Here’s a nice hike for mellow fall days. Little is blooming, but you’ll get out of the smoke for a while and get to see three pretty lakes in short order. Lassen Volcanic National Park often stays open, even when the national forests are closed.
The trailhead for these lakes is a simple pull-out along the side of the road, midway between the ever-popular Bumpass Hell Trailhead and Kings Creek Picnic Area. We access it via the south entrance to the Park.
Within ~1.8 miles, on good trail through mostly open hemlock forest, you’ll see three very pretty volcanic lakes. First to come into view is our favorite and the smallest of the three: Terrace Lake.
Just over the ridge from Terrace Lake is the largest of the three lakes, Shadow Lake. You’ll have nice views of the east side of Lassen Peak from the shores of both of these lakes.
Another mile down the trail will get you to the lesser-visited Cliff Lake, nestled up against boulder-strewn slopes. Overall, this is a moderately easy hike, with an elevation gain of ~700 feet.
And while the high-elevation blooms were pretty much done for the season, we did find a few interesting regreen and last-gasp blossoms to share, along with a couple lake-loving animals. We hope you’ll enjoy the following slideshow. All photos were taken by Don Burk. -Laurie & Don Burk
