If yesterday was (Bumpass) Hell, then today was Paradise (Meadows). But first, we started out on a trail to King's Creek Falls ... 3 mile round trip ... With about 450' elevation loss (and, what goes down, must come back up ;-). The falls were picturesque ... For Arizonans, any hike near water or with water as a destination is a plus.
The second hike of the day was to Paradise Meadows alongside Hat Creek on the northern slope of Mt. Lassen. This hike was shaded by forest and had several water crossings and a number of cascades flowing down the mountain flanks ... 3 mile round trip ...with 700' elevation gain (and loss) leading to a high alpine meadow. Lunch was beside a tributary to Hat Creek ... With a trip back down the trail.
We opted not do climb Mt. Lassen ... It is quite exposed (above the tree line), quite steep and a known lightening attractor. And, to tell the truth, I simply didn't want to face the steep ascent and descent. Four types of volcanoes in this national park: Shield, Cinder Cone, Plug Dome and Composite. Mt. Lassen, itself, is an example of a plug dome volcano.
Lassen National Volcanic Park proved to be worth the visit with its geology, geothermal features, and forested hikes with running water and glacial and volcano formed lakes. Next stop ... Redwoods National Park near Crescent City, CA on the coast.
All we need is ...
1 comment:
Man I thought I knew this park, but I am not familiar with Kings Creek Trail and it looks like it is my loss! It is nice to hear about water and green when the state is so impacted by drought. The photos came through and are great.
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