it one of the world’s larg-
est plug-dome volcanoes –
its most recent erup-
tion took place in 1915,
when it blew a giant
billow of smoke, steam
and ash 7 miles into the
atmosphere.
Approaching the
peaks, the road begins to
climb, entering corridors
of dense forest and
emerging at the green-
certified Kohm Yah-mah-
nee Visitor Facility. Stop
in to pick up maps and
the handy newspaper,
which outlines campsites
and include maps of
the 150 miles of hiking
trails. Heading north,
you can roam through
the tawny stone slopes of
burbling Sulfur Works –
you’ll know it by the ripe
scent in the air and the
gaseous bursts hissing
over the roadway. The
moderate 1.5-mile hike to
Bumpass Hell traverses
an active geothermal
area festooned with
otherworldly colored
pools and billowing
clouds of steam.4 p147
Follow Hwy 89 27 miles through
the park, circling east of Lassen.
At the intersection of Hwy 299,
go right for the little town of Fall
River Mills, where you can rent
a kayak or canoe. Then, enter
McArthur and continue past
the Intermountain Fairgrounds,
crossing a canal and continuing
to the boat launch.2 Ahjumawi Lava
Springs State Park
Of all the stops along
this trip, none is more
remote and more
rewarding than the
Ahjumawi Lava Springs
State Park (%530-336-
5535; http://www.parks.ca.gov). A
visit here comes with
serious bragging rights
as the abundant springs,
aquamarine bays and
islets, and jagged flows
of black basalt lava are
truly off the beaten path,
and can be reached only
by boat. You can make
arrangements for boat
rental and primitive
camping through
McArthur-Burney Falls
Memorial State Park, but
the best way to visit is
to silently glide across
these waters on a canoe
or kayak. These can be
rented in nearby FallRiver Mills at Fall River
Boat Rentals (%530-336-
6085; http://www.fallriverboatrentals.
com; 42079 Riverbank Rd;
canoe $40 per day). After
you push out, the hikes
are glorious: there are
basalt outcroppings,
lava tubes, cold springs
bubbling and all kinds of
volcanic features.The Drive » Get back to Hwy
89 and take it north to McCloud.3 McArthur-Burney
Falls Memorial
State Park
After all the volcanic
rock and sulfur fields,
there’s a soothing
stop up the road in
McArthur-Burney Falls
Memorial State Park
(%530-335-2777, summer
reservations %800-444-
7275; http://www.parks.ca.gov;
day-use/campsites $8/25;
cW). Fed by a spring,
the splashing 129ft-
waterfalls flow at the
same temperature, 42°F,
year-round. Rangers
are quick to point out
that it might not be
California’s highest
waterfall, but it may
be the most beautiful
(Teddy Roosevelt called
it the ‘eighth wonder of
the world.’) Clear, lava-
filtered water surges over
the top and also from
springs in the waterfall’s
face. Hiking trails
include a portion of the
Pacific Crest Trail, which
continues north to Castle
Crags State Park. The 1.3-
mile Burney Falls TrailTRIP HIGHLIGHTn
Feather River
Scenic BywayLink this epic mountain
journey just south
in Chester, with a
trip through inland
wilderness along Hwy 70
and the Feather River.
b
Trinity Scenic
BywayGo from the rugged
Trinity Alps to the
sparkling sea, following
this route of pristine
wilderness along Hwy
299.
LINK
YOUR
TRIPNORTHERN.CALIFORNIA.12
.VOLCANIC LEGACY SCENIC BYWAY