Bumpass Hell, Lassen National Park CA
• 5-star hike
• 2 mile out-and-back
• Easy | Gain 410 ft | Peak 8,400 ft
• Mineral, CA | Lassen Region
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Visitors on the boardwalk at Bumpass Hell.
Sticking to the trail is always recommended, but if you're visiting Bumpass Hell, we really must insist. To illustrate the point, you need look no further than the man who discovered these volcanic hot springs, Kendall Bumpass, who managed to fall in and injure his leg not once but twice, the second time requiring the leg to be amputated. It's a cautionary tale that has stuck around for over a century, and one the park hasn't let visitors forget.
No such fate is likely to befall you these days, thanks to a network of sturdy boardwalks guiding you over and around the boiling pools of water, bubbling mud pots, and fuming sulfuric vents. The hissing steam and vivid mineral colors staining the ground make it easy to see why this is considered one of the most otherworldly landscapes in the entire Cascade Range. In fact, the trail to the hot springs is ideally accessible for almost everyone: it's mostly level and well maintained, with great opportunities for southerly mountain views as it winds around the side of a hill before descending no more than a couple hundred feet to the hot springs themselves.
| ⬤ 4★ Bumpass Hell Trail
2.3 mi out & back, easy, gain 410 ft GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX? |
| $ NPS entrance fee |
The basin at the bottom is a strange and striking sight, with steam rising steadily from the earth even on the warmest summer days. Interpretive signs along the boardwalk explain the geothermal forces at work beneath the surface, offering a glimpse into the volcanic activity that still simmers beneath Lassen long after its last major eruption.
This also makes it the most popular hike in the park, so you might want to get there early if you want to avoid the crowds, particularly during the busy summer months when parking and boardwalk traffic can both become congested. Conveniently, this trail begins just across the road from the trailhead to Lassen Peak, so with an early start and a reasonable level of fitness, you could easily bag both trails in a single day if you chose to do so.
Snow covers the Lassen landscape for much of the year, and some roads and trails may not be open, even in summer, depending on snowpack and seasonal maintenance. Because conditions can change quickly at elevation, it's worth checking the links below for updated information on road closures, trail closures, and campground status before you set out.
Admiring a distant Brokeoff Mountain from the Bumpass trail.
Surveying Bumpass Hell from above.
External links:
Lassen Volcanic National Park website
Trailspotting nearby:
5★ Lassen Peak (4 mi)
5★ Brokeoff Mountain (7 mi)
4★ Cluster Lakes (11 mi)
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Trailspotting free offline maps:
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California Summits
Explore mountain-top hikes around California.
Explore mountain-top hikes around California.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
The park's best hikes include every type of volcano there is
The park's best hikes include every type of volcano there is
