Lassen Volcanic National Park

"It is fine wherever my feet take me
As long as there are sights to see"

Unknown

Lassen Volcanic National Park which is located in northeastern California, is home to smoking fumaroles, meadows of wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to mold the land.  All four types of volcanoes found in the entire world are represented in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Volcanoes found in the park include shield (Prospect Peak), plug dome (Lassen Peak), Cinder Cone (Cinder Cone), and Composite (Brokeoff Volcano) volcanoes.

Manzanita Lake with Lassen Peak in the background

Lassen Volcanic National Park started as two separate national monuments designated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907: Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument.  It became a National Park on August 9. 1916.

The greater Lassen area has been volcanically active for about three million years. Recently the region has seen eruptions from Cinder Cone (~350 years ago) and Lassen Peak (~100 years ago). While the area sleeps now, steam vents, boiling springs, and bubbling mudpots remain active--direct evidence that the volcanic center still smolders. No one can say when or where the next eruption will occur. We can only say that it will.

Inside Lassen Volcanic NP

We visited Lassen NP for the first time on our way home from our annual trip to Washington just a few weeks ago.  It was a short detour off our route home, and since we hadn't visited it before, we decided to take the detour.  It is a smaller park than many of our National Parks, but well worth the stop.  We had our dogs with us, so we were limited to what we could do there, so we just took the road through the park.  Dogs are permitted in the park, but only in the paved areas, they are not permitted on any of the trails.  If you want to hike any of the trails, or participate in any of the ranger programs, then you should definitely plan to spend a couple of days here.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is open all year long, 24 hours a day, but during the winter months road access is limited due to the snow.  Many facilities are open for the summer season only; however the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center at the southwest entrance is open year-round. If going in the winter months it is advisable to check road conditions prior to going to the park.

This is the trail that leads to the top of Lassen Peak. 

There are plenty of activities to participate in.   There is of course, hiking, with lots of trails to explore.  Lassen Volcanic National Park offers over 150 miles of hiking trails for visitors of all levels of ability. Discover the devastation of Lassen Peak's last eruption on the accessible trail at the Devastated Area, explore Lassen's largest hydrothermal area on the Bumpass Hell trail, or spend the day climbing Brokeoff Mountain and enjoy its spectacular panoramic views.  There is also boating on the lakes, swimming, fishing, stargazing, bird watching, camping and in the winter you can go snowshoeing, or just play in the snow.

Lassen receives over 30 feet of snow on average each winter! The season often begins in October and persists through June or July.  Snow playing, skiing and snowshoeing are great ways to enjoy Lassen's winter wonderland.  You can join the rangers for a ranger-led snowshoe program offered January through April.


Creek at Sulphur Works

There are many ranger-led programs throughout the year.  There are guided hikes of the Mill Creek Falls trail to learn about our solar system.  There are constellation tours and stargazing.  There are tours that will teach you about black bears or cougars.  There are bird watching programs, and programs that will teach you about volcanos or the mudpots, fumaroles and boiling pools at the Sulphar Works.  There are quite a few programs designed just for kids.  They can become junior rangers or junior firefighters.

Because of the hydrothermal areas it is important to always stay on the established trails and boardwalks. Ground in hydrothermal areas can look solid but may actually be a thin crust hiding pools of acidic boiling water or mud. Traveling off-trail in these areas may result in severe injury. You can view one of these bubbling hot hydrothermal areas at a viewing spot along the road at the Sulphur Works.  It is one of the first stops on the main road shortly after entering at the Southwest entrance.

Camping in Lassen NP

If you want to stay in the park there are cabins at Manzanita Lake that you can rent through the park services.  They are rustic and they are the only cabins in the park, so book early.  There are eight campgrounds in the park.  Approximately half of the park's campsites are reservable.   Four campgrounds are first-come, first-served.  All group sites and stock corrals require reservations. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring equipped with grill, and a metal bear box for food storage. There are no hookups in the park. A dump station is located near Manzanita Lake.


For more information about Lassen Volcanic National Park, including fees, pet policy, making reservations for the cabins and camping information, things to do, ranger programs or special events - go to: http://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm

View from Bumpass Hell

Lake Helen



Me at Bumpass Hell



Diamond Peak



Joshua Tree National Park

 

One time I saw a tiny Joshua tree sapling growing not too far from the old tree. I wanted to dig it up and replant it near our house. I told Mom that I would protect it from the wind and water it every day so that it could grow nice and tall and straight. Mom frowned at me. "You'd be destroying what makes it special," she said. "It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty.”

Jeannette Walls

 

Even though I have lived in San Diego for over 30 years, I had never visited Joshua Tree National Park until last year.  It is only about 3 hours drive from San Diego, so it seems we might have visited it sooner, but somehow we had passed it by.  We took a weeks vacation in Palm Spring last year, and while there decided to drive over and check it out.  I really didn't know much about the park before we went, but figured it must be of some interest or it wouldn't have made it as a National Park.  I was pleasantly surprised.  We had a very enjoyable day exploring the park.  And it was only a short drive from Palm Springs.  Anyone visiting Palm Springs for any length of time should consider a day trip over to the park.


Joshua Tree in the park

Joshua Tree National Park in California is a rugged yet enchanting place. The park is named for the delightful Joshua tree.  What is a Joshua tree? It is also known as Yucca Brevifolia and is a member of the Agave family. When you find yourself surrounded by twisted, spiky trees straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, you will have found the Joshua tree.  The tree which is found in abundance here is known for its tough leaves which were used by Native  Americans in basket making and footwear. The Joshua tree gets its name from early Mormon migrants who saw the trees limbs outstretched like the Prophet Joshua, guiding them westward.

While the desert landscape is gorgeous throughout the park in all seasons, perhaps the most spectacular features are the rocks. Huge granite boulders soar overhead enticing rock climbers from around the world. The sight of these huge rock monoliths against a bright blue sky combined with the Joshua trees makes for a unique,and beautiful landscape.

The park encompasses over one million acres of pristine desert scenery. Two deserts with their own separate ecosystems merge within the park. The eastern part of the park contains the Colorado Desert at elevations below 3,000 feet. Spiny ocotillo plants, creosote bushes and cholla cactus dominate the eastern section. The higher Mojave Desert occupies the western part of the park. It is in the Mojave, slightly cooler and moister, where the Joshua Trees grow.

Joshua Tree became a National Monument in 1936 and was upgraded to a National Park in 1994.  The park offers visitors lots of opportunities for exploration and discovery, depending on how much time you have to explore the park and what your interests are.

My dogs enjoying the park

Every visit should start with a stop at one of the visitor centers where park staff can help you plan your visit. There are 3 visitors centers in this park, plus a Nature Center.  If you only have a few hours to explore then you may want to confine your sightseeing to the main park roads.   There are many pullouts with wayside along these roads. In our case we were forced to limit ourselves to the main roads, because we had our 2 dogs with us.  Baxter and Sadie accompany us on many of our road travels, and they are allowed in the parks, but their activities are restricted.  They must be on a leash at all times and cannot be more than 100 feet from a road, picnic area, or campground and they are prohibited from any of the trails.

Large Rock Formations in the park

If you have a full day to spend in the park you will have time to explore some of the hiking trails.  There are many ranger programs, which includes hikes with rangers, where they explain about the geology and nature of the area.  There are guided walking tours of Keys Ranch, which is a historical ranch in the park.  On this tour you explore the colorful story and numerous artifacts of this Mojave Desert historical site.  If you are into mountain biking, the park offers an extensive network of dirt roads that make for less crowded and safer cycling than the paved main roads.  And the park is very popular with rock climbers, if that is your thing.  The park has ten mountains greater that 5,000 feet in elevation.  When we were there we just enjoyed watching some of the rock climbers.  There are lots of interesting rock formations.

Joshua Tree is home to abundant wildlife including bobcats, coyotes, golden eagles, burrowing owls, roadrunners, sidewinders and tarantulas. While the desert may seem unforgiving and difficult to live in, animals have adapted in order to survive. For example, the Kangaroo Rat is especially adapted for life in the harsh desert. He lives off of seeds alone, getting all the nutrients and water he needs from the seeds. Together with his sense of smell and his front paws, he sifts through the sand in search of these tiny, life giving seeds. His large rear paws are adapted for travel over the desert sand.

We spotted this coyote while in the park

If you have more than one day to spend in the park then you might want to stay in the park.  There are nine campgrounds in the park, plus backcountry camping is permitted. Almost 500 campsites nestled amongst the boulders makes for a one of a kind camp experience. While RVs are welcome, hookups are not available. The majority of the campgrounds cost between $5 and $10 and are first come, first served. Group sites (which cost $20-$35), Indian Cove and Black Rock accept reservations. Campgrounds fill up fast, especially in the spring. Arrive early for the best chance of obtaining a campsite. For more information about the campgrounds, go to: www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/camping.htm



Skull Rock, in Joshua Tree NP

The park is always open and  may be visited anytime of year. Spring is the most popular time to visit with an average temperature of 85 and a spectacular wildflower bloom. The timing of the blooms varies from year to year depending on the winter rainfall and the spring time temperatures. Blooms generally begin in the warmer lower elevations in February and in the upper elevations in March and April. For the elevations in the park over 5000 feet, wildflowers often remain blooming as late as June. In general, in the lower elevations (1000 to 3000 feet), annuals bloom from February through April, cacti bloom from March through May and Yuccas bloom between March and April. In the higher elevations (3000 to 5000 feet), annuals bloom from March through May, cacti bloom from April through June and Joshua Trees and Yuccas bloom between March and April.

College kids on spring break fill the campgrounds in April and March but tend to be a more subdued crowd than the stereotypical spring breakers found elsewhere. Summer brings temperatures of over 100 degrees, not the best time to visit. Fall and winter bring cooler days with fall's temperatures in the 80s and winter in the 60s. Visitation increases as temperatures moderate in the fall, peaks during spring wildflower season, and diminishes during the heat of summer.  There are entrance fees, but as with all National Parks, they accept the National Park passes, and senior passes.  For information on the passes and the fees, go to  http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm  

Joshua Tree National Park is an interesting park to visit.  It is different than other parks that we have visited, and we enjoyed our day of exploring it.  If you are in the area, you should definitly check it out.  It does make a nice day trip from Palm Springs.  We also visited a ghost town that was between Palm Springs and the park, and that made a nice stop along the way.

Old West Town near Joshua Tree NP

A note of caution: The desert, fascinating as it is, can be life-threatening for those unfamiliar with its potential dangers. It is essential that you carry water with you-even if you are only driving through.   In the summer it can get quite hot.  Even in the winter, which is when we visited, the temperatures were in the low 80's.