Lassen Peak

Notice the rotten egg smell as you perch over the dome at the end of a trail that loops around the Cascade Range’s southernmost active volcano.

Lassen Peak, Bumpass Mountain and Ski Heil Peak are among the rocky behemoths that frame the deep blue water of this scenic lake.

Hike the scenic trail connecting the larger Lake Helen to this charming basin, which is cold for much of the year and sometimes covered in ice.

Colorful wildflowers and grasses decorate this vast, open meadow, where you’ll see mule deer grazing along the meandering Kings Creek.

In the shadow of Mount Lassen, this gorgeous meadow provides access to a waterfall and views of the Milky Way and even the aurora borealis.

Fascinating volcanic rocks suggest an enormous debris avalanche shook the area just a few centuries ago. Swim in the lake and hike around the mountains.