RV Tour Leg 35 - Lassen Volcanic National Park - Snowbanks, Steam Vents, and a Lava Tube Freakout
- Judy Carmein
- Jun 2, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 1, 2025
May 28 - June 2, 2025
Planning this trip was a little tricky—we had a long list of parks to hit, and timing them all for good weather was like trying to thread a moving needle. Sometimes we nailed it. Sometimes… not so much.
We rolled into Lassen Volcanic National Park to find much of it still buried in snow—a big stretch of the main road closed, trails hidden under deep drifts, and signs politely warning us not to hike unless we were in the mood to fall into boiling pits of doom. But instead of disappointment, we found ourselves on one of the most surreal, exhilarating e-bike rides of the trip.
The main park road had been plowed for eight miles but hadn’t yet opened to cars, which meant we had it all to ourselves. We started at the bottom of the pass in 80-degree sunshine, and as we pedaled higher, the snowbanks rose like frosted canyon walls—eventually towering fifteen feet above us. And the views! Lassen Peak gleaming in the distance, the wind whispering through the silence, and not a single RV in sight.
The ride back down was pure joy—swooping curves, chilly air, and that special kind of glee that only comes when gravity is finally on your side. We felt very smug about bringing electric bikes on this trip. I’m not sure the amazing downhill thrill would’ve been worth the uphill slog without a little battery-powered boost.
Lassen is often called a miniature Yellowstone, thanks to its geothermal weirdness. Unfortunately, the main trail to the bubbling pits was closed due to snow, so we detoured to the lesser-known Warner Valley entrance—because we enjoy solitude, natural beauty, and occasionally traumatizing the "Beast" (aka our Ford F350).
A narrow, windy, dirt road led us to the Devil’s Kitchen Loop, a hike known for its steaming vents and mud pots. We crossed streams (some more confidence-testing than others), passed through charred forest from the 2021 Dixie Fire, and wandered into a breathtaking meadow—lush and green, sprinkled with wildflowers, flanked by tall pines, and framed by Lassen Peak looking noble and mysterious in the distance. The geothermal features at the end—hissing vents, bubbling pools, and a waterfall—were cool, but it was the meadow that stole the show.
Our final Lassen day took us to the north entrance, where we started with a peaceful walk around Manzanita Lake. The volcanic peaks reflected perfectly in the still water.
Nearby, the Devastated Area told a more violent story—boulders, ash, and scorched earth left behind by the massive 1915 eruption. It’s stark, humbling, and a reminder that this whole place is still very much alive underneath.
The grand finale? The Lava Tube Trail, which sent us spelunking into a dark, narrow cave carved by flowing molten rock long ago. Armed with flashlights (or what we optimistically thought were flashlights—spoiler: phone lights don’t cut it), we navigated the pitch-black tunnel. I was clutching David’s hand like a lifeline as claustrophobia crept in fast. When we finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel I could’ve cried with relief. I’m not saying I ran toward it—but I definitely walked very briskly with purpose.
In between epic bike rides and geothermal hikes, David pulled off not one but two MacGyver-level trailer repairs. First, he rescued our sagging canned-goods cabinet—discovered by our friend Drevis, who wisely feared a midnight avalanche of black beans—by gluing and screwing it back together using our hiking poles as adjustable clamps. Genius. Same poles came in handy again for a lingering trim fix on the front of the trailer, where a steep driveway weeks earlier had ripped it loose. A little glue, a little ingenuity, and voilà—trailer surgery complete. Who knew trekking poles were the Swiss Army knife of RV life?
Lassen surprised us. We went in expecting boiling mud and got a snow-packed wonderland, hidden hikes and beautiful views.
Next stop: Redwoods National Park, where the trees are taller than skyscrapers, and (fingers crossed) the trails are snow-free.
❤️ I am living vicariously through you two. My heart races when you wrote about the
Lava Tube tunnel. Not sure I could have done it.