Mount Lassen NP

10. Trail to Bumpass Hell

We took our time on the 3 mile round trip to Bumpass Hell. The trail is quite easy, though the altitude (8,000 feet) can make the trail seem moderately difficult. Hiking boots are recommended as the trail crosses generally rocky land with some tree cover, and without much change in elevation until the 100 foot drop into the thermally active basin. The active area can be seen (and smelt!) from far away - a wide basin filled with various steaming pools and unusual multi-colored soils, stained orange, brown, yellow and green by sulphur and other minerals. For Mom we omitted the 100 foot drop and viewed with her from above. This cut out about a mile from the round trip.