Lassen Volcanic National Park in California may feel like it is out in the middle of nowhere, but the reality is that the park’s north entrance is just 47 miles (75.6 km) east of Redding, and 45 miles (72.4 km) west of Susanville, both in California. The south entrance is 50.5 miles (81.27 km) east of Red Bluff, California, and 44 miles (70.8 km) west of Susanville. All these towns have sizeable populations (Redding is the largest, with a population of 92,906) accommodating numerous available services, from grocery stores to gas stations to electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to lodging.

Area map around Lassen Volcanic National Park / NPS file

 

If you are flying, the nearest commercial airports to the park are in Redding (44 mi / 70.8 km) and Sacramento (172 mi / 276.8 km), both in California, and Reno, Nevada (133 mi / 214 km).

State Route (SR) 44/89 provides access to the Northwest Entrance/Manzanita Lake Area.
State Route (SR) 36/89 provides access to the Southwest Entrance / Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.

Map of Lassen Volcanic National Park / NPS file

The Lassen National Park Highway is the north-south route through the park, connecting State Routes 44 and 89.

Winter access to and through Lassen is limited, since the park road is only open to Manzanita Lake at the north entrance, and Khom Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center 6 miles north of the south entrance.

There are no restaurants within the park, although there is a small café at the Khom Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center near the south entrance of the park, and you can pick up ready-to-go meals and picnic supplies at the Manzanita Lake Camper Store near the north entrance.

Although closed for the 2024 season for Dixie Fire repair efforts, when open, Drakesbad Guest Ranch offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the historic Drakesbad dining hall. Sack lunches are also available upon request for those heading out to explore one of the many attractions of the Warner Valley Area. Reservations are required and availability is limited for non-guests.

It’s a good idea to have your vehicle fueled prior to entering the park. While it is possible to gas up your vehicle at the Manzanita Lake Camper Store, the supply of fuel is not always reliable due to intermittent pump outages. The nearest gas stations to the park’s north entrance are at Shingletown and Old Station, California. The nearest gas station to the park’s south entrance is in Mineral, California.

Two level 2 charging stations are available year-round in the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center parking area for charging your EV. You can search for additional locations using the Alternative Fueling Station Locator from the Department of Energy (search on zip code 96063 or 96088).

Plugshare.com reports EV chargers at the Mt. Lassen KOA between Shingletown and Manzanita Lake at the park’s north end, and chargers in Mineral and Mill Creek south of the park.

The road into Lassen Volcanic National Park / Rebecca Latson