Lassen Volcanic National Park Camping – There are several campgrounds at Lassen National Volcanic Park in northern California, and it can be pretty tricky to know which one is best for you and the activities they provide.
Lassen Volcanic National Park Camping
To help clear any doubt, we have listed each Lassen Park campground available at the park as well as the type of sleeping arrangements they offer, so you can enjoy your time exploring everything from the Bumpass Hell Trail to Kings Creek Falls to Lassen Peak.
Warner Valley Campground
You can find the Warner Valley Campground one mile north of the Warner Valley National Park Service Ranger Station or 17 miles north of Chester in Lassen National Park. You can access it via a gravel road. This campground is not for campers with trailers. However, hikers will love this campground due to the numerous trailheads located nearby.
Southwest Campground
The Southwest Campground is one of the Lassen Volcanic National Park campgrounds open all year round. You can come in your self-contained vehicles in the adjacent parking area at this campground as long as you have a camping fee. Tent camping rules in northern California tend to depend on the season.
- The Summer and Fall seasons from June to October offer 21 walk-in campsites on a first-come, first-served basis.
- The Winter and Spring seasons from November to May allow tents within the over snow tent camping area located on the southern side of the parking area.
You should note that water isn’t available at this campground; however, you can access restrooms and water inside the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. During the winter/spring seasons, camping incurs a $10 per night camping fee for up to three tents or every self-contained vehicle. You will have to register and pay the camping fee at the entrance station.
You should also note that the camping fee does not replace the park entrance fee as that also has to be paid. Fire pans and fires are not permitted during winter. However, self-contained gas stoves and barbecues are allowed in the paved parking area.
Summit Lake Campground
The Summit Lake Campground is about 12 miles south of Manzanita Lake and 17 miles north of the Southwest Entrance. This campground, unlike others, houses a north and south section. Both sections have access to Summit Lake and connect via a short trail on the eastern shore. If you want to swim, the northern coast is a better location as the southern shore is grassy. The south section of Summit Lake Campground cannot accommodate trailers or RVs. However, they make exceptions for small tent trailers.
You can find the Summit Lake North Campground on the other side of Summit Lake, located about halfway on the 30-mile park highway. This campground contains both Loops A and B. There are additional campsites located in three loops on the southern part of the lake, and in the northern section, there are day-use parking spots, picnic tables, and a swimming area.
The Summit Lake South Campground is on the southern shore of Summit Lake, also about half of the 30-mile park highway. This campground houses Loops C, D, and tents-only Loop E.
Lost Creek Group Campground
As its name states, the Lost Creek Group Campground is a group-only campsite. All the sites in this campground are available by reservation only. It is located 5 miles south of Manzanita Lake on the park highway. From this campground, you have easy access to Devastated, Summit Lake, and Manzanita Lake Areas.
Juniper Lake Campground
The Juniper Lake Campground isn’t hard to find when you pay attention to its name. It can be located on the eastern shore of Juniper Lake and can be accessed using a 13-mile paved road. Single campsites operate on a first-come, first-served basis only. However, the group sites work on a reservation basis. You will have to source your drinking water at this campsite.
Butte Lake Campground
Butte Lake Campground is in the North-East corner of the Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is about 45 minutes away from the Manzanita Lake Area and the Northwest Entrance and can be accessed using the Butte Lake Road, a six-mile road located just south of Highway 44. Butte Lake Campground is great for those that love remote campgrounds with several recreational opportunities and few amenities. You could choose to paddle alongside the lava rock shores or hike up Cinder Cone.
Manzanita Lake Campground
The Campground at Manzanita Lake has five group campsites located in the B Loop. The group campsites have two or three single sites available for reservation. However, this is only possible during the fall and spring.
Manzanita Lake Camping Cabins
You can find 20 rustic cabins at the first loop on Manzanita Lake Campground. To use the cabins, you will need to make reservations. The cabins are available in three models: bunkhouse, one room, and two rooms. There is at least one bed in the rooms with a mattress, lantern, propane heat, fire ring, picnic table, and bear resistance storage locker. The one and two-room cabins also have tables and chairs. Linen and bedding are not provided, so you will have to bring your own.
Camping Regulations, You Should Be Aware Of
Now that we have highlighted the various campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park, it is time to highlight some of the camping regulations you need to be aware of.
Pets
Pets are welcome at every campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. However, they must always be on leashes no longer than six feet. You aren’t allowed to take pets on trails, nor are they allowed inside park facilities.
Wildlife and food storage
When camping in Lassen Park, you should store your food as well as scented items in bear-resistant storage lockers provided at your campsite. You can also keep your scented things and food in hard-sided vehicles. You should not leave food or items with a scent unattended around your camp or on tables. It is illegal to frighten, disturb or feed any wildlife. This also means you cannot fish in areas that have not been designated as fishing areas by the park.
Sanitation
Lassen Volcanic National Park operates on a leave-no-trace ideology, so you need to care for the national park and campground and leave it as you found it. You cannot level your site, put nails in trees or create trenches. It would be best to dispose of your recyclables and trash in the appropriate bins.
Dispersed Camping
You can only camp in the campgrounds that have been listed above in this article. Backpackers looking to camp in the backcountry will require a permit. It is illegal to camp outside the already established campgrounds, including boondocking or sleeping in your vehicle alongside the road. If you are interested in dispersed camping, the Lassen National Forest provides permits for dispersed camping in various areas.
Campfires
When wildfires are a danger in the summer months, they may enforce fire restrictions. Fires are only allowed in designated rings. You aren’t allowed to burn trash in the grate or build rock rings. Hot coals or fires should never be left unattended, and all fires need to be extinguished completely when not attended to. As a rule of thumb, if it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.
Firewood
Already dead wood that has been on the ground within 30 feet of the road can be gathered for fires. Visitors to this Lassen National Park cannot cut, break, or saw off any standing trees for firewood, whether dead or alive. Chainsaw usage is not permitted. You can purchase firewood at specific points such as the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Centre and the Manzanita Lake Camp Store.
Campsite Capacities
Depending on the campsite, you can have a limited capacity of three tents, two vehicles (including a trailer or an RV), and six people per site. Group sites have a maximum of 25 people and six vehicles, with the minimum number of people allowed on site 10. All cars have to be kept off gravel or paved areas. A designated overflow parking lot is near each campground for additional parking. The Southwest Campground can allow up to three tents per group during winter.
Length of Stay
You can only stay in a park campground for two weeks each year.
Obtaining a site
Check-in time to a site at the Lassen Volcanic National Park is 1 pm, while checkout time is noon. Campers can occupy a campsite at any time if the occupant leaves or it becomes vacant. For camps that require reservations, you must verify your name and the date written on the reservation card. This reservation card is typically written on the campsite post. Campers without reservations will have to obtain a first-come, first-served campsite. Once you occupy the site, you will need to pay for it.
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