Sight · Lassen Volcanic National Park
A 75-foot waterfall worth the hot, hilly hike to reach it.
Overview
Mill Creek Falls is a 75-foot waterfall where East Sulphur and Bumpass creeks meet. It is the highest waterfall in Lassen Volcanic, but the falls sit well beyond the road: this is a real hike, not a pullout. I'd choose it when you want a walk with a clear payoff, and skip it if you only have time for a quick stop. The out-and-back is about 3.8 miles and takes roughly 2½ to 3 hours.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs it worth the walk?Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lassen Volcanic Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lassen Volcanic National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Lassen Volcanic audio tourRecorded for this place
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and Café“You're nearing Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, a useful stop for choosing hikes and getting a handle on the landscape. Start with the three-dimensional geology map, then ask the staff about trail and snow conditions.”
Plays as you drive up to Mill Creek Falls in the Parkwolf Lassen Volcanic Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Start behind the amphitheater by the southwest parking area. The trail drops about 925 feet to the falls, a climb you get back on the return. It winds in and out of gullies along East Sulphur Creek, with rocky, narrow stretches and creek crossings. NPS rates it moderately strenuous. The route is sun-exposed, so avoid the hottest part of the day and bring drinking water.
The 2021 Dixie Fire burned most of the forest along this drainage and opened the viewshed. The route crosses open hillside before threading through forested patches closer to the falls. From the hillside, look for Brokeoff Mountain and Mount Diller. Mule ears cover much of the open slope and are usually in full bloom by July; blue and white stickseed grow there too. Deer and birds are also likely along the trail.
At the viewpoint, the water drops into a steep, rocky gorge. For a photo, aim down over the fall and keep the creek below in frame; that shows how the water cuts through the rocks instead of leaving you with only a close crop of the chute.
Wildlife
103 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
44 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
348 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
17 sightingsSandhill CraneMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
47 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
12 sightingsGreat EgretMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lassen Volcanic. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateMill Creek Falls Trail3.7 mi · 2.8 hr · 1.1 mi awayA 75-foot waterfall rewards the repeated climbs.
ChallengingRidge Lakes Trail2.2 mi · 1.8 hr · 1.3 mi awayA steep climb to two small lakes in a volcanic cirque.
ChallengingBrokeoff Mountain Trail7.4 mi · 6 hr · 1.4 mi awayA steep summit climb with Lassen views and an ancient caldera.
ModerateBumpass Hell Trail3 mi · 2 hr · 1.7 mi awayA steady first mile leads to a steaming basin boardwalk.
ModerateConard Meadows Shuttle Trail8 mi · 4.5 hr · 1.8 mi awayA shuttle links two lakes, Conard Meadows and a 75-foot waterfall.ChallengingTwin Meadows Shuttle Hike14.4 mi · 9 hr · 1.8 mi awayA faint, long downhill shuttle through high meadows and volcanic country.
EasyCrumbaugh Lake Trail2.6 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.9 mi awayTwo lakes, muted bubbles, and a meadow below Mount Conard.
ChallengingLassen Peak Trail5 mi · 4.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayCinder slopes and ridge switchbacks reach a volcanic summit.
Scenic pullout · 0.4 mi awayDiamond Peak Scenic VistaA quick pullout for Lassen Peak and the creek valley.
Campground · 1 mi awaySouthwest CampgroundWalk-in tents beside the visitor center; winter camping is vehicle-only.
Visitor center · 1.1 mi awayKohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor CenterA 3-D geology map makes volcanic terrain click
Food · 1.1 mi awayLassen Café & GiftA handy stop for sandwiches, espresso, and soft-serve.
Entrance station · 1.1 mi awaySouthwest Entrance StationA quick first stop for passes and a park map.
Sight · 1.3 mi awaySulphur WorksColored mudpots and steam, just steps from the park highway.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayBumpass HellWalk boardwalks among bubbling pools and steaming vents in a 16-acre basin.
Scenic pullout · 1.5 mi awayLittle Hot Springs Valley OverlookBinoculars help reveal vents in the valley below.Parkwolf’s Lassen Volcanic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
