Lassen Bumpass Hell

About this spectacle

Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, a steaming, sulfur-scented landscape of boiling mudpots, hissing fumaroles, and vivid turquoise and rust-colored hot springs. Visitors walk a boardwalk trail above an active geothermal basin where the ground bubbles and churns with superheated water. The smell of hydrogen sulfide hangs in the cool mountain air, and the contrast of bright mineral deposits against grey volcanic rock creates an otherworldly palette. Steam plumes drift across the basin year-round, and on cooler mornings the venting is especially dramatic. The surrounding terrain reveals classic Cascade volcanic features — Lassen Peak looms above, and the barren, mineral-stained slopes around the hydrothermal area stand in stark contrast to the surrounding pine forest. It is a visceral, sensory experience that makes the Earth's internal heat feel immediate and tangible.

When to go

Jun — Oct, peak Jun — Sep

Getting there

Nearest airport: RDD. Nearest city: Redding.

Booking options

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