We’ll assemble in Reno, and van shuttle early morning of Day 1 to the Drakesbad region of the park. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring the Warner Valley region with its bubbling hot springs, lush meadows, and secluded lakes. We’ll climb moderately from the valley and visit Devil’s Kitchen, and then take a loop around Boiling Springs Lake (6 miles). We’ll then head to Chester and our first of two overnights at the Rose Quartz Inn. We’re headed for Lassen’s south entrance on Day 2 for the hike up Brokeoff Mountain. The steady trail and views from the top are what many consider to be Lassen’s finest hike. (8 miles).
We’ll return to the park on Day 3 to the Kings Creek Trailhead for a double feature of Bumpass Hell and Kings Creek Falls, with options dependent on current conditions. The trails offer a variety of thermal features and alpine terrain on this scenic hike (8-10 miles). We’ll spend the night in the lovely Village Inn at Highlands Ranch.
On Day 4 we’ll climb Lassen to its spectacular 10,457 -foot crest along a trail that is well maintained and non-technical. From the summit the views of Mt. Shasta to the northwest and the Devastated Area on the slopes of Lassen itself are breathtaking (5 miles). We’ll be down from Lassen early enough to enjoy a picnic along the shores of Lake Helen. We’ll then head to the park’s western entrance and the Manzanita Lake Museum and Visitor Center on the way to Shingletown and the secluded setting of the Grace Lake Resort where we’ll spend our final two overnights.
On Day 5, we visit a cluster of glacially-sculpted lakes on the hike in Paradise Meadows. We’ll climb from Summit Lake, then a long descent along cascading Hat Creek into the meadows. There will be time in the afternoon to visit the Subway Caves, the unique and accessible Lava Tubes within Lassen National Forest.
On Day 6, we travel by way of the park’s far northeastern corner on the shores of Butte Lake for a memorable encounter with awesome Cinder Cone. This ash covered vent provides yet another unique feature in this surprising national park, for a memorable end to our week in Lassen! (5 miles) We will return to Reno in late afternoon.
