Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The high mountain pass of Highway 89 allows easy access to the summit of Lassen Peak. The 2.5-mile (4 km) trail to the summit begins from a parking lot on the highway. The trip to the peak and back is a total of five miles (8 km) with a climb of about 2,000 feet (610 m). The average time for the round trip is 3-5 hours. The elevation of the trail is from 8,000 feet (2,430 m) to 10,457 feet (3,187 m) so care should be taken if you are not used to high altitudes.
Lassen Peak, commonly referred to as Mount Lassen, is a 10,457-foot (3,187 m) lava dome volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. Located in the Shasta Cascade region above the northern Sacramento Valley, it is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range of the Western United States, and part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc stretching from southwestern British Columbia to Northern California. It supports many flora and fauna among its diverse habitats, which reach high elevations and are subject to frequent snowfall.
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On Highway 89, about one mile +(1.6 km) north of the Southwest Entrance. A small geothermal area with mudpots, fumaroles and hot water flow. Its small parking lot is right on the highway. A boardwalk allows for closer viewing of the features.
The historic museum is located one mile from the northwest entrance of the park near Manzanita Lake. The museum is only open during the summer months. Visit for information, to view exhibits and the park film, shop at the educational bookstore, or participate in a ranger-led program.