Lassen Peak Scenic Vista

Lassen Peak Scenic Vista is the roadside photo stop at the Lassen Peak parking area on Highway 89. You can see the 10,457-foot peak and take the view in without hiking to the summit. The Lassen Peak Trail starts from the same lot, but the vista and the climb are separate choices. Use the parking area itself for the direct view of the mountain.

Lassen Peak is one of the world's largest plug dome volcanoes. It formed about 27,000 years ago as a volcanic vent on the northern flank of Brokeoff Volcano. From the lot, its rugged upper slopes rise immediately above the road, making the scale of this younger volcano easy to read.

The eruptive sequence began with a steam explosion in 1914 and continued intermittently until 1917. The major May 22, 1915 eruption sent a pyroclastic flow several miles northeast and ash more than 200 miles east to Winnemucca. Those eruptions helped lead to the creation of Lassen Volcanic National Park, so this quick stop puts the park's volcanic story right in front of you.

The vista sits near the crest of the park's Highway 89 route, at about 8,512 feet. Snow can linger well into summer, and in heavy-snow years it may last much longer. Highway 89 can be closed or impassable during the snowy season, roughly November into June, so check current road conditions before you plan a drive around this stop.