Lassen Volcanic National Park announces winter hours
Due to snowfall, Lassen Volcanic National Park is now following winter hours and regulations.
The National Park is a beautiful and exciting place to visit all times of the year. Although access is limited throughout the winter, the park still has plenty of activity.
The Kohm Ya-mah-nee Visitor Center is open year round and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday in the winter season. Tucked in next to the Visitor Center is the Lassen Café and Gift, which is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.
One of the many exciting activities at Lassen that is only available during the winter season is a snowshoe walk. Although anyone can walk around the park and experience the beauty of it in snowshoes, there are Ranger-led snowshoe walks for anyone that is 8 years and older from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. outside of the visitor center.
Along with snowshoeing, visitors to the park can “delight in the sweeping views from the park highway route and the gentle climb along Manzanita Creek.” There are also many excellent sledding hills in the parks southwest area for families to enjoy.
Backcountry skiing and snowboarding are good terrain that offer peace and solace to the adventurers, however this is only recommended for experienced skiers and snowboarders due to the seclusion of the activity.
One of the most spectacular opportunities offered during the winter at the park is winter backpacking. Although backpacking in the summer is certainly a warmer experience, the crispy, sharp night sky, silence and peace that snowy mountains provide is an experience like no other.
Steve Gibbons, the parks superintendent says, “Whether you’ve come to Lassen this winter for sightseeing, solitude, adventure, or play – I hope that you will take a moment to experience Lassen’s winter soundscape.
Unlike many of the famous National Parks that experience snow in the winter, such as both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, Lassen stays open to the public to allow them the opportunity to see the beauty of the park throughout all the seasons of the year.