Lassen Volcanic National Park

Winter has arrived at Lassen Volcanic National Park ❄️ Lassen National Park Highway is now closed for the winter/spring snow season, but the park is open for those ready to explore a snowy landscape. Here’s what to know before you go: • Vehicle access is limited to one mile inside the southwest entrance and 10 miles inside the northwest entrance • Roads to Juniper Lake and Warner Valley are closed to vehicles • Winter camping allowed only in self-contained vehicles at the Southwest Area parking lot • Backcountry tent camping permitted with a valid permit (½ mile from open roads) • No fires or fire pans — gas stoves OK • Watch for hazard trees impacted by the 2021 Dixie Fire Plan ahead: check weather, pack layers, carry chains, bring food and water, and fill your gas tank before arriving. Winter conditions can change quickly! 📍 More info at www.nps.gov/lavo

Weather in October and November may cause the park road to close temporarily due to snow. Alerts may not be updated in a timely manner due to the lapse in appropriations. Please check local weather forecasts and plan accordingly when considering a trip to Lassen in the fall.

During the federal government shutdown, this account will continue to share critical information about park access, safety, and resources. Some services may be limited. For more details, visit: doi.gov/shutdown

As we’re preparing for summer 2025, we’ve got some exciting news from park concessionaire, Snow Mountain LLC: this year, Drakesbad Guest Ranch and Warner Valley campground will be open for the season! 🎉 Located in Warner Valley, both the ranch and campground were affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire. 2025 is the first year both of these overnight options will open after the fire. Warner Valley is expected to open in mid-June and will be a mix of reservation and first-come, first-served; Drakesbad is expected to open in early July and is reservation-based. Reservations for both are open now. To learn more about and make reservations for these and other offerings from Snow Mountain, please visit their website at /. To learn more about sleeping and eating at Lassen, visit our website: https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/eatingsleeping.htm. [Image: NPS photo / Drakesbad Guest Ranch in Fall]

⚠️ Spring Snow Clearing Begins ⚠️ Lassen’s annual spring snow plowing along Hwy 89 through the park (Lassen Volcanic Park Highway) has officially begun! This process starts every year when weather allows (typically March or April) and ends when the entire road is plowed and open to vehicles (typically May or June). ✅ New for 2025 - Live road status updates are posted as alerts on the park’s website: https://go.nps.gov/lavo/conditions ✅ We’ll update our social media pages once the road fully opens to vehicle traffic again. ✅Order of Plow Operations: 1. Loomis Museum to Devastated Area (10 miles) 2. Southwest entrance to Sulphur Works (1 mile) 3. Sulphur Works to Bumpass Hell parking area or Lassen Peak parking area (7-8 miles) 4. Lassen Peak to Devastated Area (12 miles) ✅Learn more about our annual spring snow clearing process and view historic opening dates: https://go.nps.gov/lavo/snowclearing

Did you know that #LassenVolcanicNationalPark is one of the snowiest areas in California? Visitors are often surprised at the amount of snow on the ground this time of the year. Well, not only has it been snowing since November, that accumulation doesn't begin melting until now. So, right now is the highest depth of snow for the snow season. How is this so? Like the climate of the California Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Lassen rivals for snow depth at comparable elevations. Lassen's high elevation coupled with moisture-laden snowstorms off the Pacific Ocean pack a punch when it comes to snowstorms. A snow survey was conducted at the park's Lower Lassen Peak site on March 26. At an elevation of 8300 feet, 17 feet of snow accounts for 8.4 feet of water. The result from the survey allows state water resource managers to plan for water allocation from spring and summer melt. California Department of Water Resources keeps records of data since 1930 when snow surveys began. Springtime snowstorms are not uncommon and may continue to add even more to our snowpack savings! 📷- Photo submitted by Peter Fitzmaurice April, 1983 - A ranger truck and snowbank located at the park's southwest entrance.

Even with the recent snowstorms, spring is still around the corner! Manzanita Lake and Reflection Lake have begun to thaw - ice thickness will vary across the surface. When exploring, stay on the shoreline and avoid walking on lake ice. Stay safe and have fun!

This is the time of year, we celebrate ... wait for it .... #Snow! Longer days remind us of the inevitable season change as spring approaches. As days lengthen and warm, snowpack transforms into water and sheds across the land. Let's dive into what is great about snow before it's too late! The March snow survey concluded with 181 inches (15 feet) of snow at the foot of Lassen Peak. If all 15 feet of the snow melted in an instant, it would create a pool of water 85 inches (7 feet) deep! How do we know? California Department of Water Resources hydrologists conduct monthly surveys at predetermined locations throughout the state's snowiest spots. The survey not only includes measuring snow depth but also weighing a core sample of the snow. This determines how much water is bound up in the snowpack. The density of the snow tells hydrologists how much water savings is available for distribution through the drier months of the year. Some of the water carried downslope by streams, creeks, and rivers, drains into nearby reservoirs. The April survey is most telling. March storms further contribute to the snowpack. Prior to rapid melt, the April 1st survey has the deepest snowpack and highest density of the snow year. Watch out for it! Learn more about Lassen's snowpack and why it's important: go.nps.gov/lavo/snow. 📷- A ranger conducts a snow survey at Lake Helen in 1931.

Looks like this black bear didn't get the memo that it is winter. Maybe some encouragement will do the trick! #WinterSolstice Bears at Lassen Volcanic NP I don't wanna see a bear in Winter They're in their dens asleep I don't wanna see a bear in Winter When the snow is oh so deep There's nothin' to eat in Winter And so they hibernate Oh, I don't wanna see a bear in Winter But in Springtime it'd be great In Springtime up in Lassen The bears'll be comin' out The snow is slowly melting And the grass begins to sprout The bears are really hungry From months of sleeping sound They're lookin' here and everywhere For any food that can be found. Park Ranger, Gary Merrill (Sung to the chorus of "When Its Springtime in the Rockies," written by Robert Sauer & Maryhale Woolsey) Read more about black bears at Lassen - https://www.nps.gov/lavo/learn/nature/bear.htm 📷- A black bear grips a tree trunk surrounded by a snow-covered landscape. Photo by Gary Merrill

Right now, it's about snow! Yesterday's snowstorm brought significant accumulation. Park operations are back to normal today. Park entrances are accessible, and the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is open. Snow depths are regularly updated - https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Share your experiences snowshoeing or skiing in the park. 📷 - A snowy landscape surrounds a small stone building located at the park's northwest entrance. 📷 - A snow-lined walkway leading to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. Snow on top of the building.

The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is closed today due to an impactful winter storm. In addition, travel to park entrances is highly discouraged due to rapidly accumulating snow, gusty winds and periodic white-out conditions. An update will be made once normal operations resume. https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm 📷- A snowy landscape surrounds two park buildings at the northwest entrance.

This view is the *peak* of our holiday weekend! We're spending #GreenFriday with incredible views and terrible puns. How are you celebrating #GreenFriday? [NPS photo by Ben Garcia / Mt. Diller in the snow]