Lassen Volcanic NP

Lassen Volcanic National Park is the fourth and most southern National Park in the Cascade Mountains. Since it has active volcanoes, Mt. Lassen last erupted in 1915, you can experience the steaming fumarole, bubbling mud pots and hot springs.

You can also explore the insides of lava tubes, enjoy the painted hills and climb cinder cones from old volcanoes. And, who knew that a hiking a cinder cone is actually like climbing a huge sand mountain and then finding out that the inside is conical shaped.

Since it is made up of large to tiny particles that easily fall apart when poked, what keeps it from being washed away each spring when the 40+ feet of snow melts? (It took a long time to climb so we had plenty of time to raise questions.)

Lassen Volcano peak was over 10,000 feet making it our tallest climb this trip, but we met a man celebrating his 74th birthday at the top of the peak! Maybe, we have a few more years of hiking in us! The view from the high points highlighted how challenging life is for the plants and animals here and how resilient they are.

Also a dark sky location at some areas of the park. Dean had a fun time with the camera at night. However, we did have to find our way home in some very dark parts of the park.

Not only have volcanoes wiped out large parts of the area and left thick layers of ground rocks for the moat tenacious plants to grow, but a 2021 forest fire destroyed 69% of the area. The types of trees that grow here are used to fire and require it to open the seed cones so that new trees can grow. Amid the destruction we saw many tiny pine and fir trees that will become the future forest. It is a good reminder that something positive can come out of what looks like tragedy.

And, the many deer, pika and golden ground squirrels were quite content and didn’t seem to care that we were visiting their home. They were all so busy fattening up for the soon to arrive winter that they would glance at us for a second and then go back to eating as we passed by. With short summers plants were in bloom so we got enjoy the flowers, bees, butterflies, and many crickets and at the same time some leaves were turning crimson. This place was a unique experience for us.