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Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway To Open July 27

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By NPT Staff - July 24th, 2017

The entire Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway is to be open this Thursday/Kurt Repanshek file photo

The Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway is scheduled to open to through traffic on Thursday.

“This year’s opening of the highway will be the latest in park records dating back to 1931,” said Superintendent Jim Richardson. “After four years of drought, the park finally had a long winter season of great skiing and a snowpack that has persisted into summer.”

Challenges that delayed opening the highway included equipment repairs, fallen trees and rockslides across the roadway, and two of the park's four heavy equipment operators quitting for other employment opportunities, a park release said.

“One of the vacant positions has recently been filled, but it has been the assistance Caltrans has provided to help us finally open up the road,” Superintendent Richardson said. “We are grateful for all their effort to help us complete this operation.”

Last Friday, the Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway opened from the Southwest Entrance to the Lassen Peak Trailhead parking area and from the Manzanita Lake Entrance to South Summit Lake Campground.

The North Summit Lake Campground is scheduled to open Friday, and the Butte Lake Campground will be open to dry camping only for the remainder of the season. Juniper Lake Campground is scheduled to open Friday, but some sites may not be available due to the wet and muddy conditions that have not had a chance to dry out from the late snowmelt. You can check the park's website for updates on park facilities, roads, and trails.

The Lassen Peak Trail is open and mostly has melted out. There are still a few sections and switchbacks that require over-snow travel. The park trail crew has marked these areas with wands to keep hikers on the trail. It is also recommended that hikers use trekking poles to traverse these areas of snow since they become soft and slippery during daylight hours. The Bumpass Hell Trail remains closed due to snow. Many other trails at lower elevations are clear of snow and available for hiking.

The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and Loomis Museum are open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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