Visit Lassen Volcanic National Park

Took a trip to Lassen Volcanic National where the air was clear (we have been having very smokey days here due to wildfires just north of us.) We rented a cozy cabin for three for two nights. There was  me, my husband and his 16 year old son all having a great time in the wood camping and hiking. Below are some of the photos from this trip and place we hiked. And, I couldn't go on a trip and not stop at the local thrift stores.

This is the great little cabin we stayed in, there is no electricity or water, but the Park provides you with a battery operated lantern and it has a propane wall heater, that we didn't need to use, the temperatures were high around 89 F, lows around 54 F, Inside is a table, chairs and double bed, and room for the son on the floor with an air mattress.

It is getting dusk, around 7 pm this is Manzanita Lake where the cabins are, the lake was caused by a avalanche on Chaos Crags blocking Manzanita creek and forming this lake about 350 years ago. Can you see the ducks?

We hiked around the lake the first evening which was 1.5 miles.

Chaos Crags squeezed upward 1,100 years ago from explosive eruptions, and Manzanita Lake.

Chaos Crags, Manzanita Lake and Mt Lassen to the right.

And of course they made buildings out of the rocks that got spewed all over the place. This building is at the northwest entrance, not sure what it was used for, looks like it may be an old ranger house.

Manzanita Creek

They have this seismograph set up for show, there are side window you can look in to see the machine working, but it is not what they use to measure the earths activity. There are 35-40 seismographs set up around the park which is 150 square miles.

This is Loomis Museum, named after Ben Loomis who bought 40 acres here. He studied the landscape, took photos and opened this as a learning center back in the early part of the 20s. This building is by Manzanita Lake and the campground. Loomis donated the property to the Park in 1929.

Wide view of the cabins in the woods at the campground.

We are heading to the south park entrance and stopping along the road to enjoy the sights. This is looking down on a creek that meanders through a meadow.

Helen Lake

These are some wild lupines growing among the rocks. We were hiking along the trail to Bumpass Hell to see the mud pots and steam vents. The trail was pretty narrow along these rocks at some points dropping down into the valley. (3 miles round trip)

Looking south from the Bumpass Hell trail.

Hot water coming from the earth at Bumpass Hell, these are acid-sulfate hot springs with temperatures recorded as high as 322 F.

Bumpass Hell  read more about these hot spots.

So pretty, very tempting to take a soak, spring at Bumpass Hell

More hot springs at Bumpass Hell overlook ramp on right.

The park has built these sidewalks to keep people safe because the crust near these mud holes and hot springs can break and people have been know to fall into the hot water. This is exactly what happened to Kendall Bumpass when in 1865, he lost his leg when it was severely burned when he fell through the crust.

We are off on another hike, 3 miles round trip, to Kings Creek Falls

Kings Creek Falls a 50'waterfall.

Devastation from a Forest Fire in 2011, this photo was taken from the side of the road.

And how can I travel without checking out the local thrift shops, these two are in Shingletown located about 25 miles from Lassen

Found a lovely aqua and silver 1960s cocktail dress in this thrift shop

Rain stands for Rescued Animals in Need so all proceeds go to spaying and neutering and placing animals in homes. she places about 100 cats a year and 25 dogs, pretty good for a small town store. Some of the animals live right here at the store or in her home, there is no 'shelter'.

 Here I found a beautiful 1920/30 hand painted rose earring piece surrounded by rhinestones. The lady that had donated it said it belonged to her mother,  the lady was in her late 60s, she said it was from a pair of earrings but she lost the other earring and can't just throw things away so she made a pendent out of it and put it on a chain.

Lassen is just one of the 59 beautiful National Parks in this country, I have been to several others and hope to go to many more. While we were at Lassen we learned a lot about volcanoes, such as there are four types and all four types are found in Lassen. A wonderful place to learn geology, history and enjoy the peacefulness of nature.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

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