Tag: LVNP

A Quick Jaunt Up Lassen Peak Rewards With Panormaic Views, Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

A Quick Jaunt Up Lassen Peak Rewards With Panormaic Views, Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

livevigorously

Distance: 5 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,957 ft (8,500 ft at the trailhead to 10,457 ft at the peak)

Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, depending on your fitness level and altitude acclimation.

(LVNP rates it as strenuous and suggests 4-5 hours. It took us 2 hours – the threat of a storm kept us on pace.)

When it’s your last day in LVNP, and you haven’t “bagged” Lassen Peak yet, you make a run for it. And so we did. Actually, it was more of a fast walk than a trot, but a steady pace to try and outpace a looming monsoon. Mission accomplished. This was a fun hike and a solid workout. In my opinion, the trail is runnable – mostly smooth gravel with some short rocky sections. It’s a moderate, though consistent, incline with sweeping switchbacks. (Unfortunately, my knees no longer sanction running, so I have to settle for brisk walking.)

Since we had just hiked the Ridge Lakes Trail with 1k of elevation gain, we were warmed up for the climb. If you’re just hopping out of the car, you may want to take a little stretch band stroll before you hop on the “hill”.

The immediate scenery is a bit stark, but the panoramic views are splendid.

Happy Trails!

Short, Steep, and Sweet: Ridge Lakes Trail, A Glimpse Into Lassen Volcanic National Park’s Former Splendor

Short, Steep, and Sweet: Ridge Lakes Trail, A Glimpse Into Lassen Volcanic National Park’s Former Splendor

livevigorously

Distance: 2 miles RT

Elevation gain: ~1k ft climb ( ~7k to 8k ft)

Difficulty: Moderate+, depending on your fitness level and sensitivity to altitude

As you drive and hike around Lassen Volcanic National Park, one of the first things you’ll notice is the extensive devastation from the Dixie Wildfire that occurred in 2021 and burned 73,240 acres of the park in 3 months (August through October)—the largest fire in the park’s history and the largest single fire in California history (963,309 acres). While Nature’s resilience is on display in terms of seedlings and new growth, it’s clear four years later that full recovery will take many decades.

It’s hard to imagine what the park once looked like, but fortunately, a few untouched areas still offer us a glimpse into its former splendor. The Ridge Lakes Trail is one of them. This short (2 miles), steep (1k in 1 mile) hike is an idyllic little slice of paradise and a window into what Lassen Volcanic National Park must have been like before the fire.

This was my morning “warm-up” hike before tackling Lassen Peak (post to come). The lovely single-track trail winds up through ferns, grasses, and wildflowers (Indian Paintbrush, Lupine) to two (it seems more like 1, as they’re connected) small alpine lakes cradled in a pristine basin with Brokeoff Mountain and Mount Diller as the scenic backdrop.

I had the hike all to myself (except for a Doe and her fawn), and as you can see, I thoroughly enjoyed my photo safari here. If you’re heading to Lassen Volcanic National Park, I’d put this one on your short list (pun intended).

Getting there: The trailhead is at the Sulphur Works parking area (1.1 miles past the southwest entrance). 

Happy Trails!