Lassen Volcanic National Park will join national parks across the nation in offering free admission to visitors on Sept. 23, National Public Lands Day.
“I encourage everyone to take advantage of this fee free day to explore and discover the beauty and recreational opportunities that Lassen Volcanic National Park has to offer,” said Superintendent Jim Richardson. National Public Lands Day is a wonderful opportunity to explore the resilient landscape post-Dixie Fire of 2021, he said.
“September is National Wilderness month, so it’s also a great time to be in and learn about the role of wilderness of in our lives,” Richardson said.
National Public Lands Day offers several several activities at Lassen Park. Students, teachers, and parents from Marsh Junior High School will help kick it off with a Manzanita Lake clean-up to build leadership and community. These hardworking volunteers will walk around the popular Manzanita Lake loop for litter/trash pick up, said Richardson.
Another way to enjoy and learn about public lands is through a ranger-led program. As fall colors begin to paint the landscape, visitors can immerse themselves in Lassen’s wilderness. Join a ranger-guided hike along the Paradise Meadows trail and enjoy the sounds of rushing water along the trail. Learn about shinrin-yoku, a Japanese practice that promotes well-being by connecting deeply with a forest setting. Meet at the Hat Creek trailhead at 11:00 a.m. for a hike that will last about 1.5 hours and is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
A weed removal project will be taking place in the park led by American Conservation Experience (ACE) team members. “Give them a thank you for battling invasive species, such as smooth brome and bull thistle, which spreads in post-fire environments,” Richardson said. ACE will join forces with National Park Service and Sierra Institute weed crews to track down and remove bull thistle in the Hat Creek drainage.
National Public Lands Day is a fee-free entrance day at Lassen and all national park sites for all visitors. Other federal agencies not charging for admittance on National Public Lands Day include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service.
For additional information about Lassen Volcanic National Park, please visit us at www.nps.gov/lavo, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LassenNPS, Twitter at www.twitter.com/LassenNPS, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/LassenNPS.
Information submitted by Lassen Volcanic National Park
