Snowshoeing Lassen National Park

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Lassen Volcanic National Park is known for its martian landscapes, geothermal vents, and of course its enormous cinder cone volcanoes. However, in the winter the majority of the park shuts down and it becomes a playground for winter activities! Lassen receives as much as 30 feet of snow with snowpack lasting almost half the year. Snowshoeing is my winter activity of choice because it is easy to learn, affordable, and incredibly accessible. Plus Lassen offers the perfect arena for any skill level. Besides, who wouldn’t want to add snowshoeing a volcano to their bucket list? Here is a complete guide to snowshoeing Lassen National Park.

Snowshoeing Basics

Lassen was actually my first time ever snowshoeing. I had no idea what to expect and was nervous that the whole experience would not pan out since I didn’t know what I was doing. However, I found that snowshoeing is very straightforward compared to other winter sports.

1. Rent snowshoes: Equipment rental is not available in the park so you must bring your own snowshoes in. I rented my snowshoes from REI. As a member, the rental rate is only $18 plus $5 each additional day. The nearest REI to Lassen is in Sacramento, which worked out for me on my Shasta road trip. You can also rent trekking poles, which I would definitely get if I were to attempt a longer or more difficult hike.
   • REI (Sacramento)
   • Redding Sports LTD
   • Boardmart (Redding)
2. Wear snow boots: Snowshoes will actually strap to any shoe, even tennis shoes. However, waterproof snow boots are highly advised to keep your feet warm and dry. I also recommend bringing some sort of strap or cord to attach the snowshoes to your backpack when you are not using them. While snowshoes are very lightweight, they are not fun to carry by hand over great distances.
3. Stay clear of ski tracks: Snowshoeing is fun for beginners because there are not a ton of rules or restrictions to learn. The only courtesy I learned was to stay clear of ski tracks. Snowshoes can ruin the path in the snow left behind by skis, so avoid walking there. The other best practice is to stick to the trail. It got difficult finding the actual trail in deep snow. I tried to avoid trampling vegetation whenever I could see it poking through the surface.

Read Next: Winter Shasta Cascade Road Trip

Snowshoeing Lassen National Park

There are two ways to snowshoe Lassen National Park. I drove from Redding to the northwest entrance via the 44. The other option is to use the southwest entrance via the 89. However, I hear the southwest entrance can be more prone to snow closures. The Lassen Peak Highway (89) that connects the two entrances is closed in the winter, so you will have to pick an entrance ahead of time. A bonus of visiting Lassen National Park in the winter is that the park entry fee is only $10 for seven days versus the regular rate of $35.

Pro Tip: Bring a tube or a sled and check out the top sledding hill in California. Eskimo Hill is just a few minutes from the northwest entrance to Lassen!

I parked at Manzanita Lake which is the furthest you can enter the park in a car via the northwest entrance. From there I chose the Chaos Crags Trail because it is excellent for snowshoeing. However, if you prefer a more beginner route or cross country skiing, stick to the actual (closed) highway that runs through the park. You will still get incredible views and a wide and flat path to follow. Here are some other snowshoeing trails:

Check out Lassen’s winter guidelines for up to date information on closures and other winter activities.

For even more photos and trip suggestions check out my Instagram. If you ever have a question you can always DM me @cassiescompass or drop it in the comments below. What do you think, will you add snowshoeing Lassen National Park to your winter bucket list?

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