Lassen Volcanic National Park guide · 1 min read
Timing Your Visit Around Lassen's Snowpack
Most visitors plan around mid-July through September, when the park's roads and hiking trails are generally clear of snow.
Summer days tend to be warm and dry, with cool nights, and mornings can feel chilly, so bring an extra layer.
Snow is the main factor in timing a trip. It usually starts to pile up in October and stays on the ground in most places until July, while some isolated pockets can hold snow all year. Highway 89, the 30-mile park road, is cleared in late spring and typically opens sometime between mid-May and early July, depending on how much snow the park received. The exact date shifts from year to year.
Most hiking trails sit at high elevation and stay under snow for much of the year. Many open in June or July, and snow can still linger on them into late summer. The Bumpass Hell Trail normally opens in mid-July. It leads to the largest hydrothermal area in the park, where steam vents, bubbling mud pots, and a small boardwalk loop await. The trailhead lies eight miles north of the Southwest Entrance, and parking can be hard to find, so arriving early helps.
Fall brings the road closure. Once winter snow settles over most of the Highway 89 corridor, the road closes until spring, usually in late autumn. With the road shut, vehicle access is limited to the Manzanita Lake area in the northwest and the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center in the southwest. Snowshoes and cross-country skis let you reach other parts of the park along the road.
Winter visits call for proper gear and a clear plan. Check current park conditions before you set out, since both the road and the trails depend on how much snow has fallen that season.
