Lassen National Forest

Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to smoking fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to mold the land. Lassen Volcanic offers opportunities to discover the wonder and mysteries of volcanoes and hot water for visitors willing to explore the undiscovered. Lassen National Forest is located about 80 miles east of Red Bluff, California. It is generally bounded by Sierra Nevada mountain range to the south, the Modoc Plateau to the east and California's Central Valley to the west. The forest is in parts of Lassen, Shasta, Tehama, Plumas, and Butte counties. Forest headquarters is located in Susanville, California. There are local ranger district offices in Chester, Fall River Mills, and Susanville. The forest was formed in 1905 when it was named one of the National Forest Reserves, which evolved into the National Forest system. The forest was first named the Lassen Peak Forest Reserve because of Lassen Peak, a volcano which is in the southernmost portion of the Cascade Range volcanoes. Mt. Lassen erupted with explosive force in 1915. The forest surrounds Lassen Volcanic National Park. The forest has two major river systems as well as many lakes, cinder cones and lava flows. Surveys estimate the forest contains 92,000 acres of old growth. Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests, Ponderosa Pine, and White Fir, Jeffrey Pine forests, Red Firforests, and Lodgepole Pine forests are the most common types. It is a major source of lumber products.