Brokeoff Mountain Trail

Brokeoff Mountain Trail is a strenuous 7.4-mile out-and-back from the parking lot near Lassen Volcanic’s southwest entrance to the 9,235-foot summit. Allow about six hours. The trail climbs roughly 2,600 feet from the 6,635-foot start, and the air gets thin near the top. This is a sustained mountain climb, not a quick viewpoint walk. If you have half a day and want a big peak hike, the payoff is a wide view into the old Brokeoff Volcano caldera and a ring of northern California summits.

The path begins across Lassen Peak Highway from the parking area. For about two miles it gains steadily through open meadows and forest, with creeks and wetter ground along the lower slopes. The trees change as you climb: thicker forest gives way to scattered mountain hemlock, then the open upper mountain. The change in scenery is a good reason to take your time rather than charging straight for the summit.

The steepest work comes late, as the trail leaves the trees for rugged volcanic ground. Expect rocky outcrops and loose volcanic sand, with little shelter once you are above timberline. Stay on the path, especially where snow covers or hides the tread; cutting across soft slopes can turn a hard climb into a slow, awkward one. Before the final half-mile, the west side opens to Mount Shasta. The final switchback leads to the summit.

The summit view takes in Lassen Peak, Mount Conard, Chaos Crags, Mount Diller, Mount Shasta, and the surrounding high country. Brokeoff Mountain is the remnant of the much larger Brokeoff Volcano, also called Mount Tehama, and the summit gives you a clear look into its old caldera. For a photograph, keep some of the broken ridge in the foreground with Lassen Peak beyond it; a lone distant peak loses the scale of the old volcano’s rim.

The lower meadows flower earlier than the summit slopes: lower-elevation blooms peak around July, while flowers near the top tend to peak around mid-August. The route crosses several vegetation zones, so the climb can pass from creekside greenery to sparse high-elevation plants in one outing. Deer are common, and juncos, chickadees, western tanagers, and flycatchers are among the birds seen in the area.

Use the Brokeoff Mountain parking lot near the southwest entrance and cross the highway to the trail. Parking is limited. Park entrance fees apply, but available information does not settle whether this specific lot is inside the fee boundary, so confirm before relying on it without a pass. There are no food or water stops identified along the hike; bring enough for a strenuous six-hour outing. The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is a separate stop with restrooms and water. Dogs are not allowed on park trails. Snow often lingers into mid-summer, sometimes into August, so check conditions before setting out.