Cinder Cone Volcano
Have you ever hiked to the top of a volcano? I can now say “yes, I have!”. (Ok, so I actually could say that before. I’ve hiked Diamond Head in Hawaii.)
Tucked away down a dirt road, you will find parking at Butte Lake. You’d think it would be easier to find Cinder Cone but it’s not well marked along the road so follow the signs for Butte Lake.
If you plan on going to Cinder Cone, bring plenty of water with you! You definitely need it! This hike is not for the faint of heart! Wear good footwear, sunscreen and a hat. I also wish I had brought along hiking sticks. They would’ve helped with the climb!
The hike is about four miles total and takes at least three hours. The trailhead begins at the lake.
Next to the lake and path is the “Fantastic Lava Beds”. These are massive beds of basalt lava that you are welcome to check out. They are indeed “fantastic”!
You hike through the woods until suddenly you see it, Cinder Cone!
It was already hot (late morning) and I was already tired by this point. I do not recommend going in the heat of the afternoon!
The trail going up the volcano is actually rather short and doesn’t look that bad in pictures.
You have to imagine being out in the heat, trudging though ash, cinder and rock so thick you slide backward with every single step. Altitude added to the mix makes it very difficult for someone who is used to living at sea level!
The informational pamphlet (found at the trailhead) tells you that the slope of Cinder Cone is angled at 30-35 degrees. That’s as steep as possible without cinders rolling off! Isn’t that amazing!?!
I’m not going to lie, it was really difficult and slow going for me! To encourage myself and my son, I kept quoting “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
Step by step, slowly we made progress while encouraging each other and taking plenty of water breaks. I was thanking the Lord for the clouds and wind to help cool us off! I can only imagine how hard it is in the full sun!
Don’t forget to take in the amazing vistas while you stop to breathe! Lassen Peak is an incredible view on your way up!
My strong daughter was amazing and was the first one up followed by my youngest. My middle kiddo has asthma but he arrived right alongside me. My Husband was a real trooper and ended up carrying all the gear!
Rising up to the crest felt amazing! We did it! What an amazing view up there! Reaching the top made everything worth it! What a reward! I’d never seen a landscape look so otherworldly and Mars-like before!
There are more trails up top and one that even leads down into the crater! Tired as we were, (knowing we’d need bathrooms before too long) we didn’t go down in the crater. We did walk around the rim though. The wind was blowing like crazy up top (hold on to your hat!) and we quickly cooled off!
The hike back down was pretty interesting too! It’s very difficult to balance as you slide down and try to avoid other people. Watching other hikers, everyone seems to have their own technique for going down. I wouldn’t recommend running although I saw some people try it.
My Husband brilliantly thought to turn my camera tripod into a monopod so I could help balance myself going down.
My boys, not ones to be careful, ended up on their rears quite a bit.
The lake where we started!
At the bottom of Cinder Cone we all had to stop and empty our shoes of ash and rock!
(Don’t worry, our daughter got new shoes after this trip!)
The rest of the hike back to the lake was easier heading down hill.
A delicious picnic lunch we packed awaited us!
