Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA
A meadow connector descends from Summit Lake South to Kings Creek.
Overview
This is a 1.7-mile, one-way point-to-point connector from the last loop of Summit Lake South Campground to the Kings Creek Trail junction. It crosses grassy meadow ground and several small tributaries feeding Kings Creek. It is a connector rather than a loop; retracing it makes the outing about 3.4 miles with roughly 550 feet of climbing on the return.
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
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 area
Summit Lake: Choose the North Shore“Summit Lake is ahead, an easy place to break the drive with a picnic or a swim.”
Plays on the road 0.4 mi from the trailhead 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!!!!”
Trail guide
Snowmelt can leave the grassy sections saturated, and the tributary crossings may be ankle-deep. Allow about 1¼ hours one way at an unhurried pace, with extra time when water is high. The return climb is short but steady, so plan around the full out-and-back if you are leaving a car at the start.
Despite the draft name, this saved segment ends at the Kings Creek Trail junction, before the farther Corral Meadow and Pacific Crest Trail junction. Do not count on reaching Corral Meadow in 1.7 miles; check a current park map before continuing. The access begins in the campground’s final loop, and campground access is seasonal. Pets are not allowed on park trails; an overnight backcountry stay beyond this connector requires a permit.
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
ChallengingSummit Lake, Corral Meadow and Bench Lake Loop10.1 mi · 5.5 hr · At the trailheadA long, high-country loop links Corral Meadow, Kings Creek and Bench Lake.
EasySummit Lake Loop0.8 mi · 30 min · 0.4 mi awayA short lake loop with Lassen Peak across the water.
ModerateEcho Lake Trail4.4 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayA meadow boardwalk, Lassen Peak views and a blue-green lake.
ChallengingCluster Lakes Loop11.9 mi · 7 hr · 0.7 mi awayEight lakes, volcanic views, and a stretch that demands route finding.ModerateUpper and Lower Twin Lakes Trail8.8 mi · 4.8 hr · 0.7 mi awayA ridge climb links Echo Lake with two forested Twin Lakes
ChallengingGrassy Swale Loop13.4 mi · 9 hr · 0.7 mi awayA long high-country loop through Grassy Swale and the Twin Lakes.
ModerateNobles Emigrant Trail: Hat Lake to Butte Lake13 mi · 5.5 hr · 2.6 mi awayA historic forest traverse opens onto Cinder Cone’s volcanic landscape.
ModerateHat Lake to Paradise Meadows Trail2.8 mi · 2 hr · 2.6 mi awayA shaded creek climb to a meadow beneath Lassen’s rocky cliffs.
Campground · 0.2 mi awaySummit Lake South CampgroundA short lake walk and dark skies define this tent campground.
Sight · 0.4 mi awaySummit LakeA lake break with better swimming on the north shore.
Campground · 0.4 mi awaySummit Lake North CampgroundHigh-country camping with Summit Lake and hikes close at hand.
Sight · 0.7 mi awaySummit Lake Ranger StationA 1926 log cabin at the start of the Echo Lake hike.
Sight · 2.2 mi awayKings Creek FallsThe creekside stone steps are half the payoff.Sight · 2.3 mi awayParadise MeadowsA stream threads a high meadow beneath a rocky glacial bowl.
Scenic pullout · 2.7 mi awayHat Creek ViewpointA former lake is becoming meadow, still fed by spring water.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayDevastated AreaA short accessible loop through Lassen’s 1915 eruption story.Parkwolf’s Lassen Volcanic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
