Sight · Lassen Volcanic National Park
A backcountry lake born from Cinder Cone’s lava.
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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
Butte Lake and Cinder Cone“You're nearing Butte Lake, where blue water meets rough black lava. Stop for a picnic, a swim, or a paddle in a canoe or kayak; motorboats aren't allowed.”
Plays as you drive up to Snag Lake 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
Snag Lake is a remote backcountry lake in Lassen Volcanic’s Butte Lake area, known for trout fishing and the unusual volcanic story behind its formation. It’s reached by trail, and the Snag Lake Loop is a 13-mile, moderate round trip. Save this for a proper hike, not a quick stop on the drive; The 4-mile Cinder Cone hike is a shorter outing from the same area.
Between A.D. 1630 and 1670, lava from Cinder Cone’s Painted Dunes blocked Grassy Creek and created Snag Lake. Water now seeps beneath the lava toward Butte Lake, about two miles north. That ties the two lake basins together: the same eruption partly filled Butte Lake with lava, too.
Rainbow, brown, and brook trout live in the lake, and fishing is one reason to make the hike. A valid California fishing license is required. A small tree-covered island and the ridge’s reflection give you a clear photo subject from shore; wait for calm water if you want both to show sharply.
Reach the Butte Lake Day Use Area in the park’s northeast corner by a six-mile dirt road off Highway 44, then continue on foot. The Snag Lake Loop is 13 miles round trip and rated moderate, with long sun-exposed stretches. Parking and restrooms are at Butte Lake, and drinking water is available when the campground is open. There’s no food service in this remote area, so carry what you need.
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
ModerateRed Cinder Cone Trail8.8 mi · 5 hr · 2.3 mi awayA remote 8.8-mile traverse through the Red Cinder Cone corridor.
EasyCameron Meadow Trail2.4 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.6 mi awayA short, low-gain walk to a seasonal wet meadow.
ModerateInspiration Point Trail1.5 mi · 1.1 hr · 3.4 mi awayA brief climb to a ridge above Juniper Lake
ModerateJuniper Lake Loop6.4 mi · 4 hr · 3.4 mi awayA remote 6.4-mile circuit around a high-elevation lake.
ChallengingCinder Cone Trail4 mi · 3 hr · 3.4 mi awayA steep cone climb, a rim loop, and the Painted Dunes
ChallengingHorseshoe Lake Loop from Butte Lake20.4 mi · 12 hr · 3.4 mi awayA full-day lake loop past cinder fields, painted dunes, and burned forest.
ModerateHorseshoe Lake Trail2.6 mi · 2 hr · 3.4 mi awayA short forest hike to a lakeshore beneath Lassen's skyline
ChallengingRainbow Lake Loop13.4 mi · 8.5 hr · 3.4 mi awayA remote high-country loop among three tucked-away lakes
Sight · 2.6 mi awayCinder ConeClimb the loose cone for a crater and lava-bed panorama.Sight · 2.9 mi awayPainted DunesColorful ash dunes first appear from Cinder Cone's trail fork.Sight · 2.9 mi awayInspiration PointA short, steep climb earns a wide volcanic panorama.Sight · 3.4 mi awayJuniper LakeA coarse-sand beach, cool swimming, and trailheads share one shore.
Sight · 3.5 mi awayButte LakeBlue water meets black lava at a remote northeastern lake.
Campground · 3.5 mi awayButte Lake CampgroundA remote base for lake days and Cinder Cone hikes.
Sight · 3.6 mi awayHorseshoe LakeA trout lake people have fished since 1936
Campground · 4.5 mi awayJuniper Lake CampgroundCamp beside the lake, after six rough dirt-road miles.Parkwolf’s Lassen Volcanic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
