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Lassen Volcanic National Park
Accessible via SR 36, 9 miles east of Mineral, Lassen Volcanic National Park covers 106,372 acres in northeastern California where the Cascades join the Sierra Nevada. In addition to Lassen Peak (10,457 ft.) and Cinder Cone (6,907 ft.), the park boasts Prospect Peak (8,338 ft.) and Mount Harkness (8,048 ft.), two shield volcanoes topped by cinder cones with trails leading to their summits. Other features include smaller volcanoes and lava flows, fumaroles, boiling springs, boiling lakes and mudpots.
For a period of several thousand years Lassen Peak was quiescent; then in the spring of 1914 a series of relatively small eruptions began. After reaching its peak in 1915, the activity continued until about 1921.
A plug dome volcano, Lassen Peak once protruded from the north flank of ancestral Mount Tehama. This great stratovolcano was destroyed by glaciers, hydrothermal activity and erosion by Mill Creek and other water. The main park road winds around Lassen Peak, affording views of the volcano and evidence of its destructive might.
In the southern half of the park gurgling mudpots and roaring fumaroles contribute to the unusual atmosphere. The eastern sector encompasses a splendid chain of lakes, extending from Juniper Lake at the northern base of Mount Harkness to Butte Lake near the eastern base of Prospect Peak.
SRs 36, 44 and 89 border the park and provide scenic forest and mountain views. The main park road traverses the park 30 miles from north to south.
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