Travelrific® Travel Journal

Steaming in California

July 14, 2026 8:00 am

By Linda Tancs

Wildflowers peak in high elevation areas between July and September in Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. It’s one of many things to see in summer, the park’s busiest season. Snow often lingers on park trails well into the summer months, though. Once it’s cleared, you’ll enjoy the sites the area is known for, like the bubbling mud pots of Bumpass Hell, the largest hydrothermal area in the park. Likewise, once the snow clears, you can hike Lassen Peak Trail to the summit of one of the largest plug dome volcanoes in the world. You’ll be rewarded with views of Lake Helen at the base, a high elevation lake that often has snow and ice into mid-summer. Another option is to drive Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway and enjoy the scenic vistas. A one-way journey on the 30-mile highway will take approximately one hour without any stops.