Lassen Volcanic National Park Getaway with Travis Air Force Base

In September 2025, National Park Trust partnered with Travis Air Force Base to bring a group to Lassen Volcanic National Park for an overnight trip.

On Friday, participants were met at the main visitor center by two park rangers who talked about the history of the park and the four different types of volcanoes it contains. They then explored Bumpass Hell, a beautiful geothermal area that included boiling mud pots, acid pools, etc. When they got to camp and set up, Pat prepared a delicious meal of chicken fajitas. 

Saturday, after a hearty meal of breakfast burritos, the crew set out to tackle Lassen Peak at 10,457′ of elevation. Though some of the crew turned back about 2/3 of the way up, they were still rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding park. Everybody else continued, achieving the summit and being rewarded with 360-degree views, including Mt. Shasta. Despite having been smoky the previous day, the sky was clear. The summit crew hung out for a while, taking in the views and eating lunch. After making it back to the van, the crew went to Manzanita Lake for some well-earned R&R. Back at camp, they had rotini with beef, broccoli, and carrots.

The final morning, after a breakfast of loaded pancakes, the crew packed up and headed to their final hike. This hike was a big change of scenery, heading to Kings Creek Falls. They walked through creekside meadows and a forest recovering from the Dixie Fire. They spent time enjoying the hike, and then were awed at the waterfall. The fun didn’t stop there, though, as the hike out is alongside the steep creek that feeds the falls. After eating lunch on a rock wall by the van, the crew headed back to ODR to unpack and then headed their separate ways. The trip had finished, but they will never forget their weekend in such a beautiful park!