Pedaling Through Fire and Ice: Bikepacking Lassen Volcanic National Park on opening day
Imagine a national park without the crowds.
Imagine a bike ride/tour without cars on the road.
Imagine exploring giant volcanoes, still lakes, buzzing meadows, and hushed forests all in just one ride.
Starting today and for the next few weeks, a once-in-a-year opportunity awaits all bikers in Northern California. The Lassen Volcanic National Park has opened Highway 89 (the only road through the park) exclusively to hikers and bikers. Read on to learn more about my bikepacking trip through the park last year.
Kohm Yah-mah-nee or snow mountain is exactly how one might describe Lassen Peak. And the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center is where we started our 3-day bikepacking tour. We biked through Lassen National Park and Lassen National Forest, briefly pausing at small towns along the way. Good thing we started at the visitor center — the park rangers helped us plan the route, and potentially saved us from dehydrating on the very first day!
“No, you can’t drink water from the lakes”
When we were at the visitor center getting ready for our ride, we saw clear blue skies and warm weather of 25C (or 80F). We saw plenty of streams crisscrossing the mountainous terrain in front of us. The map also showed a few lakes on our route (the closest one being just 10 miles away) which led us to believe we would have plenty of water refilling points.
However, when we discussed our route with the park ranger, she immediately warned us that it would be hard to find water for the first half of our day. I asked her about the lakes on our way pointing to the map, and she said, “No, you can’t drink water from the lake. They are frozen under at least 6 feet of snow.” Confused, I looked out of the window at the warm weather and wondered if she was joking.
Not wanting to risk running out of water (knowing how that feels) we filled up all our bottles and set away on our ride.
Good that we listened! Within a few miles, the road climbed, and with it, the terrain and the weather changed drastically. Bustling meadows gave way to snow-covered terrain. Warm weather gave way to cool winds. Small streams gave way to frozen lakes. And gentle slopes gave way to volcanic mountains … many of them.
“That’s not Lassen … is it?”
With every switchback on the winding climb, we saw a new peak and my friend Abby wondered “That’s not Lassen … is it?” Since we hadn’t done any Instagram research, we didn’t know what Lassen looked like. And all peaks looked about the same — a sharp snow-covered peak with steep slopes arising from relatively flat ground covered with black volcanic rocks. Except one.
When we finally saw Lassen, we immediately knew that was it. It was so gigantic, that it dwarfed all the other peaks surrounding us. It was so tall that a few clouds were permanently stuck on it. For a few minutes, Abby and I stopped riding and just stared at it, in awe of its beauty. We were oblivious to the violent volcanic activities hidden beneath its peaceful outer appearance.
Uh Oh
Lassen last erupted in 1915 when rocks and ash rained down from the sky, illuminated by the fiery glow of the molten lava. This eruption dramatically reshaped the landscape, creating today's rugged terrain. The volcano is dormant but active today.
The 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak was not just a local event; its effects were felt far and wide. At the Loomis Museum, we learned that the explosion hurled rock fragments (like the black rock pictured below) as far as 20 miles away. The ash cloud reached as far as 200 miles to the east. In some areas, the ash layer was several inches thick. The roar of the eruption was reportedly heard up to 150 miles away, a testament to the immense power unleashed by Lassen Peak.
Long before the arrival of European settlers and the eruption of 1915, the area now known as Lassen Volcanic National Park was home to Native American tribes, including the Atsugewi and Maidu. These tribes lived in harmony with the land, utilizing its resources for food, shelter, and spiritual practices.
Today, we can witness the remnants of the catastrophic eruption. The ground is strewn with black volcanic rocks, a stark contrast to the green forested areas. The Devastated Area, aptly named for the destruction wrought by the 1915 eruption, is a prime example. There, we saw trees flattened by the blast, and large volcanic boulders scattered across the landscape. The park’s hydrothermal areas, such as Bumpass Hell, Sulphur Works, and Devil's Kitchen, continue to steam and bubble, a living reminder of the volcano’s power. A series of lava domes formed by the previous eruptions are now at Chaos Crags. These features are not just relics of the past; they are active reminders of the park’s volcanic activity. They also serve as active habitats for a variety of flora and fauna.
Animal Allure
Plenty of animals kept us company during the tour, day and night. From tiny birds to horses, we saw many animals. It reminded me of my friend Blake who used to rate his bike rides not by the miles ridden or elevation climbed, but by the number of animal sightings. And I think Blake would rate our ride highly.
Seen below: Horses, ducks, deer, and blue jays we encountered on our ride.
The route
Day 1: We started at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center and rode north on Highway 89 until Old-station where we camped at Hat Creek Campground for the night and enjoyed a refreshing dip at Hat Creek.
Day 2: We went southeast on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (Highway 44) before we turned right on Mooney Road (Forest Route 21) until Westwood. We then turned west on Highway 36. We camped on the shore of Lake Almanor in a dispersed campsite.
Day 3: Finally, we continued west on Highway 36 and made it back to the visitor center on the third day at approximately noon. Highway 36 was a little busy with vehicles and semi-trailers. At times, it had narrow shoulders too, so we had to be careful on the road.
Alternate routes:
- One could do just the Highway 89 section from the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center to the Loomis museum and back. It is about 60 miles long out and back and free of cars.
- On day 2 from Old Station to Lake Almanor, we considered a different route via Butte Lake, Soliver Lake, and Echo Lake. It was through the Lassen National Forest on unpaved Forest roads. However, a few miles into Forest Route 32N21, we saw our thin tires biting into the loose soil on the fire road. So we decided against it and took the longer way to Lake Almanor via Westwood.
This tour was partially supported by Vargo Outdoors.
