Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA

In February 2020, National Park Trust assisted the National Park Service in acquiring property for Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.

A representative of the landowner notified the NPS in the summer of 2019 of the desire to sell the property as soon as possible. The NPS could not meet the deadline – the end of 2019 – for completing the purchase. 

The Park Trust was able to fund the required pre-sale process by the end of October 2019. As a result, NPS was able to make an offer and buy the property in early January 2020.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, in the Southern Cascade Mountains of California, is home to steaming 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 shape the land.  

Established in 1916, the park protects an area that has been volcanically active for three million years. Today, hydrothermal features reveal this continuing activity. Mud pots, springs and boiling pools show how the park is bubbling away, proving a popular attraction among visitors.

The volcanic geology of Lassen provides soil that supports an impressive diversity of plant species. Much of the vegetation is very similar to what existed before Euro-American settlement. More than 25,000 acres of the park is old-growth forest.

About 100 breeding birds call it their home, along with thousands of California Tortoise Shell butterflies. Other animals that benefit from the park’s protection include various bat species and the rare Sierra Nevada red fox.

No matter where you are, 10,440-foot Lassen Peak is always visible. It is the largest plug dome volcano on Earth. Read the press release.

Project Details:

Project Years: 2020

Parcel Size: 0.6 acres 

Project Cost: $27,000

Long Term Significance of the Acquisition:

• Adds one more small section to the historic Nobles Emigrant Trail.
• Removes one more property from possible development.

Value to the Park and Public:

• Adds one backcountry property the public can access for camping and hiking.