really lovely, clear blue-green lake to look at, walk around and/or have a picnic. on the day we…read morevisited, the weather was perfect....mid-upper 70s, sunny, breezy, and we saw visitors doing all 3 and just enjoying this little gem in lassen nat'l park. hubby and i took the time to admire this lake, snap a few pics, then walk around the lake, mainly b/c i was curious how long it would take to walk around and how many miles it was....answer? 24 minutes and 0.79 miles! normally, i'd be able to walk this distance in under 20 minutes, but given how bumpy the walking path was, it took a bit longer and i had to slowly step over a few of the rocky passages. there's plenty of spots for people to sit and sunbathe or have a snack. there are also a few picnic benches higher up from the lake, and we saw a family bring their camping stove and cook lunch there. lots of free parking all along the rim of the lake as well as separate men's & women's restrooms and trash/recycling receptacles. i'll definitely plan on a longer visit the next time i'm here and perhaps bring my portable stove to make myself a feast and enjoy this lovely lake!

Lake Helen is a simple quick-stop feature as you venture along the 30 mile Lassen Volcanic Parkway…read more The reason why I'd like to mention Lake Helen is because of how beautiful and COLORFUL I found this place to be! Wow....I was pretty stunned by the mixture of the still melting snow with what seemed like turquoise blue waters....and this was the status when I visited back in the middle of July! There's really not much to Lake Helen other than stopping, getting out of your car and taking scenic photographs of the area with this stunning lake as the focal point. During my visit to Lassen National Park, it was one of the first few attractions I came upon as I navigated the parkway from the main, southwest entrance all the way up towards the Manzanita Lake Camping Area. In estimation....I'd say it was located about 5 - 10 miles going along Lassen Parkway. It can't be missed from the road. I saw plenty of cars parked with visitors playing by the snow and capturing photos of this picturesque surrounding. I certainly took a few moments to appreciate the landscape. Although Lassen NP has a rugged and brownish exterior from the high elevations and chilly winter setting,....this Lake Helen was a wonderful reprieve from the mostly out of bloom and dull terrain I found the park to be. Although there's not much to Lake Helen other than observing the wonderful blue coloring of the waters mixed with the snowy ice melting....it was still quite a fascinating revelation to witness such an unheralded and strikingly colorful roadside attraction.

We stayed Thursday through Sunday this summer. The campsite was clean and well-maintained by staff…read more The bear boxes were quite large and accommodating. (New larger size) Worth noting, the campsites themselves were quite large and accommodating.

Great campground, clean bathrooms near campsites, trash service came every day, wash area for…read moredishes, water pump near, bear box clean, camp store convenient - would camp again. Showers were eh on cleanliness and curtains feel a bit sheer. Don't forget your shower shoes. You have to pay $5 for the code for each gender bathroom, but you can use it unlimited during your stay. Also, had a medical emergency where someone from my camp fainted multiple times/cut his hand open - went to emt for help and they said "we'll be there in a few minutes," lacked urgency, when they finally arrived they didn't know how to take VITALS, and wasted 10 minutes of our time when he suggested the nearest hospital, 1 hour away, in Redding after explaining there's "not much he can do."

Amazing camping! We reserved a campsite for four days and it was absolutely majestic. The kids had…read morea blast and the adults were able to fully relax. There is no phone service which took us some time to accept but it was the biggest blessing to actually disconnect. The creek was beautiful, full of butterflies and lady bugs. We feel so lucky to have experienced this place and are planning a full family trip back soon! Everyone working there was so friendly and helpful.

Very well maintained, comfortable, relaxing, safe, and FUN! Such a special place. By far the best…read morecamping! Nice bathroom/showers! So peaceful. We had a great time. Highly recommend!

On previous visits to Lassen Volcanic National Park, we've noticed cars parked outside/before the…read moresouth entrance. Little did we know it was a trail! A fellow camper at our campsite informed us with the details. We made a return just for this and conquer Lassen Peak once again. Round trip is a little over 7 miles. We started the trail before 8 in the morning as the 2nd and 3rd hikers on the trail. Along the trail we came across deers and signs (scat) of the presence of bears. Be equipped and prepared! The trail begins with plenty of brush then shady trees at mid. The morning breeze is what kept me going. If you enjoy Lassen Peak or incline hikes in general, give this a try. The experience was unforgettable. Check this off your list.

Awesome hike! Mostly uphill on the way up. Make sure to wear shoes that have good grips on the…read morebottom because there can be slippery parts. The view from up top is amazing. Took my friend and I about 4 hours to get in and out!!

We decided to backpack in to the lake and spend the night as our first attempt at backpacking. We…read morechose this spot because since it is in the National Forest, not the National Park, it is dog friendly, plus it's not often traveled. The road is a good gravel road. No problems for any type of vehicle. You park on the side of the road in a small turnout. No permit needed. The trailhead is well marked. The trail is all uphill, until a few hundred feet from the lake. It's listed as an easy hike, but I think it should be considered a moderate hike. The uphill hike is already on the edge of being moderate, but if you add in the dozens of downed trees, it definitely makes the hike more difficult. In a 25 lb pack, those things are really irritating. Most you can step over, but there are several you have to climb, and as of yesterday 9/14/13, 3 that have to crawled under. Almost at the lake, you cross South Digger Creek. In September this creek is a few inches high and there are lots of rocks to hop over, but I would imagine in the spring this is quite higher from the snow run off. The lake is small, but very scenic. It was heavy on the weeds and quite green though, so we were not going to swim in it. We decided to hike back to the creek so that we could use the creek water (still filtered) for drinking. We found some decent flat spots on the creek to sleep and were very comfortable. The lake, I later found out is quite full of leaches, so do not swim in it. Hang your food, I found a few piles of bear poo around the lake. You cannot make a campfire, only stove use in the summer. Please don't burn our forest down with illegal campfires. Once you see all the downed trees, you will agree this place is a disaster waiting to happen. This was a great place to try backpacking out and I recommend it for being very fun for dogs. See my pictures of the trip attached on the site.

This is a great hike but be prepared. As of our hike (6/3/2012), the trail is in need of…read moremaintenance. There are numerous logs down across the trail and the trail is quite difficult to pick up in places. In one place, close to the lake, the trail leads right into a swamp area. If possible, have a GPS and a map. It's pretty much all up hill on the way in but the views at the lake are well worth the trip.

Beautiful scenery with huge campsites and a large, pristine lake right next to the campground…read more Portable water and flush toilets. Close to Cinder Cone volcano hike, along with other hikes and bike rides. Area is very remote: closest ice/beer/wood/food is over 15 miles away (6 on an unpaved gravel road) at the Old Station gas station. Come prepared with enough food for kids and family! If you don't (like me!), there's a Safeway in Burney about 30 miles away.

This campground is really out of the way and an hour from the main attractions at lassen. Having…read moresaid that it's a cool place to camp and get away from the weekend lassen crowd. The campsites are nice and clean and level, although some of them are spaced too close to each other. Flush toilets weren't working (no water in campsite) as of August 2017, but there were a couple of vault toilets around. Camping is pretty cheap at 20$ a site and the nearby Butte lakes is really beautiful. My favorite though was the hike to cinder cone which starts from this campground - spectacular views and one of the coolest hikes I've ever done. I won't come back to this campground since there is nothing else really to do here - but spending a night here to hike cinder cone was totally worth it.

One of my top two hikes in Lassen National Park, and probably their most popular and well-known…read morehike. If you have the chance to hike down to Bumpass Hell, I'd highly recommend you do it. If you visited Sulphur Works, that's just a small bit of what Bumpass Hell has to offer. It's about a 3 mile round-trip hike with only about 200 elevation gain. All in all, it was a pretty easy hike. The views of these hot springs are absolutely gorgeous - a good variety of hydrothermal areas with such strikingly beautiful colors. If you've been to Yellowstone National Park, it might be a bit of a let down because the ones there are next level. So just keep that in mind when visiting! Make sure to stay on the boardwalk. The ground off trail is completely unpredictable and can lead to severe injuries. This trail is only open about 4 months of the year. So check the website in advance. It also gets so busy as this is their park gem. And there is not as much parking as you would like. So plan accordingly to ensure you'll be able to do the hike - the ranger did advise to go earlier in the morning. Amazing hike in Lassen. Highly recommend!

A Must-See Hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park!…read more Bumpass Hell is a fantastic hike and one of the highlights of Lassen Volcanic National Park. The trail offers incredible geothermal features--bubbling mud pots, steaming vents, and vibrant colors that make it feel like you're walking through another world. Keep in mind, the hike is at high elevation, so the trail is typically only open from July through late October, depending on snow conditions. Please inform yourself before traveling here. In some years, it might not open until August - based on the information provided by rangers. Be sure to check trail conditions before you go, especially if Bumpass Hell is a must-do on your list. National Park fee applies. Even if the trail happens to be closed, don't worry--there are plenty of other great hikes throughout the park to explore. But if it's open, this one is absolutely worth the trip! If you happened to be fluffy like me, take it slow and drink water.

We made a spur of the moment choice to hike up Lassen Peak, which might have been for the best? We…read morehad a lot less time to question our choices regarding this strenuous hike, but it was 100% worth it in the end. A five mile roundtrip, strenuous hike, this took us about 5-6 hours to complete - including the time we spent enjoying the view at the peak. And the hike up is definitely steep - about a 2,000ft elevation gain. We just went slow and steady, and it honestly wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Just enjoy taking in all the surrounding beauty - you get gorgeous views of Lassen National Park from the trail. You'll get to the first summit, and there will be some plaques to read amongst the limited views. BUT, you can keep going a short distance more to reach the true summit. This last bit of trail is definitely unmaintained with more loose gravel, rocks, and a bit of climbing. We even had a bit of snow in this area in July. So definitely be safe if you choose to continue, but we found it so fantastic at the end. We found a place to sit, had a snack, and just took it all in. If you do choose to continue to the true summit, be aware of the rocks and use caution. They are very unstable and should not be used as leverage when climbing up or down. Pack lots of water, bring some food, and don't be afraid to take a lot of breaks. There is no shade, so bring a hat and some sunscreen. Plenty of parking at the trailhead. Probably one of our top 5 difficult hikes, but it was so worth it. Highly recommend.

This was the trail we kept on postponing due to mother nature. The trail has always been blocked by…read moresnow on previous visits, but finally we did it! It's one of the reasons we keep coming back to Lassen National Park as we needed it to be checked off on the list. The trail was not difficult as it looks. Just remember it's not a race and keep a steady pace. Staring the trail at 7 AM probably made it easier. I honestly think earlier the better. I don't do well with the heat. Trekking poles are recommended as it will save your knees on the way down. The view is spectacular and worth the time. When you reach the top, it doesn't stop there. Make sure you get to the summit. You are close. It's one of those hikes I'm so glad I've completed and would do it again if the opportunity arises.

Michele is amazing. I sent a reservation inquiry and she called me back promptly that day. She was…read moreso upbeat and fun to talk to and genuinely excited to host me. She wasn't pushy at all and didn't upsell me anything - just gave me all the tips and info. We decided on a tandem snowmobile for an hour with a guide. We arrived 20 minutes late but she was so professional - she shortened and made the check in process so easy. There was a cabin with fire where you can change since Deer Mountain was quite cold and was snowing that day desolate the snow drought. She was mega attentive and taught us everything and told us exactly where we were going. She took couple of pictures for us and explained what we'll see had it not been so foggy. On the way back when we stopped at a viewpoint my boyfriend accidentally accelerated and we toppled right where the cliff started - Michele rushed over and helped us up and we genuinely concerned for our well being. We're so grateful she was our guide and can't recommend her enough. She's an amazing person with a beautiful smile and we definitely suggest everyone go snowmobile with her, especially first timers!

2 of my friends and I went up to Shasta for 4th of July weekend and spent the day with Captain…read moreMichele...it was the most perfect weekend (even amidst the current pandemic). Michele is super fun and an overall great human. She's energetic and patient, and flexible with how you want to spend your time on the water. We went wakeboarding and enjoyed tubing! She even took us to see Mt. Shasta from the lake, which was beautiful. We'll definitely be back again!

I change nothing about my review of 2020, I only wish to respond to a more recent review: please,…read moredo not add or make improvements to the Wi-Fi and internet. It would be a massive mistake. One of the best things about Drakesbad is NOT being connected to such things. I believe that the one party who wished such was also unhappy with how long it took to get to the main entrance to the park from Drakesbad. That's the point. The idea is to get away, slow down, and disconnect. I wouldn't want to go to meals and see nothing but a sea of zombies hunched over their cellphones. Plus, most national parks are huge and it takes hours to go from one "point of interest" to another. If you're touristing like that, maybe Drakesbad isn't for you. I've stayed in lodges in Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Death Valley. Drakesbad still beats them for overall experience; as close to an original off the grid, free from the maddening crowds, experience as you can find.

Drakesbad Guest Ranch - Beautiful setting, but still room for improvement…read more Drakesbad Guest Ranch is set in a truly spectacular location, but a few operational issues prevent it from being the exceptional experience it could be. We booked a two-night stay in one of the Annex 2 cabins. About a week before arrival, I attempted to extend our reservation by an additional night. I called multiple times and left messages but never received a return call. I also sent an email and never received a response. As a result, the extra night was never added. When I arrived, I brought it up in person and was told by the property manager that I would need to return at 3:00 p.m. to see if anything was available. He explained that their communication system had been experiencing issues and that calls and emails sometimes do not come through because of limited connectivity and spotty internet service. Unfortunately, this was my first impression. Needless to say, the additional night was never added. This communication issue really needs to be addressed. If guests need to modify, confirm, or cancel reservations, they should be able to reach someone reliably. The ranch itself is located in a remote meadow valley within Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is surrounded by forest recovering from the devastating 2021 Dixie Fire. Burned trees still cover many of the hillsides, but the landscape is showing remarkable signs of recovery. The meadow is filled with tall green grass, colorful wildflowers, and deer grazing throughout the fields. Despite the fire's scars, the setting remains stunning. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find no clearly marked reception desk or office. There are no signs directing guests where to check in, so you may need to find an employee for assistance. The property manager personally checks guests in using a laptop and escorts them to their room or cabin. There is also no information provided in the rooms. No guest guide or information sheet was available, so be sure to ask questions about meals, amenities, and property operations. Since there is no cell service, I asked about Wi-Fi. The ranch uses Starlink, but during our stay the signal was only reliably available outdoors and not inside the cabins. Given today's connectivity expectations, a mesh network or Wi-Fi extenders would significantly improve the guest experience. That said, being mostly off the grid was actually refreshing. Guests should also know that the Annex cabins do not have electric lighting. Small solar-powered lanterns are provided and offer just enough light to get around after dark. In addition, power to the ranch is shut off nightly from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., so plan accordingly and charge devices during the day. The Annex cabins appear relatively new and are in good condition. My only design criticism is the deck railing. It sits almost exactly at eye level when seated, partially blocking what should be one of the cabin's best features--the VIEW. One of the highlights of our stay was the dining experience. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included, and the staff were consistently friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The food exceeded expectations, and it sounded like the kitchen was happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. They also offered a nice selection of beers from local breweries, which was especially enjoyable after a long day of hiking. Unfortunately, horseback riding was unavailable during our visit. From what we were told, reservations appear to depend heavily on a single staff member. If that individual is unavailable, horseback rides may not be offered, which was disappointing. One important clarification for prospective guests: despite what some older information may suggest, Drakesbad no longer has a hot spring pool. The pool was damaged during the Dixie Fire and later destroyed by flooding. Today, all that remains is a pipe flowing hot spring water into a nearby creek. The surrounding hiking trails, including Devil's Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, and Terminal Geyser, were excellent and provided some of the best experiences of the trip. A few sections were heavily overgrown with thorny vegetation, so hiking pants are recommended. In some places the trail became difficult to follow because of vegetation encroachment. During the summer months, you'll also encounter hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, which adds a unique element to the experience. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and but probably not return. The setting is undeniably beautiful, the staff are friendly, and the food is surprisingly good. However, improvements to communication, guest information, signage, Wi-Fi coverage, and activity coordination would elevate Drakesbad Guest Ranch from a pleasant stay to a truly exceptional destination.