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| Lassen Volcanic National Park |
We had both been to Crater Lake National Park before and I had been lucky enough to see it with clear skies.
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| A lucky day in 2019 |
Caty had been when it was too smoky to see anything. And, back in 2013, Caty and I had actually rearranged a trip because wildfires were creating dangerous air quality conditions there preventing us from going.
As the climate continues to heat up, wildfires will continue to plague the area. So, we decided to try before everything burned up. We had moderate success. But, I’ll get to that.
Because we had limited time (and we found cheap, cheap airfares), we flew to Sacramento, California, rather than driving. The small Sacramento airport is quite nice and got us close to where we were going.
Our itinerary looked like this:
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| The plan |
Day 2: Lassen Volcanic; stay in Burney
Day 3: Drive five hours to Redwood National Park
Day 4: Redwood National Park
Day 5: Drive four hours to Crater Lake
Day 6: Explore Crater Lake and maybe take a boat tour (we had been unable to make reservations in advance because, despite being July, they had not “opened for the season” yet)
Day 7: Drive to Willows, California, to spend the night before flying home the next morning (oddly, I couldn’t find any convenient hotels near the Sacramento Airport; Willow was an hour north)
It was a good trip. We saw everything we planned on and visited a few locations we had not planned on. Although we hadn’t really planned it that way, it turns out a lot of our trip was along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway that runs from Lassen Volcanic to Crater Lake and passes by Brokeoff Mountain (9,239 feet), Lassen Peak (10,457 feet), Burney Mountain (7,864 feet), Mount Shasta (14,179 feet), Medicine Lake Volcano (7,921 feet), Mount McLoughlin (9,493 feet), Mount Scott (8,934 feet) and many other volcanoes.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Our first destination, Lassen Volcanic National Park, was a place I had visited briefly in 2012 and more in depth in 2019 when Scott and I camped in the Park.
It’s one of those places you don’t hear a lot about, probably because the through-road is closed by snow most of the year, so it has a short season. The highest road in the Cascade Mountains, the 29-mile-long Lassen Peak Highway reaches an elevation of 8,512 feet. By Colorado standards, that’s not high, but in California and Oregon that often means rising from sea-level and featuring year-round snow.
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| Small amounts of snow on mountain tops |
The Park wasn’t super crowded, but it doesn’t have a lot of services nearby. We felt lucky to be able to book lodging near a National Park in the summertime on short notice.
The first place, the Black Forest Lodge, was about 20 minutes south and the second, the Green Gables Motel & Suites, was in Burney, about 40 minutes north. There are some cabins in the Park, but they were (as would be expected) booked and some had burned in the Dixie Fire in 2021.
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| Widespread fire damage |
When Scott and I visited, we entered from and camped on the north side. Caty and I started at the south. I found that very disorienting as I tried to recall the places I had been.
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| Which lake was this? Oh, Emerald |
I provided an extensive overview of the Park in my 2019 post, so this has just an abbreviated description.
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| Late July is great for wildflowers |
Located in northeastern California, Lassen Volcanic is one of the few areas in the world where all four types of volcano can be found: plug dome, shield, cinder cone and stratovolcano. Lassen Peak is largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range.
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| Lassen Peak |
As you would assume from its name, Lassen Volcanic is geothermally active. It sits on the Gorda Plate, which is subducting under the North American Plate off the Pacific coast.
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| Thar she blows |
From 1914 until 1921, a series of eruptions occurred on Lassen Peak, creating a new crater and releasing lava and ash.
The National Park was created in 1916 to protect the area.
The Lassen Peak Highway was constructed between 1925 and 1931.
It is not unusual for 40 feet of snow to accumulate on the road and for patches of snow to last into late summer (although it has no glaciers, Lassen Peak has 14 permanent snowfields).
We saw a little snow, but it was significantly less than when I visited in 2019, even though that was also at the end of July.
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| A creek melting a snowbank from the bottom |
The eastern part of the Park is a forested lava plateau more than a mile above sea level dotted with small cinder cones and lakes. The western part features spiky mountains created by lava flows, jagged craters, geothermal areas, canyons, lakes and rushing streams.
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| Lake Helen |
The Sulphur Works, which used to be an active sulphur mine, is the only Park geothermal area accessible by car. It sits atop an eroded cinder cone.
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| The road passes between a mudpot and steaming fumaroles |
When Caty and I visited, we could see the perils of building near or on top of geothermal areas. The sidewalk on the opposite side of the road had collapsed and, quite frankly, I was a bit nervous about the integrity of the road. I predict a longer bridge in the future.
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| Yikes! Photo: Caty Stevens |
We decided (turns out wisely) to check into the Black Forest Lodge before driving into the Park. From pictures on Booking.com, it looked like a motel, so we weren’t too concerned about check-in. When we arrived, we were surprised to find what looked like a derelict and abandoned motel: no office, boarded-up windows, piles of construction materials and some paper signs by one door (with a combination pad) listing four room numbers.
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| Photo: Booking.com (imagine how this looked before someone cleaned it up for the photo) |
There was no indication how to check-in and no sign of any human life. Cell and Internet service was very sketchy, but we found a small area where Caty could check her email and Booking.com to see if there were any check-in instructions. All she could find was the confirmation and a phone number for “Amy.” When we called (repeatedly), we got Amy’s voicemail.
Another family arrived and seemed as puzzled as we were as they were trying to check in.
It was getting late in the afternoon and we knew there were few local lodging options (plus we had already paid).
We noticed a house next to the motel and decided to check to see if, perhaps, the owners lived there. It wasn’t the owners, but rather a very nice young couple who were renting the house from the owners. They had an alternate phone number (for Amy’s husband) and were able to reach him. Apparently, theowners had failed to send the emails with check-in instructions (basically, the keypad code). Thank goodness for the next-door neighbors. Amy never called back.
It appeared that the owners were refurbishing an old motel bit-by-bit by themselves. It was an odd blend on painted-over old walls and closet doors and new high-end bathroom fixtures and décor.
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| Fancy bathroom; basic, but large room |
It was clean and spacious and a convenient place to stay. I could have skipped the high drama until we got check-in resolved.
I have encountered issues like this before with Booking.com and VRBO, especially when traveling where phone and Internet service is spotty. I need to remind myself to always double-check check-in procedures.
We did a little exploring on the southern side the first afternoon and then went back to the same areas the next morning. It was warm and sunny and the lakes were beautiful.
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| Emerald Lake |
We decided to take a hike. We thought about the Bumpass Hell hike, but discovered the trail was closed because of damage to some boardwalks (the last time I was there, it was closed because of snow and ice; I think it is closed often).
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| The pull-out above Bumpass Hell |
So, we decided on Kings Creek to see what was described and shown in photos as a beautiful waterfall.
We drove by the parking area and discovered it to be full, so we decided to do an early picnic lunch before trying again to park. And, that produced the best part of the visit.
As we drove to the picnic area, we saw a car stopped and some people looking like they were looking at something. They were on a curve by a drop-off and weren’t really pulled all the way off the road. We couldn’t see what they were looking at, but since Caty had mused that that area looked like Bear habitat, we turned around, went a bit further down the road where we could park safely and walked back up.
Bingo! It was a Bear.
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| It was the blondest Black Bear I have ever seen; it verged on being a Spirit Bear! |
It appeared to be a juvenile (or just very small and thin – especially compared to the Brown Bears I had recently photographed in Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Alaska).
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| It had such a sad-looking face |
We spent too much time and took too many pictures of it as it grazed …
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| A very cooperative Bear |
… and eventually jumped over a stream and toddled off.
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| Airborne Bear |
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| We were lucky to see it when we did |
On our way out of the Park that afternoon, we asked a Ranger how common it was to see Bears in Lassen Volcanic because I was under the impression it was not common. She confirmed that it is fairly rare, but that that one had been in the same area for several days causing Bear jams in a dangerous spot on the road. The Park had actually hazed it away from the road while we were hiking.
We left the Bear and had a (now actual lunch-time) picnic before going back and finding a place to park so we could hike.
The Kings Creek Falls trail is relatively short – only 2.3 miles long. It is characterized as a “loop” although only a part in the middle is a loop.
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| Trail map |
There is a very steep section with a series of steps cut into rock beside a cascading stream that is one-way for return only. It made sense when we did it because it is narrow in places with no handrails.
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| It could be tricky for people to pass each other; Right photo: Caty Stevens |
The trail has a 486 feet elevation change.
The beginning was beautiful with a huge open meadow of wildflowers.
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| Gorgeous |
But, unfortunately, what had previously been lush forest was badly damaged by the Dixie Fire in 2021.
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| So sad to see |
The fire burned 963,309 acres, making it the largest single fire in California history.
So, what should have been a lovely walk in the woods was sobering (and much warmer than we expected because there was far less shade).
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| The trail |
The hike out to the falls traveled up and then down, ending at a fenced overlook with “a clear view of the 30-foot waterfall.”
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| The brochure shot |
I am not so sure about that …
To see the falls as shown in photos, you would have to hike past the overlook and down a very treacherous riverbank, turning back up stream to look. Not something I would do.
As it was, we were at the top of the falls and had to lean over the railing and angle back to get a decent photo of the falls.
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| As head-on as I could get without a drone or life-threatening maneuver |
I am not sure it was really worth the hike, although I can image that, before the fire, it was lovely.
The hike back up the stone steps was a bit scary for me with my rock-climbing phobia, but I did it.
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| A Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel mocking my trepidation and view from above |
I was fun to actually get out of the car, but I’ve seen better waterfalls. Here's some video of the hike.
Oh, and if you do it, be aware that some of the distance signs are not correct. I think they may have been moved after the fire. One very near the falls indicated much farther to go when you could almost see the falls.
After the hike, we headed northeast toward the part of the Park I remembered better from my 2019 visit. It was beautiful, but for some reason, we didn’t really stop for photos.
It was hot and we were tired and getting hungry, so we decided to drive the 40 minutes north to our next hotel.
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| It is a pretty Park |
A Surprising Stop
When we turned into the little town of Burney, we saw a big highway sign warning of heavy traffic at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. It was Sunday, so State Park traffic made sense, although we didn’t see much.
When we checked into the hotel, the clerk asked if we were going to the falls and pointed to a picture of what looked like a pretty waterfall. Hmmmm …. We’d look into it.
We went to a pizza place (the only restaurant open in town) and looked it up while waiting. It appeared that Burney Falls could be reached by a relatively short overlook and paved path. We’d have time the next morning before driving north.
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| There is a paved path that continues on to a trail that circles around the falls |
After dinner, it was still light, so we decided, what the heck, let’s just go now.
Whoa! We did not see this coming.
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| That is a waterfall: 129-foot drop, 250 feet across |
Burney Falls might be one of the coolest waterfalls I have ever seen. The 129-foot-tall waterfall flows down from Burney mountain into a pool in basalt natural amphitheater.
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| You can view it from a look-out above |
What makes it so striking is that, in addition to the two main falls that flow from the Burney River, there are hundreds of springs flowing out of a fern-covered rock wall.
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| Water coming out of the basalt wall |
Snowmelt from the mountain peak creates a high-mountain stream that percolates into the porous basalt rock that forms the mountain, creating a large underground reservoir. Part resurfaces above the falls and then cascades over the lip, but the rest flows through the rock until it reaches the sheer wall, where it flows out.
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| About 100 million gallons of water pour out every day ... |
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| ... falling into a 22-foot-deep pool |
We saw a few people who looked like they were planning to swim, but water temperature in the pool seldom gets above 42°F, so that seems unwise.
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| It's cold standing near it (nice on a hot day) |
We were enthralled and stayed until after sunset, which is technically after day-visitors are supposed to leave.
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| From the bottom |
It was just a beautiful the next morning, but photos were still a challenge. We figured out that because of the steep walls and the orientation of the amphitheater, there is probably a very limited time every day where sunlight actually reaches the falls.
Since that moment was probably close to noon, we did not have time to stay.
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| The little bit of light we got |
An extra was that we saw some rare Black Swifts flying around. Caty and I had seen some nesting in Ouray in 2022.
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| You have to look close to see them |
Some of the waterfalls scenes for the 1988 film Willow as well as a 1958 Tarzan movie were shot there.
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| They altered it so much, why even film on location? |
Burney Falls was named after pioneer settler Samuel Burney who lived in the area in the 1850s. The McArthurs were pioneer settlers who arrived in the late 1800s. Descendants were responsible for saving the waterfall and nearby land from development. They bought the property and gave it to the state as a gift in the 1920s.
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| The creek leaving the pool flows into Lake Britton |
In addition to the falls, the Park had beautiful grounds, a lovely campground and some cute little cabins, plus a large lake with fishing and watersports.
We are so glad we stopped.
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| Caty and me at Burney Falls |
I mean, look at this ...
But, we had to go. We had a long drive to Redwood National Park.
Trip date: July 29 - August 5, 2023
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