Cinder Cone

The hike to Cinder Cone starts near Butte Lake and runs about 4 miles round trip, first crossing fairly flat ground through forest and along the lava beds before reaching the base of the cone. The final climb up the cone itself is short but steep and strenuous, ascending loose cinders that slide underfoot like walking up a sand dune.

At the top, a trail circles the crater rim and even descends into the cone's double crater. From the rim, the views take in the colorful Painted Dunes, the black Fantastic Lava Beds, nearby lakes, and, on clear days, Lassen Peak rising in the distance, a rewarding payoff for the effort.

Surrounding Cinder Cone are two remarkable features. The Fantastic Lava Beds are dark, jagged flows of hardened lava that spread out from the cone's eruptions, and the Painted Dunes are gently rolling hills of volcanic ash tinted in soft reds, oranges, and yellows, colored when ash fell onto still-hot lava and oxidized.

Together they create a vivid, otherworldly landscape best appreciated from the height of the crater rim, where the patterns and colors spread out below. Because the area is remote and the trail crosses open, sunny cinder and lava with little shade, it is important to carry plenty of water and sun protection and to wear sturdy shoes for the loose footing.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Cinder Cone is a symmetrical volcanic cinder cone in the remote northeastern part of Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, near Butte Lake. It formed a few hundred years ago when erupting lava fountains piled up cinders into a steep, near-perfect cone, surrounded by the dark Fantastic Lava Beds and the colorful Painted Dunes. A trail of about 4 miles round trip leads to it, with a short but steep, strenuous climb up loose cinders to the crater rim. From the top, hikers can circle the double crater and enjoy views over the multicolored dunes, the black lava beds, nearby lakes, and distant Lassen Peak. It offers a memorable, firsthand look at the park's volcanic geology in a quieter corner of the park.

The Cinder Cone hike is moderately strenuous, mainly because of the final climb. The full route is about 4 miles round trip, and while the approach from the Butte Lake area is relatively flat as it crosses forest and lava beds, the ascent of the cone itself is short but steep and demanding. The trail up the cone climbs loose cinders that slide underfoot, much like walking up a steep sand dune, which makes it tiring even though the vertical climb is not enormous. The open terrain offers little shade and can be hot and sunny, so carrying plenty of water and sun protection and wearing sturdy shoes are important. For reasonably fit hikers willing to tackle the steep cinders, the summit views make it well worth the effort.

The Painted Dunes are gently rolling hills of volcanic ash near Cinder Cone in Lassen Volcanic National Park, notable for their soft, multicolored appearance in shades of red, orange, pink, and yellow. The colors formed when volcanic ash fell onto lava that was still hot, causing the iron in the ash to oxidize, essentially to rust, producing the warm hues. The result is a striking, painted-looking landscape that contrasts with the dark, jagged Fantastic Lava Beds nearby. The Painted Dunes are best appreciated from above, from the rim of Cinder Cone, where their patterns and colors spread out below in full view. They are a visually distinctive feature in the park and a highlight of the Cinder Cone area.

Cinder Cone is in the remote northeastern section of Lassen Volcanic National Park, and it is reached on foot from the Butte Lake area rather than from the park's main road corridor. Getting to the Butte Lake trailhead involves driving to that part of the park, often via a gravel road, so it takes some planning and is less visited than the central attractions. From the trailhead, the hike to the cone and back is about 4 miles round trip, crossing forest and lava beds before the steep climb up the cone. Because the area is remote with limited services and little shade, it is important to come prepared with plenty of water, sun protection, sturdy shoes, and a full tank of gas, and to check current road and trail conditions before setting out.