Drives California The Far North
Lassen Volcanic Park Highway
CA 89 · Highway 36 junction → Manzanita Lake
The drive
Lassen Park Highway is the 30-mile stretch of Highway 89 through Lassen Volcanic National Park, and the only road through the park. Built between 1925 and 1931, it climbs to 8,512 feet near the Lassen Peak trailhead, the highest road in the Cascades. It's driven south to north here, from Highway 36 near Mineral, so the steep volcanic climb comes first.
Past the southwest entrance and the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, the road passes Sulphur Works, the easiest of the park's seven hydrothermal areas to see, with steam vents a short walk from the road between Lassen Peak and Brokeoff Mountain. It then climbs open ridgelines to Lake Helen, at about 8,200 feet, and the summit of the road at the Lassen Peak trailhead.
The descent runs through dense forest past Summit Lake and its campgrounds to the Devastated Area, where a short accessible loop explains the 1915 and 1916 eruptions of Lassen Peak and the land they left behind. The drive ends at Manzanita Lake, with views of Lassen Peak and Chaos Crags across the water, near the northwest entrance.
Along the way
- Highway 36 junction (near Mineral)
- Sulphur Works
- Lake Helen
- Summit Lake
- Manzanita Lake
Good to know
- There's a park entrance fee per vehicle, good for seven days, with a lower rate in winter.
- Snow closes the highway through the park every fall, sometimes early for lighter storms, and clearing up to 40 feet of snow each spring takes about two months; full opening ranges from around Memorial Day to early July.
- There are no passing lanes; if you're driving slowly, be courteous to the cars behind you, and give cyclists three feet, as state law requires.
- The road crosses avalanche-prone slopes with drops of up to 2,000 feet, and the park says the drive takes about an hour without stopping.
Closed through the park by snow from about November until late May or June. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check National Park Service: Lassen road and conditions.
Questions about this drive
How long does it take to drive the Lassen Volcanic Park Highway?
The Lassen Park Highway from Highway 36 near Mineral to Manzanita Lake is about 33 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes without stops.
When is the Lassen Park Highway open?
The Lassen Park Highway closes with snow each fall and reopens fully when spring clearing is done, anywhere from around Memorial Day to early July depending on the snowpack. The park posts closures as alerts at the top of its web pages; no closure alert means the road is fully open.
Is there a fee to drive through Lassen Volcanic National Park?
Yes. Driving the Lassen Park Highway requires a park entrance pass for your vehicle, valid for seven days, with a lower winter rate.
How high does the Lassen Park Highway go?
The Lassen Park Highway crests at 8,512 feet near the Lassen Peak trailhead, which makes it the highest road in the Cascade Mountains.
What is there to see on the Lassen Park Highway?
Along the Lassen Park Highway are Sulphur Works, Lake Helen, the Lassen Peak trailhead, Summit Lake, the Devastated Area from the 1915 and 1916 eruptions and Manzanita Lake.
What you get in the app
Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.
More drives near here
Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.