Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA
A faint, long downhill shuttle through high meadows and volcanic country.
Overview
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
Bumpass Hell and the Volcano Vista“You're approaching the Bumpass Hell trailhead, the starting point for Lassen's largest hydrothermal basin.”
Plays near this 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
This is a 14.4-mile point-to-point hike from Bumpass Hell Trailhead on Main Park Road to Childs Meadows, through Twin and Spencer Meadows. The opening stretch crosses Bumpass Hell on its boardwalk, then the route descends through high meadow country toward the North Fork Feather River drainage. Allow about 8–10 hours and arrange the 15.4-mile road shuttle before starting.
A printed route map lists 14.4 miles one way; the connected digital trail line between the same endpoints measures 11.66 miles. The gap is unresolved, and faint tread may be incompletely mapped. Use the longer published figure to plan, verify the route before departure, and do not rely on the shorter line as proof of the full distance. Tread is faint and rarely used through the Twin Meadows area, so this is for experienced hikers.
Day hiking does not require a wilderness permit; overnight backcountry camping does. Pets are prohibited on hiking trails and in park backcountry, though service animals are excepted. On-route water and toilet facilities were not verified, so arrange supplies before the shuttle.
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
ModerateConard Meadows Shuttle Trail8 mi · 4.5 hr · At the trailheadA shuttle links two lakes, Conard Meadows and a 75-foot waterfall.ModerateBumpass Hell Trail3 mi · 2 hr · At the trailheadA steady first mile leads to a steaming basin boardwalk.
ChallengingLassen Peak Trail5 mi · 4.5 hr · 0.7 mi awayCinder slopes and ridge switchbacks reach a volcanic summit.
ChallengingRidge Lakes Trail2.2 mi · 1.8 hr · 1.7 mi awayA steep climb to two small lakes in a volcanic cirque.
EasyCrumbaugh Lake Trail2.6 mi · 1.5 hr · 1.7 mi awayTwo lakes, muted bubbles, and a meadow below Mount Conard.
ModerateTerrace, Shadow, and Cliff Lakes Trail3.4 mi · 3 hr · 1.9 mi awayThree alpine lakes, a steep return, and Lassen Peak views.
ModerateShadow Lake Shuttle Trail3.7 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.9 mi awayThree lakes, then a mostly downhill walk to Summit Lake
EasyCold Boiling Lake Trail1.6 mi · 54 min · 2 mi awayA short, mostly level walk to a lake that may still bubble.
Scenic pullout · 0.1 mi awayBrokeoff Volcano VistaA glacial boulder below the rim of an ancient volcano.
Sight · 0.2 mi awayEmerald LakeGreen water, rocky shore, and Lassen Peak in the same frame.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayLake HelenA blue alpine lake beneath Lassen Peak can stay icy into summer.
Scenic pullout · 0.7 mi awayLassen Peak Scenic VistaA roadside portrait of Lassen Peak without the summit hike.
Scenic pullout · 0.8 mi awayLittle Hot Springs Valley OverlookBinoculars help reveal vents in the valley below.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayBumpass HellWalk boardwalks among bubbling pools and steaming vents in a 16-acre basin.
Scenic pullout · 1.5 mi awayDiamond Peak Scenic VistaA quick pullout for Lassen Peak and the creek valley.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayLassen PeakA strenuous summit climb on one of the world’s largest plug domes.Parkwolf’s Lassen Volcanic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
