Lassen National Park is a walkers’ paradise, best discovered by starting at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor centre and grabbing some maps and information about the different areas of the park. Explore Manzanita Lake early in the morning, as the views of the 10,457 feet Lassen Peak are amazing! Visitors can either hike the easy one and a half mile loop trail or rent a paddle board and head out onto the water in the summer. The Bumpass Hell Trail is a gentle three mile round trip to explore boiling mud pots and water pools of turquoise, views of Lassen Peak and Brokeoff Volcano. For a steeper hike, climb the two mile round trip on the Ridge Lakes Trail and you will be rewarded with two pretty alpine lakes, nestled in a basin at around 8,000 feet above sea level.

At Mount Shasta, sports such as golfing and fishing can be enjoyed, but the hiking trails offer spectacular scenery and occasionally, glimpses of deer, eagles, black bear and other wild animals. Day hike trails are generally open from June until late October depending on snow and weather conditions. Some of the most popular trails include the John Everitt vista point, Panther meadow loop and the Old ski bowl trail, or for a harder hike try the five mile uphill Bunny flat trail.