Days 17, 18: Lassen Volcanic National Park | Total Drive Time: 7 hours | Total Distance: 375 miles
We’re back ‘home’! We called this wonderful area home from 2002 to 2004 when we lived at the park headquarters in Mineral. I worked for the Park as a wildland firefighter and Laura taught at the local elementary schools. Since 2004 we visited once in late 2005 and hadn’t been back since.
We were excited to bring our kids to this wonderful National Park. It’s a hidden gem in the National Park System, and we like it that way. Less crowds means more opportunity to explore the park in solitude.
We camped at Manzanita Lake where I was stationed during my time at the park. It’s a beautiful area to explore with plenty of views and hikes. We hiked Bumpass Hell and out in the northeast part of the park at Butte Lake. We took a leisurely stroll around Manzanita Lake where we enjoyed lunch on our second day in the park.
If you have never been to Lassen, I recommend visiting. All four types of volcanoes, hydrothermal features, Pacific Crest Trail, and plenty of views are found here.
