Alerts & Conditions

Alerts

 

• Visiting in Winter
• Oversnow Route Conditions
• Visiting After the Dixie Fire
• Operating Hours & Seasons
• Status of Park Roads
• Weather Forecast

Current Conditions

Last updated: 12/7/2023 | You may need to reload page to see updates.

The Conditions Summary section below includes current information about about seasonal conditions, closures, fire and air quality, and other current information. 

• The park is open year round, however vehicle access is limited to the main park entrances thorughout the snow season (generally November thrgouh April).
• Reservations are not required or accepted to enter Lassen Volcanic. 
  • You may enter the park at any time, 24 hours a day. A 7-day or annual pass is required to enter; and may be purchased online.

 

Conditions Summary

Service/Activity	Current Conditions
Emergency Closures in Burned Areas Burned Area Safety	Some closures are in place for facilities, infrastructure (e.g. bridges, overlooks), and areas affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire. Please adhere to all closures indicated by CLOSED signs. Use caution when recreating through burned areas. Standing dead trees can fall without warning. Learn more about burned area safety.
Park Roads	The Lassen National Park Highway is CLOSED to vehicle through traffic throughout the snow season. (Generally November through June). Lassen National Park Highway (Highway 89, 30 miles through the park) closes seasonally to vehicle access upon snow accumulation (usually in early November). Vehicles can access the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center in the SW from State route 36. Vehicles can access Loomis Plaza in the NW from state route 44 or 89. In times of Limited vehicle access visitors cross country ski/snowshoe the park road. Spring Road Clearing Operations usually begin in April with complete road opening by June/July. When open, the Lassen National Park Highway (connecting Hwy. 89 through the park) winds through mountainous terrain. It is 30 miles through the park and reaches an elevation of 8500 feet. Warner Valley and Juniper Lake Roads closed to vehicles for Dixie Fire repair and winter snow accumulation. Check Caltrans for road conditions and chain requirements on state Highways leading to the park (Hwy. 44 to the northwest entrance and Hwy. 89 to the southwest entrance).
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (Southwest Area)	*Open Wednesday-Sunday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Lassen Association Park Store is Open Wednesday-Sunday 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Lassen Cafe & Gift Shop is Open Friday-Sunday 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Food selection limited to prepackaged snacks and drinks. There is no food available for sale Monday-Thursday within the park. *Extreme weather conditions may limit hours. See Alerts above for current information. The electric vehicle charging station is online. System is not always available due to intermittent internet outages. Camping in self-contained vehicles, such as motorhomes and trailers, is permitted in the Southwest parking area year-round. Large trailers and RVs must park in appropriate marked spaces. Do not take additional parking space. During winter vehicles should park in the center of the parking lot as to not interfere with snow plow operations. Fires and fire pans including portable gas fire pits are prohibited in the Southwest parking area . Paws on Pavement. Pets are not permitted on hiking trails, snow (including snow-covered roads), or in any body of water. Walk leashed pets only on roads that vehicles can drive on.
Manzanita Lake Area	Loomis Museum is Closed for Fall/Winter. Manzanita Lake Camper Store and Gas Pump are closed for Fall/Winter. Lassen Association Park Store is Open Friday-Sunday 10:00 am-4:00 pm Manzanita Lake Campground is closed. View status and closure dates of park campgrounds. Paws on Pavement. Pets are not permitted on hiking trails, snow (including snow-covered roads), or in any body of water. Walk leashed pets only on roads vehicles can drive on.
Oversnow Route Conditions (Updated November - May) Hiking Trail Conditions (updated June - October)	Once snow covers the park, view the status of Oversnow Routes. Updates occur November through May. Snow traversal equipment is highly recommended to explore beyond the main entrances. Snowshoes or skis are necessary to do so. Once substantial snow accumulates on HWY 89 many trails are not accessible by vehicle and require use of snow traversing equipment such as snowshoes/cross-country skis and described as "oversnow routes". Winter etiquette: Improve everyone's safety and enjoyment by adhering to the following winter etiquette recommendations. Do not walk on ski tracks. Footprints and snowshoe tracks create hazards that make skiing more difficult. Snowshoe parallel to the ski track. Using a separate track ensures snowshoers remain clear of downhill skiers. Yield to faster skiers or downhill traffic. Step to the side to allow skiers traveling downhill to safely pass. In all other cases, yield to those traveling uphill, as they are working harder and have the right of way. Use caution when traveling through burned areas. Standing dead trees can fall without warning. Learn more about burned area safety and visiting after the Dixie Fire
Campgrounds	All park campgrounds are closed for the season. View status and closure dates of park campgrounds. Most campgrounds require reservation via Recreation.gov. Camping in self-contained vehicles, such as motorhomes and trailers, is permitted in the Southwest parking area year-round. Large trailers and RVs must park in appropriate marked spaces. Do not take additional parking space. During winter vehicles should park in the center of the parking lot as to not interfere with snow plow operations. Fires and fire pans including portable gas fire pits are prohibited in the Southwest parking area . Warner Valley, Juniper Lake, and Southwest Walk-in Campgrounds will remain closed for 2023 for post 2021 Dixie Fire recovery.
Backcountry	Backcountry Camping is available as allowed by the Backcountry Management Plan year-round. Wilderness permit is required for backcountry camping and only available online through Recreation.gov. Wilderness permits are no longer obtained in the park Food storage requirements are in effect as of April 15, 2023. Some infrastructure (e.g. bridges, overlooks) are affected by the 2021 Dixie Fire. Please adhere to all closures indicated by CLOSED signs. View a map of key emergency closures. Use caution when recreating through burned areas. Standing dead trees can fall without warning. Learn more about burned area safety.

 

Weather, Webcams & Snow Depths

Snow depths are updated when there is a significant change. Learn more about Lassen's snowpack and snowpack surveys.
There are no regular patrols into the interior of the park in the winter; information is provided only for the Manzanita Lake and Southwest Areas.

Last updated - December 1, 2023

Weather Forecast	Webcam	Approximate Snow Depth (Nov - Apr)
Manzanita Lake 5,900 feet	Offline indefinitely	≈ 2 inches of snow. View oversnow route conditions
Southwest Entrance 6,700 feet	Facing north from back of Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center	≈ 5 inches of snow. View oversnow route conditions
Lassen Peak 8,250 feet		Daily sensor measurements Monthly manual measurements (Jan - Apr).
Northern California Area	View area webcams

California Cooperative Snow Surveys

Learn about Lassen's Snowpack

Below lists last seaon's snow surveys. Surveys for the 2023 and 2024 season will be listed as soon as the data is available.

Lower Lassen Peak (LLP) | Lake Helen 8200 feet elevation | Feather River Basin

May Survey
Survey Date - April 25, 2023
Snow Depth - 195.5 inches (16 feet 4 inches | 5.0 meters)
Water Content - 108.5 inches (9 feet | 2.75 meters)
Density - 55%

Average of the May 1 water content survey data - 9 feet water content (55%) is 111% of the May 1 average.

New Manzanita Lake (MNZ) | Manzanita Lake 5900 feet elevation | Pit River Basin

April Survey
Survey Date - March 31
Snow Depth - 68.5 inches (5.7 feet | 1.7 meters)
Water Content - 21.5 inches (1.8 feet | .55 meters)
Density - 31%

Average of the April 1 water content survey data - 21.5 inches water content (31%) is 269% of the April 1 average.

 

Status of Roads in the Park

Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway and other park roads close to vehicle access during the winter snow season, typically November through May.

Refresh your browser (hit F5) to view the most recent information.

Road Section	Status	Detail
Lassen National Park Highway A 30-mile section of Highway 89 between Highway 36 and Highway 44.	Temporarily Closed	Highway 89 closes seasonally to vehicle access through the park upon substantial snow accumulation. This usually takes place sometime in November until completion of Spring Road Clearing Operations which usually occurs Late May/June. Current Conditions Vehicles can access the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center in the SW. Vehicles can access Loomis Plaza in the NW . The connecting 28 miles is closed to vehicles due to snow and ice, but open for skiing or snowshoeing. When open, the park highway connects the northwest and southwest entrance of the park and is 30-miles in length. Vehicles over 45 feet and commercial vehicles are not allowed. The road reaches an elevation of 8500 feet and winds through mountainous landscape.
Butte Lake Road	Unmaintained	This 6-mile road is unpaved/gravel passable by all vehicles. It starts at the junction of Hwy 44 and dead ends at Butte Lake Area. Unmaintained Road.
Warner Valley Road	Closed to vehicles	Road closed to vehicles for Dixie Fire repair until further notice. Hike and bicycle access only. Drakesbad Guest Ranch closed to all access. Campground is closed. Be alert in burned areas. Learn more about burned area hazards. Road is not recommended for RVs, trailers, and low clearance vehicles. The 17-mile-long remote road begins off of Hwy 36 in Chester. The last 3-mile section is unpaved/dirt.
Juniper Lake Road	Closed to vehicles	Road closed to vehicles for Dixie Fire repair until further notice. Hike and bicycle access only. Campground is closed. Be alert in burned areas. Learn more about burned area hazards. Recommended only for high-clearance vehicles. Road is generally not advised for RVs, trailers or vehicles with very low clearance.This remote road travels north from Chester (Hwy 36E). It is paved for the first 6 miles. The remaining 7 miles are rough gravel and rock. A section of the county road just before the park boundary has large rocks and hazards.

 

Winter Closure Map 2023/2024

NPS

 

Roads to the Park

Check conditions for area roads (map of the area) on the CalTrans QuickMap or Highway Conditions lookup page; or view current conditions on CalTrans webcams. The park does not determine chain control restrictions - this is determined by CalTrans. Please go to the CalTrans website for area chain control information.

State Route (SR) 44/89 provides access to the Northwest Entrance/Manzanita Lake Area
State Route (SR) 36/89 provides access to the Southwest Entrance / Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center

 

COVID-19 Response

The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 related modifications to park facilities are listed in the Conditions Summary section above. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that operations and services adhere to CDC guidance and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health. View the NPS Public Health Update webpage for additional information about COVID-19 response.