Lassen Peak Trail

Route Description for Lassen Peak Trail

As Lassen Peak Trail is within the high alpine environment of the Cascade Mountain range, care should be taken when attempting this route. It is important that you monitor yourself and your group members for symptoms of altitude sickness throughout the route duration. Ensure that you are drinking plenty of water and eating throughout your travels to help mitigate the effects the high altitude will have on your body. Likewise, keep in mind that to summit Lassen Peak, a short scramble is required. While the scramble is by no means necessary, care should be taken when attempting.

Lassen Peak Trail is an awesome route simply because of how beautiful and accessible it is. Requiring no technical mountaineering experience, the trail nevertheless makes you feel on top of the world when standing upon its summit. The breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape undoubtedly make the Lassen Peak Trail well worth the effort!

With your vehicle parked, locate the Lassen Peak Trailhead at the northern section of the parking lot. Follow the Lassen Peak Trail as it makes its way north, inclining in elevation almost immediately. The route will then veer southwards shortly before straightening out and heading northeast.

You will soon arrive at the start of a series of switchbacks that will take you all the way to the summit of Lassen Peak. The switchback section is physically demanding, and the majority of the elevation incline will be climbed as you veer east to west along the veering pathway. With the switchbacks completed, you will arrive at a ridgeline along Lassen Peak.

After following the ridgeline northeast a few hundred feet, Lassen Peak will be visible in front of you. If you want to reach the true summit, a small scramble awaits you - nevertheless, this section of the route is completely optional! Wherever you choose to stop, take some time and enjoy the incredible sightlines that can be had, and maybe stop for some lunch. Once you're ready, backtrack your steps towards the trailhead.

Trail Highlights

Lassen Peak

As the crown jewel of Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lassen Peak has a well-deserved reputation for beauty. The southernmost active volcano within the Cascade Mountain Range, Lassen Peak, sits at an elevation of 3,187 m and supports a wide variety of flora and fauna throughout its extensive breadth.

While it is impossible to say if and when Lassen Peak will erupt again, it is considered an active volcano because it last erupted approximately one hundred years ago. In May of 1915, Lassen peak violently awoke from its slumber and spewed lava and volcanic ash throughout the pacific northwest and beyond.

Insider Hints for Lassen Peak Trail

• Don’t expect a lot of shade, so wear sunscreen and a hat!
• Consider starting earlier in the day to bear the crowds that sometimes develop midday.
• The weather can fluctuate quickly in the high alpine, so bring extra layers!
• With binoculars you can spot some unique geological features in the distance.