Lassen Volcanic National Park — Interstate Access, 2026 Fees & Truck Notes

01 Park overview

Lassen Volcanic preserves one of the few places in the world where all four types of volcanoes — shield, composite, cinder cone, and plug dome — exist within a single park boundary. Lassen Peak (10,457 ft) is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range and the largest plug dome on earth; its 1914-1917 eruption sequence was the most violent volcanic event in the contiguous US between Mount St. Helens (1980) and the Novarupta-Katmai eruption of 1912. The park covers 106,000 acres of geothermal basins, alpine lakes, and conifer forest. From I-5 the standard route is Exit 681 in Redding, CA, then 50 mi east on CA-44 to Manzanita Lake at the Northwest Entrance. The 30-mile Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway (CA-89 within the park) is the main thoroughfare and one of the highest-elevation paved roads in California.

Only place on earth with all four volcano types in one park
Lassen Peak (10,457 ft) — largest plug-dome volcano on earth
Most violent US volcanic eruption between 1917 and Mount St. Helens (1980)
About 400,000 visitors per year — among the least-crowded major Cascade parks
Park Highway crests at 8,512 ft — third-highest paved road in California

02 Photos

Lassen Peak above Lake Helen Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA

03 Don't miss

Manzanita Lake with Lassen Peak reflection
Bumpass Hell hydrothermal area
Sulphur Works steam vents
Kings Creek Falls
Cinder Cone (4-mile round trip hike, summit views into Painted Dunes)

04 Getting there & truck/RV access

Route from interstate

From I-5

Exit 681 (Lake Boulevard / Redding, CA)

50 mi east on CA-44 to the Manzanita Lake / Northwest Entrance

Big rigs & RVs

Truck access

CA-44 from I-5 to Manzanita Lake is paved and unrestricted. The internal Lassen Park Highway (CA-89) is paved end-to-end with no length restrictions but climbs to 8,512 ft on tight switchbacks; engine brake heavily on the descents.

Parking: Manzanita Lake, Bumpass Hell trailhead, and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (south entrance) all have RV-capable parking. Truck-friendly fuel and parking is at Redding (Pilot, Love's, Flying J) and Susanville (US-395 east of the park).

Restrictions: No length restrictions on the main Park Highway. Several side roads (Butte Lake, Juniper Lake, Warner Valley) are partially gravel — RVs over 30 ft should avoid them.

05 Seasonality & road closures

Best months: July through early October — full Park Highway open, all trailheads accessible.

Closures: The Lassen Park Highway typically closes with the first significant snow (early November) and reopens between mid-June and early July depending on snowpack — one of the longest seasonal closures in the National Park System.

Notes: Lassen averages 400+ inches of snow per year at elevation. The road is plowed only to Manzanita Lake (north) and the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (south) in winter.

06 Entrance fees (2026)

Pass	Price
Private vehicle (7-day)	$30 (Dec 1–Apr 15: $10)
Motorcycle (7-day)	$25 (winter: $10)
Individual / walk-in (7-day, age 16+)	$15 (winter: $10)
Park-specific annual pass	$55 (Lassen Volcanic Annual Pass)
America the Beautiful (annual, all NPS sites)	$80 U.S. residents · $250 non-residents

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

The $100 NPS nonresident surcharge applies at 11 specifically named parks. Lassen Volcanic National Park is not on that list, so non-U.S. residents pay the same standard entrance fees as U.S. residents.

Fee-free days available for U.S. residents only beginning January 1, 2026.

Note: Discounted winter fees December 1 through April 15 reflect the limited road access during heavy snow.

Official NPS fee page →

07 Current alerts

No active NWS weather alerts or FEMA disaster declarations in Lassen Volcanic National Park's state(s) right now.

08 FAQ

How far is Lassen from I-5?

50 miles east of I-5 Exit 681 in Redding on CA-44. The drive takes about an hour and ends at the Manzanita Lake area inside the Northwest Entrance. Redding has multiple truck-friendly fuel stops at the exit.

When is the Park Highway open?

The full traverse typically opens between mid-June and early July (depending on snow plowing) and closes with the first significant snow in early November. Outside that window, only the road segments to Manzanita Lake (north) and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (south) stay plowed.

Does the $100 nonresident fee apply at Lassen?

No. Lassen Volcanic is not on the 2026 NPS nonresident-surcharge list. The standard $30 vehicle fee applies to all visitors.

Is Lassen safe given the active volcanism?

Yes — the hydrothermal areas (Bumpass Hell, Sulphur Works, Devils Kitchen) are stable enough for foot traffic on marked boardwalks. Lassen Peak itself has been monitored continuously by USGS since the 1914-1917 eruptions; current activity is low.

From I-5

Truck access

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

Lassen Volcanic National Park on the live map