Classic Trip - Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California 2000

Beware of falling into the earth!

The estrus steams upwards from the bowels of the globe in addition to the creeks boil. Mud pots erupt in addition to you’re warned to rest on the trail or run a endangerment existence swallowed past times the earth. So lies the adventure inward visiting this out of the agency in addition to pristine national park.

Mt. Lassen lies virtually an hour’s drive eastward of Redding, California. Any farther northward in addition to we’d run a endangerment having to begin some other page on Oregon. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Redding Chamber of Commerce brochure optimistically says that the metropolis is a xc infinitesimal drive northward of Sacramento. That would live if you lot drive similar Jeff Gordon at Daytona. Realistically, it’s a skilful 2 ½ hr drive from the terra firma capitol.

We stayed at the Amerihost Inn (now Baymont Inn) merely southward of Redding inward the town of Anderson. They accept a beautiful wheelchair accessible room with i problem...it entirely has i bed. After complaining to the forepart desk director (we’d confirmed 2 beds when nosotros reserved), they lastly comped us to the adjoining room giving us 2 to a greater extent than beds in addition to some other bath (good affair it was vacant). The accessible room had a coil inward shower in addition to room to plow around in. The shower was on a hose but the spray was all over the house in addition to it had no agency to accommodate it.

Amerihost likes to brag on its brochure that every Amerihost is “exactly the same”, in addition to thence I approximate if you lot require to a greater extent than than i bed, you lot may desire to hold off elsewhere. The hotel too had a pool, spa, spacious handicapped parking, in addition to continental breakfast. Price was around $75 per night.

After a skilful night’s rest, nosotros caput over to the northward entrance to Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park. There is a 35 mile drive, northward to south, through the pump of the common allowing you lot to laid upwards an all-day loop of it. The 24-hour interval nosotros went at that topographic point was a lot of structure taking house on highway 44 over from Redding. After virtually an hour’s worth of delays, nosotros were glad nosotros would non live taking this route back.

Before Mt. St. Helens blew its top inward the 80's, this common was the closest you lot could genuinely come upwards to seeing a volcano inward activity inward the lower 48. Back inward 1915, Mt. Lassen blew (with much less devastation than St. Helens). It was made a national common presently later on due to the unique chance to written report an actual living volcano.

Immediately later on entering the park, nosotros come upwards to the visitor’s center. Inside, nosotros encounter many photos of the eruption in addition to picket a video virtually it. We larn that Mt. Lassen is genuinely a remnant of a much larger ancient volcano called Mt. Tehama in addition to that most of the common is the crater of this erstwhile volcano.

What we’ve come upwards to encounter are the ongoing volcanic features of the common which reside mainly inward 2 areas. Bumpass Hell, a Yellowstone-like expanse of fumaroles, mud pots, in addition to steam vents, in addition to the Sulphur Works, a much smaller version of Bumpass Hell. Talking to the ranger at the visitor’s centre puts the kabosh on that plan...the trail into Bumpass Hell (3 miles circular trip) is non wheelchair accessible.

Disappointed at this, nosotros withal are determined to force on. The ranger gladly marks upwards a map of the common where all the accessible features are. It’s non a whole lot, but on the brilliant side, it tin all easily live done inward a day.

One of the beautiful alpine lakes inward the park

The starting fourth dimension terminate on our accessible tour is the Devastated Area. Here is where lava, ash, in addition to rocks rained downward from the mount in addition to landslides scoured the globe bare of whatsoever trees. fourscore years accept shown that the woods tin laid upwards a remarkable comeback but the expanse tin soundless live seen inward contrast to the undamaged areas following to it.

An accessible, paved hiking trail virtually ½ mile long winding through diverse types of lava rocks in addition to scenes of volcanic destruction. You too accept a marvelous persuasion of the erstwhile crater itself from here.

A land of Lassen wildflowers

On upwards to the following terminate is a parking expanse at the highest indicate of the road. Along the agency nosotros are treated to colorful fields of wildflowers existence watered from the icy mutual coldness melt H2O of the glaciers above. At this altitude, August is springtime.

We croak on upwards to the summit parking area. From hither the 10,457 human foot elevation is ribbed with twelvemonth circular glaciers in addition to tantalizingly close. Alas, the ranger told us this trail is non accessible...although at to the lowest degree the starting fourth dimension one-half mile inward persuasion of the parking lot doesn’t hold off similar it would pose a major work for chairs. We’ll exit it upwards to person who is to a greater extent than adventurous to decide merely how accessible it is.

Just downward the route nosotros come upwards upon the Sulphur Works, a modest geologic showplace. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 large steam vent direct following to the route is slow for wheelchairs to acquire a skilful hold off at. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bumpy boardwalk allows wheelers to acquire virtually 100 yards to encounter to a greater extent than steam vents, mudpots in addition to a boiling creek. The persuasion is smashing in addition to ominous signs warn visitors to rest on the path or run a endangerment falling through the sparse crust to a hot death!

The boardwalk allows you lot an upwards unopen hold off at the volcano's features

The boardwalk continues virtually some other 200 yards but stairs block access to the residuum of it. Most of the volcanic activity is concentrated inward that starting fourth dimension 100 yards, in addition to thence you’re non missing much on the residuum of the trail.

Not far beyond hither the route leads out the southward side of the park. All wheelchair accessible activities tin live accomplished inward one-half a day. In all, the common is really minimal inward its accessibility in addition to the largest, most scenic in addition to spectacular parts of the common are off limits to wheelchairs at this time. On the addition side, you lot in addition to your political party don’t accept to pay the entry fee past times using the Golden Access pass.

The accessible trail crosses a beaver pond inward Redding

Back inward Redding, nosotros see Caldwell Park to the southward where nosotros discovery a amazingly accessible trail that winds for miles through cottonwoods, beaver ponds, in addition to with the Sacramento River. This is a beautiful wheelchair hiking trail. (Park following to the picnic pavilion in addition to hold off for the trail caput to the east.

We had a lovely dinner on a deck overlooking the mighty Sacramento River at Amigos Mexican Restaurant which has smashing access to the best views of the river. Back at the Amerihost, nosotros discovery an erstwhile cemetery out dorsum behind the hotel where nosotros accept a game of who tin discovery the oldest headstone. Tim wins with 1853.

-Darryl
Copyright 2000 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved