Best time to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park: June and August–September. Daily highs run about 70–75°F, with about 60% of July's visitors.
Hardest months: December–March, mostly because of cold weather.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Lassen Volcanic National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 7 locations. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Snow | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 38° / 25°F | 0.9 in | 44.4 in | Quiet | – |
| February | Poor | 38° / 23°F | 0.9 in | 36.2 in | Quiet | – |
| March | Poor | 40° / 25°F | 1.1 in | 41.1 in | Quiet | – |
| April | Poor | 48° / 30°F | 0.9 in | 19.1 in | Quiet | – |
| May | Poor | 56° / 36°F | 1.6 in | 6.3 in | Quiet | – |
| June | Best | 70° / 46°F | 0.9 in | 1.1 in | Busy | – |
| July | Good | 79° / 54°F | 0.5 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Best | 77° / 54°F | 0.6 in | – | Moderate | – |
| September | Best | 69° / 47°F | 1.0 in | 0.8 in | Moderate | – |
| October | Fair | 58° / 38°F | 1.6 in | 4.3 in | Quiet | – |
| November | Poor | 44° / 28°F | 1.1 in | 19.9 in | Quiet | – |
| December | Poor | 36° / 23°F | 1.5 in | 42.1 in | Quiet | – |
Weather by location
Parks with a big range of elevation can differ a lot from one area to another. Open a location to see its own numbers.
Park-wide (center of the park)
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36°F | 23°F | 0.6 in | 45.4 in |
| February | 36°F | 21°F | 0.7 in | 37.0 in |
| March | 38°F | 23°F | 0.9 in | 41.0 in |
| April | 45°F | 28°F | 0.7 in | 19.5 in |
| May | 53°F | 34°F | 1.4 in | 6.7 in |
| June | 67°F | 44°F | 0.8 in | 1.3 in |
| July | 77°F | 52°F | 0.6 in | – |
| August | 75°F | 52°F | 0.7 in | – |
| September | 67°F | 45°F | 0.9 in | 0.9 in |
| October | 56°F | 36°F | 1.4 in | 5.0 in |
| November | 42°F | 27°F | 0.7 in | 21.1 in |
| December | 34°F | 21°F | 1.1 in | 43.4 in |
Southwest
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37°F | 24°F | 0.8 in | 52.5 in |
| February | 37°F | 23°F | 0.9 in | 42.3 in |
| March | 39°F | 24°F | 1.0 in | 47.8 in |
| April | 46°F | 29°F | 0.8 in | 23.2 in |
| May | 54°F | 34°F | 1.4 in | 8.8 in |
| June | 68°F | 45°F | 1.0 in | 1.5 in |
| July | 77°F | 54°F | 0.5 in | – |
| August | 76°F | 53°F | 0.5 in | – |
| September | 67°F | 47°F | 1.1 in | 1.2 in |
| October | 57°F | 38°F | 1.7 in | 4.8 in |
| November | 43°F | 28°F | 0.9 in | 24.1 in |
| December | 35°F | 22°F | 1.3 in | 48.6 in |
Manzanita Lake Area
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40°F | 27°F | 1.7 in | 37.4 in |
| February | 41°F | 26°F | 1.4 in | 30.9 in |
| March | 42°F | 28°F | 1.7 in | 38.2 in |
| April | 50°F | 32°F | 1.6 in | 16.7 in |
| May | 59°F | 39°F | 2.2 in | 5.1 in |
| June | 71°F | 48°F | 1.1 in | 0.6 in |
| July | 79°F | 56°F | 0.5 in | – |
| August | 78°F | 55°F | 0.5 in | – |
| September | 70°F | 49°F | 1.2 in | 0.5 in |
| October | 60°F | 41°F | 1.9 in | 2.5 in |
| November | 47°F | 31°F | 2.0 in | 14.0 in |
| December | 39°F | 26°F | 2.3 in | 33.8 in |
Summit Lake
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37°F | 24°F | 0.6 in | 45.4 in |
| February | 37°F | 22°F | 0.7 in | 37.0 in |
| March | 40°F | 25°F | 0.9 in | 41.0 in |
| April | 47°F | 29°F | 0.7 in | 19.5 in |
| May | 55°F | 35°F | 1.4 in | 6.7 in |
| June | 69°F | 46°F | 0.8 in | 1.3 in |
| July | 78°F | 54°F | 0.6 in | – |
| August | 77°F | 53°F | 0.7 in | – |
| September | 68°F | 47°F | 0.9 in | 0.9 in |
| October | 57°F | 38°F | 1.4 in | 5.0 in |
| November | 44°F | 28°F | 0.7 in | 21.1 in |
| December | 35°F | 23°F | 1.1 in | 43.4 in |
Butte Lake Area
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39°F | 25°F | 0.8 in | 34.5 in |
| February | 39°F | 23°F | 0.9 in | 28.7 in |
| March | 42°F | 26°F | 1.0 in | 32.9 in |
| April | 49°F | 30°F | 0.7 in | 14.2 in |
| May | 58°F | 37°F | 1.6 in | 4.2 in |
| June | 71°F | 47°F | 0.7 in | 0.9 in |
| July | 81°F | 54°F | 0.5 in | – |
| August | 80°F | 54°F | 0.5 in | – |
| September | 71°F | 47°F | 0.8 in | 0.5 in |
| October | 59°F | 39°F | 1.4 in | 4.1 in |
| November | 46°F | 29°F | 0.9 in | 15.6 in |
| December | 37°F | 23°F | 1.3 in | 35.2 in |
Juniper Lake
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36°F | 23°F | 0.8 in | 49.2 in |
| February | 36°F | 22°F | 0.8 in | 40.1 in |
| March | 39°F | 24°F | 1.0 in | 44.5 in |
| April | 46°F | 28°F | 0.8 in | 21.4 in |
| May | 54°F | 34°F | 1.5 in | 7.3 in |
| June | 68°F | 45°F | 0.9 in | 1.4 in |
| July | 78°F | 53°F | 0.5 in | – |
| August | 76°F | 53°F | 0.5 in | – |
| September | 68°F | 46°F | 1.0 in | 1.1 in |
| October | 57°F | 37°F | 1.6 in | 4.7 in |
| November | 43°F | 27°F | 0.9 in | 23.0 in |
| December | 34°F | 21°F | 1.2 in | 46.6 in |
Warner Valley Area
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40°F | 26°F | 1.1 in | 46.4 in |
| February | 41°F | 25°F | 1.2 in | 37.3 in |
| March | 43°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 42.4 in |
| April | 51°F | 32°F | 0.9 in | 19.1 in |
| May | 60°F | 39°F | 1.7 in | 5.4 in |
| June | 73°F | 48°F | 0.9 in | 1.0 in |
| July | 82°F | 56°F | 0.4 in | – |
| August | 81°F | 55°F | 0.5 in | – |
| September | 72°F | 49°F | 0.9 in | 0.6 in |
| October | 61°F | 40°F | 1.8 in | 4.1 in |
| November | 47°F | 30°F | 1.1 in | 20.7 in |
| December | 38°F | 25°F | 1.8 in | 43.9 in |
Lassen Volcanic National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a difficult time to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. Daily highs average 40–56°F and lows 25–36°F. Expect about 1.2 in of rain a month and 22.2 in of snow, with up to 37 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 7–31% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is among the best times to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. Daily highs average 70–79°F and lows 46–54°F. Expect about 0.7 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 46–100% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a mixed time to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. Daily highs average 44–69°F and lows 28–47°F. Expect about 1.2 in of rain a month and 8.4 in of snow, with up to 3 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 10–56% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. Daily highs average 36–38°F and lows 23–25°F. Expect about 1.1 in of rain a month and 40.9 in of snow, with up to 29 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 6–8% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Weather at Lassen can vary dramatically throughout the year. Average January temperatures are a high of 40.4 °F (4.7 °C) and a low of 20.8 °F (-6.2 °C). Average July temperatures are a high of 88.4 °F and a low of 49.8 °F. Temperatures reach 90 °F or higher on an average of 36.9 days, and drop to 32 ° or lower on an average of 164 days days annually.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 7 locations. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
