Lassen Volcanic National Park, located in northeastern California, has a unique origin story, beginning as two separate national monuments: Cinder Cone and Lassen Peak. On August 9, 1916, these sites were united and officially designated as a national park. The park’s most striking feature is Lassen Peak, the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range. Remarkably, Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the few places on Earth where visitors can observe all four major types of volcanoes—plug dome, shield, cinder cone, and stratovolcano—within a single, dynamic landscape. We visited Lassen Volcanic National Park on July 24, 2025. We had been to Crater Lake National Park the day before and were staying in Shady Grove, Oregon. The drive took at least 3.5 hours, and after stopping along the way to see the sights, we arrived at 3:20 PM. With dark clouds looming, we feared heavy rain, so we quickly began our tour.
拉森火山國家公園位於加州東北部，其起源故事獨特，最初是兩個獨立的國家紀念地：火山渣錐和拉森峰。1916 年 8 月 9 日，這兩個地方合併，正式被指定為國家公園。公園最引人注目的景觀是拉森峰，它是世界上最大的穹頂火山，也是喀斯喀特山脈最南端的活火山。值得一提的是，拉森火山國家公園是地球上少數幾個地方，遊客可以觀賞到所有四種主要火山類型——塞頂火山、盾狀火山、火山渣錐火山和層狀火山。我們 2025 年 7 月 24 日來拉森火山國家公園玩。由於前一天去火山口湖國家公園，住在俄勒岡州 Shady Grove，開車至少 3.5 小時，在加上一路走走停停觀看風景，到這裏已經下午 3 點 20 分了。烏雲隆照，深怕下大雨，趕緊展開遊園的行程。
Lassen Volcanic National Park Sign at Southwest Entrance
Remnants of past fire
Unfortunately, Lassen Volcanic National Park has also suffered from the disaster of wildfires. The 2021 Dixie Fire burned 73,240 acres of park land and is the largest sigle-source fire in California history. Till this day we still can see the Dixie Fire's effects on the park. Along the park highway, mile after mile of burned forest can be seen.
很不幸拉森火山國家公園也曾遭到野火焚燒的災難。2021年的迪克西大火燒毀了 73,240 英畝的公園土地，是加州歷史上最大的單一火源火災。至今，我們仍然能看到迪克西大火對公園的影響。沿著公園公路，可以看到綿延數英里的燒毀森林。
Park Map
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
Lassen features one main visitor center—the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center located in the southwest—and a visitor contact station, the Loomis Museum, situated in the northwest. In order to get the park's passport stamp before closing, we entered the park from the southwest.
拉森有一個主要遊客中心——位於西南部的 Kohm Yah-mah-nee 遊客中心，以及位於西北部的遊客聯絡站——盧米斯博物館。我們為了能趕到關門前蓋到公園的紀念章，我們由西南邊進入公園。
Sulphur Works (#2)
On NPS Highway Highlights map, there are numbered markers provided for suggested stops. No. 2 is the sulfur workshop. Sulphur Works is the only geothermal feature in Lassen Volcanic National Park accessible from the main park road. Located within the eroded basin of ancient Mount Tehama (Brokeoff Volcano), it marks the site of the volcano’s former central vent. Today, steaming vents, bubbling mudpots, and the smell of sulfur reveal an active hydrothermal system, shaped daily by erosion and geothermal forces. Named after its sulfur deposits, Sulphur Works was first developed in the mid-1800s by Austrian immigrant Mathias B. Supan, who extracted and refined minerals here. His family later turned the area into a roadside attraction before it became part of the park in 1952. Surrounded by the remnants of the long-extinct volcano—Brokeoff Mountain, Mount Diller, Pilot Pinnacle, and Mount Conard—Sulphur Works remains a vivid reminder of Lassen’s volcanic past and ongoing underground activity.
在美國國家公園管理局的高速公路亮點地圖上，它有建議停靠點的編號標記。2 號是硫磺工坊。硫磺工坊是拉森火山國家公園內唯一可從公園主道到的地熱景觀。它位於古老的蒂黑馬山（布羅克夫火山）被侵蝕的盆地內，是這座火山昔日中央噴口的所在地。如今，熱氣騰騰的噴口、冒泡的泥漿池以及瀰漫的硫磺氣味，展現出一個活躍的熱液系統，它每天都在受到侵蝕和地熱力的影響。硫磺工坊因其硫磺礦床而得名，最初由奧地利移民蘇潘於 19 世紀中期開發，他在此開採和提煉礦物。後來，他的家人將這片區域變成了路邊景點，在 1952 年被併入公園中。硫磺工坊周圍環繞著早已熄滅的火山遺跡——布羅克夫山、迪勒山、派洛特峰和康納德山——它仍鲜明地提醒著人們拉森火山的過去和持續不斷的地下活動。
Bumpass Hell Trail (#6)
Bumpass Hell Trail leads to the largest hydrothermal area in Lassen Volcanic National Park, accessible only in late summer and fall. This trail is considered a moderate hike with a round-trip distance of 3 miles and an elevation gain of 439 feet, ranging in elevation from 8,200 to 8,400 feet. The trail features striking geothermal activity, including bubbling mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It is named after Kendall Vanhook Bumpass, who discovered the area in the late 1800s and suffered a severe injury after stepping into a boiling pool. He reportedly exclaimed that he had been "in Hell," and the name "Bumpass's Hell" was used by a newspaper editor who accompanied him on that fateful day. We had been here in 2016 and were so impressed that we were excited to explore the area again. Although there were thunders this time, luckily we were only caught by a few drops of rain. This trail route is well worth it.
邦帕斯地獄步道可通往拉森火山國家公園最大的熱液區，僅在夏末和秋季開放。這條路線被認為是中等難度的健行路線，來回距離為 3 英里，海拔增益 439 英尺，海拔高度從 8,200 英尺到 8,400 英尺。步道以壯觀的地熱活動為特色，包括冒泡的泥漿池、硫磺噴口和沸騰的溫泉池。這條步道以肯德爾·邦帕斯的名字命名，他於 19 世紀末發現了這片區域，在踏入沸騰的池子後受了重傷。據報道，他驚呼自己「身處地獄」，而「邦帕斯地獄」這個名字是由在那悲慘的一天陪伴他的一位報紙編輯用的。我們 2016 年就來過這裏，留下深刻的印象，很興奮能再次探索此地。這次雖然雷聲陣陣響起，幸運的我們只淋到幾滴小雨。這個步道路線還是很值得來的。
Birds
Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) 北美星鴉
Wildflowers
Mule Ears (Wyethia mollis) 騾耳花
Purple mountain heather/Brewer's mountain heather (Phyllodoce breweri) 栂櫻屬/松毛翠属
Mountain Pride (Penstemon newberryi) 紐氏穗花
Mountain Coyote Mint (Monardella odoratissima)
* 如果以下的油管影片模糊或畫質不佳，可在設置上更改畫質，改成 1080p。
Flashback 回顧
We also visited Lassen Volcanic National Park in 2016 while driving west from Connecticut to California. We entered the park from the northwest entrance on September 1, 2016. We drove along the Lassen Peak Highway and stopped by the Loomis Museum first.
2016 年，當我們從康州往西開到加州之時，我們也來過拉森火山國家公園。2016 年 9 月 1 日我們從西北入口進入公園。我們沿著拉森峰高速公路行駛，先在盧米斯博物館停留。
Park Highway/Highway 89 Highlights
Some of the views are based on the numbered markers on the NPS Highway Highlights map from Highway 89.
部分景觀根據 89 號高速公路 NPS 高速公路亮點地圖上的編號標記。
The Loomis Museum was built by Benjamin Franklin Loomis in 1927 near Manzanita Lake. Loomis was a local homesteader and photographer who documented the 1915 eruptions of Lassen Peak, and was instrumental in the 1916 establishment of the national park. Described in 1952 as "ugly quasi-Spanish", the Loomis Museum was briefly considered for demolition and replacement during the Mission 66 program. The museum and seismograph station were placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 25, 1975. I thought this one-story rectangular building built of local volcanic rock in cut-face random ashlar coursing was very cute when I visited.
盧米斯博物館由班傑明·盧米斯於 1927 年在曼薩尼塔湖附近建造。盧米斯是當地的一位墾荒者兼攝影師，他記錄了 1915 年拉森峰火山的爆發，並在 1916 年拉森峰國家公園的建立中有重要的影響。盧米斯博物館在 1952 年被形容為「醜陋的類西班牙建築」，在「66號任務」計劃期間曾一度被考慮拆除重建。博物館和地震儀站於 1975 年 2 月 25 日被列入國家史蹟名錄。我參觀時，我覺得這棟用當地火山岩，以方石砌成的單層矩形建築，非常可愛。
In the photo, you can see Lassen Peak on the left in the background. Lassen Peak is one of the largest lava domes on Earth and is formed 27,000 years ago. Regarding Manzanita Lake, the name 'Manzanita' means 'little apple' in Spanish. Manzanita Lake was formed approximately 300 years ago when a rock avalanche from the northwest slope of the Chaos Crags dammed Manzanita Creek.
在照片中，背景的左側是拉森峰。拉森峰是地球上最大的熔岩穹丘之一，形成於 27,000 年前。至於曼薩尼塔湖，「Manzanita」在西班牙語中意為「小蘋果」。曼薩尼塔湖是在大約 300 年前，當混沌崗西北坡的岩石崩塌，堵塞了曼薩尼塔溪而形成。
The Chaos Jumbles were formed when one of the Chaos Crags lava domes collapsed. Imagine a massive rockslide thundering down the volcano at nearly 100 miles per hour—right where you’re standing. The jumbled rocks around you are the result of a series of three rockfall avalanches that occurred around 1660. The first and largest of these events covered approximately 2.5 square miles (6.8 square kilometers), creating the rugged, undulating landscape you see today.
混沌亂石是由混沌崗的一個熔岩穹丘崩塌而形成的。想像一下，就在你站立的地方，一場巨大的岩崩，以近每小時 100 英里的速度從火山上轟然傾瀉而下。在這周圍的這些亂石是 1660 年左右發生的三次岩崩所造成的。其中第一次也是規模最大的一次，崩塌覆蓋了約 2.5 平方英里的面積，形成了今天所看到的崎嶇起伏的地形。
Hot Rock is a large boulder at the bottom of the Devastated Area. At rest for over 100 years in this location, the larger boulder here was once in the vent of Lassen Peak. A violent lahar, or mudflow, carried this 30-ton rock speeding down the slopes of Lassen Peak in a slurry of mud, earth, and rock. Visitors to the altered landscape reported that Hot Rock was hot to the touch even months after the eruption. The rock’s internal temperature is estimated to have been 1000°F when it came tumbling down Lassen Peak.
熾熱岩是位於荒蕪區底部的一塊巨石。這塊大巨石曾位於拉森峰的火山口，靜靜地躺在那裏一百多年。洶猛的火山泥流將這塊重達 30 噸的巨石裹挾著泥漿、泥土和岩石，沿著拉森峰的山坡飛速沖下。參觀過這片被改變過的景觀的遊客說，即使在火山爆發數月後，熾熱岩摸起來仍然很燙。據估計，這塊巨石從拉森峰墜落時，其內部溫度高達華氏 1000 度（約攝氏487度）。
On a half-mile interpretive trail, you can discover the story behind Lassen Peak’s 1915–1916 eruption and how this area came to be known as the Devastated Area. We took break and had lunch here.
在這半英里長的解說步道上，可以了解拉森峰 1915-1916 年火山爆發背後的故事，以及這裏為何被稱為「荒蕪區」。我們在這裏休息吃中飯。
Snow on Lassen Peak melts and seeps into a ground spring that feeds Kings Creek year-round. The meadow here is frequently photographed in its vibrant seasonal colors from the snowy white of spring to the golden hues of fall. King’s Creek Falls Hiking Trailhead is located 1/4 mile south of here. The 3-mile round-trip loop includes a steep climb up cascades above Kings Creek Falls. We did not hike on the trail.
拉森峰上的積雪融化後滲入地下泉，匯入國王溪，終年不斷地提供這裡的溪水。從春天的雪白到秋天的金黃，這裡的草原經常被人們拍攝到四季繽紛的色彩。國王溪瀑布健行步道的起點位於此處以南四分之一英里處。這條 3 英里長的環路包含一段陡峭的攀爬路線，可攀爬國王溪瀑布上方的瀑布。我們沒有爬這條健行道。
Lassen Peak formed 27,000 years ago as a volcanic vent on the northern flank of the Brokeoff Volcano. It is one of the world's largest plug dome volcanoes, rising 2,000 feet to an elevation of 10,457 feet.
拉森峰於 27,000 年前形成，是布洛克夫火山北側的一個火山口。它是世界上最大的穹頂火山之一，海拔 2,000 英尺（約613公尺）至 10,457 英尺（約3,147公尺）。
Lake Helen is a glacial lake or a tarn occupying a cirque at around 8,200 feet (2,500 m). Over 100 feet deep, this alpine lake can hold snow and ice well into the summer months. This deep blue lake offers one of the most dramatic scenic views in the park. On calm days, its crystal clear waters offer a near-perfect reflection of the snow-capped Lassen Peak. The lake is named for Helen Tanner Brodt who in 1864 became the first white woman to reach the summit of Lassen Peak.
海倫湖是一個冰川湖，位於海拔約 8,200 英尺（2,500 公尺）的冰斗中。這座高山湖泊深超過 100 英尺，即使在夏季也能積聚冰雪。這片深藍色的湖泊是公園裡最壯麗的景色之一。在無風的日子，清澈的湖水幾乎可完美地倒映著白雪皚皚的拉森峰。它以海倫·布羅德的名字命名，她於 1864 年成為第一位登頂拉森峰的女性白人。
The Bumpass Hell Trail is a three-mile round-trip hike that leads to the park’s largest and most active hydrothermal area. In my 2016 notes, I wrote that parts of the trail were narrow and intimidating—likely due to steep drop-offs or erosion. I thought the trail had undergone some improvements over the past nine years, judging by its condition in 2025. I also noted that certain sections were exposed to strong, frigid winds, which made the hike feel even more dramatic and memorable.
邦帕斯地獄步道是一條來回三英里的健行路線，是去園區內規模最大、最活躍的熱液區。在我 2016 年的筆記中，我曾寫道，部分路段狹窄而令人畏懼——可能是由於陡峭的懸崖或侵蝕造成的。從 2025 年的狀況來看，我猜想這條步道在過去九年裡應該經過一些改善。我還寫到，有些路段有強勁而寒冷的寒風，讓這次健行增加了驚險刺激，令人難忘。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Lassen Volcanic National Park
- National Park Service: From One Beautiful Form into Another
- National Park Service: Lassen Wildflowers
- NPS History: Park Archives: Lassen Volcanic National Park
World Through My Eyes (Photographs) Posts/我鏡頭裏的世(視)界帖子
Travel/Point of Interest Posts 旅遊景點帖子