (left) on Highway 89 and continue 4.5 miles to the park entrance. Continue nine miles on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) to the parking area and trailhead, on the left (two miles past the parking area for Lassen Summit).
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
3.0 mi/2.0 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park east of Red Bluff
This is the most popular trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Bumpass Hell is like a walk into a prehistoric past, complete with steam vents, boiling mud pots, and natural furnaces. It’s all set amid volcanic rock in a large basin, and for some, it might feel as if at any moment, a T. rex might charge around the bend and munch a few tourists. It’s the park’s largest thermal area.
The elevation at the trailhead is 8,200 feet. The trail starts with a gradual 500-foot climb. You pass an excellent interpretive sign at an overlook that explains the origin and size of the gigantic Tehama Volcano. (Be sure to stop at the park information sign; the steel map shows just how big the Tehama Volcano was, all the way to Mount Brokeoff.) The trail continues in the first mile to a ridge that overlooks the thermal area, an excellent lookout for a photo. You then descend 250 feet into the thermal basin. Wood walkways are routed past the best sites, with several platform decks for lookouts. Exhibits explain the area. There are usually large numbers of tourists at Bumpass Hell, but it works. The basin sits in a pocket just below Bumpass Mountain (8,753 feet).
It is called "Bumpass" Hell because back in the old days, a guy named Bumpass slipped into the boiling water, scalded his feet, and in the ensuing newspaper report, the writer called the place "Bumpass’s Hell," and the name stuck.
User Groups: Hikers only. No dogs, horses, or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Lassen Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn north (left) on Highway 89 and drive 4.5 miles to the park entrance. Continue six miles on the main park road (Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89) to the trailhead, on the right.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
4.5 mi/2.75 hr
at Drakesbad in Lassen Volcanic National Park
The appeal of Drake Lake is that it is the closest lake to Drakesbad. If you’re camping or staying at the lodge, you’ll see the lake on the map and might wonder what it’s like. Drake Lake is a somewhat swampy sub-alpine lake that brightens a largely dry hillside, where deer are often more plentiful than people. It is set in a remote forested pocket, very secluded. From the trailhead at Drakesbad, at about 5,650 feet, it’s about an 800-foot climb over the course of two miles to Drake Lake (6,482 feet). Midway up the grade, the hike becomes steep and stays that way for nearly 45 minutes.
The lake is the payoff—emerald green and circled by firs. After you catch your breath, you may feel like jumping in and cooling off, particularly if it’s a hot summer day. Well, we’ve got news for you: In early summer, the water is still ice cold, and just when you realize that, a battalion of mosquitoes will show up and start feasting on all your bare, sumptuous flesh. Then what? Jump in and freeze your buns? Stand there and get devoured? Heck no, you’ll have your clothes back on in record time.
User Groups: Hikers only. Horses are allowed on a portion of the trail. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Reading Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester and Feather River Drive. Turn left on Feather River Drive and drive 0.75 mile. Bear left for Drakesbad and Warner Valley, and drive six miles to Warner Valley Road. Turn right and drive 11 miles to Warner Valley Campground. Continue for 0.5 mile to the trailhead, on the left. The last 3.5 miles is unpaved, and there is one steep hill that can be difficult for trailers or RVs.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
4.4 mi/2.5 hr
at Drakesbad in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Drakesbad is the undiscovered Lassen—beautiful, wild, and remote. The area gets missed by many because access is obscure and circuitous: out of Chester en route to the Warner Valley Campground and nearby trailhead, and not from the Lassen’s Park Highway. There’s no way to get here when entering from either of the main Lassen park entrances. But those who persevere will find a quiet paradise, along with this easy trip to Devils Kitchen, a unique geologic thermal area. The trail is an easy hike, heading west above Hot Springs Creek. The elevation at the trailhead is 5,650 feet, with a gradual climb of 300 feet. After two miles it ventures into this barren pocket of steaming vents, boiling mud pots, and fumaroles. You’ll immediately see why it was tagged Devils Kitchen. It is not as dramatic as Bumpass Hell, but you have a chance here of getting it to yourself. Stay on the trail, of course.
User Groups: Hikers only. Horses are allowed on a portion of the trail. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Reading Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester and Feather River Drive. Turn left on Feather River Drive and drive 0.75 mile. Bear left for Drakesbad and Warner Valley, and drive six miles to Warner Valley Road. Turn right and drive 11 miles to Warner Valley Campground. Continue 0.5 mile to the trailhead, on the left. The last 3.5 miles are unpaved, and there is one steep hill that can be difficult for trailers or RVs.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, Mineral, www.lassenassociation.org.
32.0 mi one-way/3 days
in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Start at Warner Valley (at 5,680 feet), at Hot Springs Creek, and then head north into mostly remote terrain in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The trail is routed across Grassy Swale, past Swan Lake, and on to Lower Twin Lake (seven miles in), a pretty lake circled by conifers.
From here, the trail heads north through a strange but compelling volcanic area. It skirts the western flank of Fairfield Peak (7,272 feet) and then heads onward. It turns west past Soap Lake and Badger Flat, and continues out past the park’s boundary. The area in the northeast region of the park has significant forest fire damage that extends north toward Burney.
As you hike toward Highway 44, you’ll be lateraling Badger Mountain (6,973 feet) to your right, with the Hat Creek drainage off to your immediate left. In this latter stretch of trail, you’ll cross no major lakes or streams (plan your water well). You forge on through the national forest, which is mostly second-growth, crossing a few roads along the way. In the spring, wildflowers are exceptional near the Hat Creek area. Several primitive U.S. Forest Service campgrounds are located on the trail about 10 miles north of the border of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
To continue north on the PCT, see the Hat Creek Rim to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park (PCT) hike in this chapter.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes are allowed in the Lassen Volcanic National Park section of the hike. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A wilderness permit (free) is required for hikers planning to camp in the Lassen Volcanic National Park backcountry and for equestrians. You may not camp with horses in the national park’s backcountry, but a horse corral is available by reservation for overnighters at Summit Lake and Juniper Lake, and a small corral is located near the park’s northern boundary for exclusive use by those on the Pacific Crest Trail. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Reading Peak, West Prospect Peak, and Old Station.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester and Feather River Drive. Turn left (north) and drive 0.75 mile to Warner Valley Road (signed to Juniper Lake and Drakesbad). Turn left and drive six miles to Warner Valley Road. Turn right and drive 11 miles (on an improved dirt road) to the Warner Valley Campground and trailhead, on the right.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen National Forest, Hat Creek Ranger District, Falls River Mills, 530/336-5521, www.fs.fed.us/r5.
1.4 mi/2.0 hr
in Lassen Volcanic National Park north of Lake Almanor
Your pay-off is 7,200-foot Inspiration Point for panoramic views across the park’s backcountry to Lassen Peak. The trailhead is 50 feet east from the parking area at the Juniper Lake picnic area. The trail is steep. It climbs 400 feet in 0.7 mile through both forest and patches of meadow to the summit. Your reward is spectacular views: Lassen Peak, flat-topped Prospect Peak, below to the Cinder Cone, and Mount Harkness.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No dogs or mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: For overnight use, a wilderness permit (free) is required. A park entrance fee of $20, good for a week, is charged for each vehicle.
Maps: Trail maps are available for a fee from park visitors stations and at Lassen Loomis Museum Association. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Mount Harkness.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester and Feather River Drive. Turn left on Feather River Drive and drive 0.75 mile to a Y. Bear right at the Y to Juniper Lake Road and drive 13 miles to the Snag Lake trailhead, near the ranger station. The access road is rough. Trailers and RVs are not recommended.
Contact: Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063, 530/595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo; Lassen Loomis Museum Association, P.O. Box 220, Mineral, CA 96063, www.lassenassociation.org.
8.0 mi/1-2 days
on the boundary of Caribou Wilderness north of Lake Almanor
You get an easy walk in beautiful country that passes one little lake after another until your pay-off destination for your camp or day hike with a picnic, Long Lake. What you’ll find is that nestled between South Caribou Peak and Black Cinder Rock is a little alpine pocket where dozens of small lakes are sprinkled about the southern Caribou Wilderness. It’s a slice of paradise. The trail out of Hay Meadows is a loop that crosses right through these lakes: They include Beauty, Long, Posey, and Evelyn.
After arriving at the trailhead at Hay Meadow, the trip starts easily enough, first crossing Hay Meadows. In another mile, you’ll reach Beauty Lake, the first of the four lakes on this loop hike. They are all good for swimming, although a bit cold, and Beauty and Posey have the best trout fishing.
For backpackers, you can extend your trek by venturing up to Hidden Lakes, a series of several small but pretty waters, set just below South Caribou Mountain.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses (a horse corral is available at the trailhead). No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from the Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Caribou Wilderness. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Red Cinder.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester. In Chester, continue east on Highway 36 for five miles to Forest Road 10. Turn north on Forest Road 10 and drive 9.5 miles to Forest Road 30N25. Turn left on Forest Road 30N25 and drive to the trailhead.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
10.8 mi/1 day
in Lassen National Forest south of Lassen Volcanic National Park
This hike has national park-like qualities, with a trail through forests and across gorgeous meadows, a waterfall, and big-time views. Yet it is outside the nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park, and for that reason is overlooked by tourists. The trailhead is right along Highway 36 and the route climbs 2,000 feet.
Start the trip by taking the trail straight north toward Lassen on the Spencer Meadow Trail. At 2.3 miles, you’ll reach a fork (for an all-day loop hike); turn left. When the forest breaks into meadow, you get a view of Mount Brokeoff. Roughly three miles from the turn at the fork, map in hand, you’ll find a spur on the left (note: no trail sign), which leads to an overlook of 50-foot Canyon Creek Falls. For waterfall lovers, this is the destination.
Note: The ambitious can return to the main trail, and instead of heading back, continue on a full loop, 13 miles, routed to Spencer Meadow and back. Campsites are available on the edge of the meadow.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, horses, and mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required for day use. Campfire permits are required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from the Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Childs Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east for 43 miles to Mineral, then continue east on Highway 36 for about seven miles to the trailhead parking area on the left.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
11.0 mi one-way/1 day
at the Domingo Spring Trailhead in Lassen National Forest west of Lake Almanor
From Domingo Spring, the Pacific Crest Trail runs straight north through Lassen National Forest and into Lassen Volcanic National Park. As you enter the park boundary, you’ll pass Little Willow Lake (not much to it) on the left. In two miles, you’ll reach Boiling Springs Lake with the Warner Valley Campground (on the right) and the Drakesbad Guest Ranch (on the left).
To continue north on the PCT, see the Lassen Volcanic National Park to Highway 44 (PCT) hike in this chapter.
User Groups: Hikers and horses. No mountain bikes or dogs (in a national park). No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Stover Mountain.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Do not turn. Continue east on Highway 36 toward Lake Almanor and to Chester and Feather River Drive. Turn left (north) and drive 0.75 mile to Warner Valley Road (signed Juniper Lake and Drakesbad). Turn left and drive to Old Red Bluff Road (County Road 311) and go three miles to the parking area at Domingo Spring Campground.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
9.0 mi/1 day
in the Tehama Wildlife Area east of Red Bluff
If you love foothill oak wildlands, this is the trek for you. In spring, when the oaks first bud and the hills are glowing, the Tehama Wildlife Area is at its prettiest. The landscape includes a stream, abundant vegetation, and at times, plenty of birds and animals.
This trail accesses the best of the wildlife area. From the McClure trailhead, hike down a steep canyon to Antelope Creek. The canyon is buffered by riparian vegetation. In late winter and spring, the canyon’s adjoining hillsides come alive in green, and all wildlife seems to prosper. The stream is very pretty, and fishing is catch-and-release only with the use of artificials. The hike can be cut short, of course, and you do not need to walk the entire 4.5 miles out and back.
The area is huge, covering 44,862 acres, and is popular in the fall during hunting season for deer and wild pigs. Deer are abundant in late fall and often migrate in after the hunting season is over. There are also lots of squirrels, hawks, and rattlesnakes. Low numbers of wild pigs roam the canyons but are never seen from trails. This area is also very popular with turkey hunters in season.
User Groups: Hikers and dogs. Mountain bikes and horses permitted but not recommended because of terrain. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a free map, contact the Tehama Wildlife Area. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Dewitt Peak.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 20 miles to Paynes Creek and Plum Creek Road. Turn right (south) on Plum Creek Road and go to Ishi Conservation Camp and continue about 2.5 miles south to High Trestle Road and follow it to Hogsback Road. Park across from the intersection of High Trestle and Hogsback Roads, and walk about 0.25 mile on the dirt road to the trailhead.
Access note: Access to the Tehama Wildlife Area is closed to the public from February to the first Saturday in April. Access is also restricted for a short period during deer season in late September.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen; Department of Fish and Game, Tehama Wildlife Area, Paynes Creek, 530/597-2201; Department of Fish and Game, Region 1 Headquarters, 530/225-2300, www.dfg.ca.gov.
1.0-8.0 mi/1 day
in Lassen National Forest west of Lake Almanor
The Deer Creek Trail has all the ingredients to make it ideal for a trout angler, an explorer, or somebody just looking for a dunk on a hot day. The gorgeous stream runs right alongside the trail, with good access throughout and fish (often plenty of them) in the summer months.
From the parking area, look for the trail on the left side of the road. Start by hiking downstream. The trail is routed downstream along the river for about 10 miles. Rarely does anybody ever walk all the way to the end. Instead they take their time, perhaps fishing or swimming along the way.
In summer, Deer Creek is cold and clear, tumbling its way over rocks and into pools, with trout seemingly in every one. California Department of Fish and Game rules mandate catch-and-release fishing with artificials with a single barbless hook for most of the river. This trail has also become popular among mountain bikers. Most are courteous to hikers, and on a single-track trail, that’s important. An interesting note is that the canyon rim is made up of a series of volcanic crags and basalt spires. For swimmers, the cold water can provide a rush on summer days where temperatures commonly reach the 90s and 100s, and you can expect significant anatomical changes, male and female alike.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. Mountain bikes aren’t advised. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For a topographic map, ask the USGS for Onion Butte.
Directions: From Chico, take Highway 32 northeast for 40 miles (it becomes narrow and twisty). Just after crossing a small, red, metal bridge (locals call it the Red Bridge) that crosses Deer Creek, park on the right (south) side of the road, where there’s a dirt pullout. The trailhead is just up from the bridge, on the left (north) side of the road.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
4.0 mi/2.75 hr
in the Ishi Wilderness east of Red Bluff
The pay-off is Mill Creek, a gorgeous foothill stream set at the bottom of a deep foothill canyon in the Ishi Wilderness. The trail starts by following an old jeep road, then leaves the road at a fence line off to the right. If it’s hot, which is typical here most of the year, you’ll already be reaching for your canteen. The trail then drops like a cannonball for 1,000 feet into the Mill Creek Canyon. This canyon is a surprising and awesome habitat with some of the prettiest areas of the Ishi Wilderness. Some of the volcanic rock formations and canyon rims are awesome. The fishing is also often good. Rules mandate catch-and-release with the use of artificials.
There is a problem, of course, and this is it: Shadowing your trek and enjoyment of the Mill Creek Canyon is the knowledge that you have to climb back out. To make it out before sunset, that climb will likely be during the late afternoon, the hottest part of the day. By the time you reach the car, your butt will be thoroughly kicked.
Also note that the trailhead access road is quite rough, impassable for most cars, and that’s just a prelude to what lies ahead.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 20 miles to Paynes Creek and continue to Little Giant Mill Road. Turn right (south) on Little Giant Mill Road (Road 202) and drive seven miles to Ponderosa Way. Turn south and drive about 10 miles to Forest Road 28N57. Turn right (west) and follow the Peligreen Jeep Trail for two miles to the Rancheria trailhead. The last two miles of road are suitable only for four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
13.0 mi/1 day
in the Ishi Wilderness east of Red Bluff
If you have time for only one trail in the Ishi Wilderness, the trail to Lower Mill Creek is the one to pick. That goes whether you want to invest just an hour or a full day, because any length of trip can be a joy here. The trail parallels Mill Creek for 6.5 miles to its headwaters at Papes Place. You get magnificent scenery in this foothill canyonland and many good fishing and swimming holes along the way. This is a dramatic foothill canyon, and as you stand along the stream, the walls can seem to ascend into heaven. It’s a land shaped by thousands of years of wind and water.
Note: Directly across from the trailhead, on Ponderosa Way, is another trailhead, this one for a route that follows Upper Mill Creek into Lassen National Forest. Although not as spectacular as Lower Mill Creek, it provides a good option for hiking, fishing, and swimming. Note that fishing is restricted to catch-and-release and the use of artificials.
Note: A trail map is strongly advised for those hiking in the Ishi Wilderness.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 20 miles to Paynes Creek, and continue to Little Giant Mill Road. Turn right (south) on Little Giant Mill Road (Road 202) and drive seven miles to Ponderosa Way. Turn south at Ponderosa Way and drive about 17 miles to the Mill Creek trailhead. The access road is a slow go.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
14.0 mi/1.5 days
in the Ishi Wilderness east of Red Bluff
In the spring in the Ishi, the foothill country is loaded with wildflowers and tall, fresh grass. The views of the Sacramento Valley are spectacular. The Moak Trail is located on the eastern border of the Ishi Wilderness and is routed into the wilderness center. The trail includes a poke-and-probe section over a lava-rock boulder field, and there are good trail camps at Deep Hole (2,800 feet) and Drennan. It’s an excellent weekend trip, including a loop route by linking Moak Trail with Buena Vista Trail, most of it easy walking. Hit it right in the spring, and Moak Trail could be the best overnight hike in California’s foothill country. Hit it wrong in the summer, and you’ll wonder what you did to deserve such a terrible fate. Alas, if you try this trip in the summer or fall, you’ll need to have your gray matter examined at Red Bluff General. No wildflowers, no shade, 100-degree temperatures, and as for water, you’re dreamin’.
Note: A trail map is strongly advised for those hiking in the Ishi Wilderness.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 20 miles to Paynes Creek, and continue to Little Giant Mill Road. Turn right (south) on Little Giant Mill Road (Road 202) and drive seven miles to Ponderosa Way. Turn south at Ponderosa Way and drive about 24 miles to the Moak trailhead.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
14.0 mi/1.5 days
in the Ishi Wilderness east of Red Bluff
The Deer Creek Trail is the most popular hike in the Ishi Wilderness, and that’s no accident. Even if you cut the trip short to just an hour or two, the hike is a pleasurable romp. The trail runs midway up open slopes, offering spectacular views of Deer Creek Canyon’s basalt cliffs and spires, and of the stream below.
The trailhead is at the southeast border of the wilderness. Right from the start, it’s routed along the north shore of Deer Creek. Iron Mountain (at 3,274 feet) is located to the immediate north. The trail continues along the stream into the wilderness interior. It skirts past the northern edge of what is called the Graham Pinery, a dense island of ponderosa pine growing on a mountain terrace. A bonus is good bird-watching for hawks, eagles, and falcons at the rock cliffs, and looking for a large variety of wildlife, including rattlesnakes (here’s your warning) and lots of squirrels and quail. Trout fishing can be decent near Potato Patch and Alder Creek Campgrounds. Below Potato Patch Campground, fishing is catch-and-release only with the use of artificials.
Note: A trail map is strongly advised for those hiking in the Ishi Wilderness.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 20 miles to Paynes Creek, and continue to Little Giant Mill Road. Turn right (south) on Little Giant Mill Road (Road 202) and drive seven miles to Ponderosa Way. Turn south at Ponderosa Way and drive about 26 miles to the Deer Creek trailhead.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
9.0 mi/1 day
in the Ishi Wilderness east of Red Bluff
The Devils Den Trail runs on the opposite side of Deer Creek from the Deer Creek Trail (see hike listing in this chapter). The trailhead is less than a half mile from the Deer Creek trailhead, but that is where the similarities end. The trail starts easy. It is routed along Deer Creek for the first mile (trout fishing here is restricted to catch-and-release and the use of artificials). Enjoy yourself, because what follows is not exactly a picnic. The trail turns left and climbs up Little Pine Creek all the way to the ridge top, with the last mile on an old, hot, and chunky abandoned road. Along the way, the vegetation changes from riparian along the creek to woodland on the slopes, then chaparral on the ridge. A series of small volcanic spires and formations spike the Deer Creek Rim, in some cases, they look like they are from another planet. In addition, an island of conifers, the Graham Pinery, is available for viewing with a 0.25-mile side trip. Many do this hike just for this opportunity. Note: Always bring a water filtration pump to fill your canteen at Deer Creek.
The main attractions here are: 1) nobody else is usually around; 2) Deer Creek; 3) nobody else is usually around; 4) the Graham Pinery; 5) nobody else is usually around; 6) the volcanic rim; 7) nobody else is usually around.
Note: A trail map is strongly advised for those hiking in the Ishi Wilderness.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required for overnight use. Parking and access are free.
Maps: A trail map is available for a fee from Almanor Ranger District. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest or Ishi Wilderness. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Panther Spring and Butte Meadows.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive about 20 miles to Paynes Creek and then continue to Little Giant Mill Road. Turn right (south) on Little Giant Mill Road (Road 202) and drive seven miles to Ponderosa Way. Turn south at Ponderosa Way and drive 32.5 miles to the Devils Den trailhead (just south of the Deer Creek trailhead).
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
28.0 mi one-way/2 days
at Humboldt Summit in Lassen National Forest
The idea of back-to-back 14-mile days to get through this chunk of trail may not appeal to weekend hikers, especially while carrying full-weight expedition packs. But that’s standard for most hikers on this stretch of PCT. Some may even try to do it in a day, with little here to tarry for and with Lassen Volcanic National Park beckoning ahead. The trail starts just below Humboldt Peak, at 7,087 feet, and heads north along the ridgeline. For the most part, the trail is routed past Butt Mountain (7,866 feet) and down to Soldier Meadows. A spring and stream make this a delightful stop before crossing Highway 36, forging onward another three miles to the Stove Springs Campground. The trail then skirts around the western flank of North Stover Mountain and drops down to Domingo Springs, where another campground is available.
To continue north on the PCT, see the Domingo Springs to Lassen Volcanic National Park (PCT) hike in this chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Feather River to Humboldt Summit (PCT) hike in this chapter to continue south.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Humboldt Peak and Stover Mountain.
Directions: From Red Bluff, take Highway 36 east and drive 47 miles to the junction with Highway 89. Turn south on Highway 89 and drive four miles to County Road 308 (Humboldt Road). Turn right and drive 15 miles to the trailhead parking area.
Contact: Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District, Chester, 530/258-2141, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
26.0 mi one-way/2 days
at the Belden Trailhead on Highway 70 in Plumas National Forest
The trail is not only rough from Belden to Humboldt Summit, it’s not particularly pretty either, especially compared to the nearby wilderness. The climb is a dry slice of rattlesnake country. From the North Fork Feather River at Belden (elevation 2,310 feet), the PCT climbs 4,777 feet over the course of this two-day thumper to Humboldt Summit, at 7,087 feet. There are no lakes along this trail, only a few small water holes requiring short side trips. Instead, the prettiest sections are along streams, the first being Chips Creek, which runs adjacent to the trail for eight miles. Then later, there’s a short crossing over the headwaters of Willow Creek. Some might prefer to take three days instead of two to hike this section, but with the stunning Lassen Volcanic National Park looming ahead, most hikers are willing to put in long days to get through this area.
To continue north on the PCT, see the Humboldt Summit to Domingo Springs (PCT) hike in this chapter. If you are walking this trail in reverse, see the Bucks Summit to Feather River (PCT) hike, in the Sacramento and Gold Country chapter, to continue south.
User Groups: Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain bikes. No wheelchair facilities.
Permits: A campfire permit (free) is required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Plumas National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Belden and Humboldt Peak.
Directions: From Quincy, drive west on Highway 70 about 26 miles to the trailhead, at the roadside rest area at Belden.
Contact: Plumas National Forest, Mount Hough Ranger District, Quincy, 530/283-0555, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
1.0-26.0 mi one-way/0.5 hr-3 days
west of Susanville
This is the best mountain bike trail in California that nobody knows about, the 26.6-mile Bizz Johnson Trail. For biking, it’s a 10. For hiking, it’s OK for short day trips, in and out. It can be euphoric as a bike ride with views, tunnels, trestles, forest, and a 1 percent grade.
The Bizz Johnson Trail can be okay for day-trip walks, with trailhead access spaced five to seven miles apart. People can hike or bike different portions of the trail. You don’t have to complete the entire route, of course. The seven-mile stretch west of Susanville is the most popular stretch of the 25-mile route. The biggest problem is your trip can feel like the endless hike to nowhere.
The trailhead is at 4,200 feet, and the high point of the route is at 5,600 feet at Westwood Junction. The trail traces the old Fernley and Lassen railroad line, a branch line of the South Pacific Railroad. It is routed in the Susan River Canyon along the Susan River for 15 miles, then from the Susanville Railroad Depot to the Mason Station trailhead five miles north of Westwood. The surface is a mixture of compacted dirt and small gravel. The trail features beautiful views in many areas and passes through two old railroad tunnels and 11 old railroad bridges. You won’t cross any developed areas.
In the 1960s, when Shasta legend John Reginato heard that Southern Pacific was going to abandon a rail line between Westwood and Susanville, he urged that it be converted to a hiking trail. It took many years, but the idea eventually struck home, and the Bureau of Land Management worked with the U.S. Forest Service to develop and refine it.
The one negative: Like most rails-to-trails projects, it’s way too wide.
In the winter, it makes a great trip on cross-country skis or on a snowmobile (snowmobiling is allowed on the western half of the trail, from Mason Station to just beyond Westwood Junction).
User Groups: Hikers, dogs (must be leashed near Susanville), horses, and mountain bikes. Wheelchair-accessible from Susanville and Hobo Camp trailhead.
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.
Maps: For a free brochure, contact the Bureau of Land Management. For a map, ask the U.S. Forest Service for Lassen National Forest. For topographic maps, ask the USGS for Westwood East, Fredonyer Pass, and Susanville.
Directions: From Susanville, take Highway 36 to Weatherlow Street. Turn on Weatherlow (it becomes Richmond Road) and drive 0.5 mile to the Susanville Depot Visitors Center and the trailhead, on the right.
Alternate trailhead: From Westwood, take Highway 36 to County Road A21. Turn north and drive three miles to a signed trailhead access road (dirt). Turn right and drive 0.4 mile to the trailhead, on the left.
Contact: Lassen Land & Trails Trust, 530/257-3252, www.lassenlandandtrailstrust.org; Lassen National Forest, Eagle Lake Ranger District, Susanville, 530/257-4188, www.fs.usda.gov/lassen; Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office, Susanville, 530/257-0456, www.blm.gov/ca/.