Advice from a Volcano: Stay active; keep your inner fire burning; it’s ok to let off steam; go with the flow; be uplifting; it’s all a matter of time; have a blast!
— Ilan Shamir
Date Created: August 9, 1916.
Location: Northeastern California, USA.
Size: Approximately 106,589 acres (43,176 hectares).
What a pleasant surprise! The park is named after Mount Lassen, 10,457 feet, at the southern end of the Cascades. Listening to the boiling mud pots gurgle and hiss with steam rising is a sight to behold. I hiked down Bumpass Hell where hydro-thermal activities displayed what seemed to be a very thin layer of dirt over scalding mud. Along the trail wildflowers bloomed and friendly chipmunks peeked from their holes in fallen trees. The swimmers in crystal clear, exquisite Manzanita Lake tempted me to take a plunge but I am more drawn to warm, ocean beaches opposed to mountain snow run off. I loved everything about this park!
