Summer Fun for Free at Lassen Volcanic National Park

This summer may be the best time in years to discover the wonders of Lassen Volcanic National Park; on certain days, you can come into the park for free. During these tough economic times the National Park Service will waive entrance fees on June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009. These fee-free weekends will be in addition to fee-free days on National Public Lands Day, September 26, and Veterans Day, November 11.

“We hope our invitation to visit these weekends will encourage many folks that have never had a chance to visit Lassen Volcanic will come and see this wonderful national park,” said Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz. “Many first-time visitors are surprised at how much there is to see and explore that they make plans to return the following season or year,” she continued.

Here, you can wander a unique volcanic landscape, pull out to scenic vistas, tramp through a pristine wilderness, and discover a diversity of wildlife and plants; wildflowers include iris, spotted coralroot, pyrola, violets, and lupine (shown above, left).

All roads in the park are now open, and lower elevation hiking trails in the park are now clear of snow. Bring your tent: campsites at Manzanita Lake, Butte Lake, Crags, Warner Valley, and Southwest Campgrounds are open now. The Summit Lake Campgrounds open June 26 and Juniper Lake Campgrounds open July 2.

The historic Loomis Museum and concession-run Camper Service Store (Manzanita Lake) are now open daily. The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is open year-round daily and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer months.

A number of other national parks are open free those same days. Why? The National Park Service wants to reinforce that national parks are places for everyone to have fun, reconnect with nature and history, and build a sense of ownership and stewardship toward parks and the environment.

Fun fact: Lassen Volcanic National Park began life as two separate national monuments named in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt; originally, they were Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument.

Details: For campground updates, current road and trail conditions, and further information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo or contact the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (530) 595-4480 daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.