Lassen Volcanic National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Lassen Volcanic National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, from the park's alerts, news releases, and hours pages. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new, so bookmark it rather than an old news story. Snow starts limiting road access here around November, so check the park's own alerts the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Juniper Lake Campground and day use area are closed for maintenance and campground improvements, and there's no drinking water there. Juniper Lake Road, which reaches the lake and its trailheads, is open, but drive carefully because road crews and contractors may be working. (NPS)
  • The park's electric vehicle charging station doesn't work, and there's no timeline for fixing it. Plan to charge outside the park. (NPS)
  • The main visitor phone line works only intermittently. For general questions, email the park at lavo_information@nps.gov. (NPS)
  • Ask about fire restrictions before you light a campfire. The park put Stage 2 fire restrictions in place on July 31, 2026, throughout the park including all campgrounds, to last until rescinded. The current alerts don't mention them, and the park's news releases don't show them being lifted. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park is open 24 hours a day, every day, and you don't need a reservation to enter. Entrance is $30 per private vehicle, good for seven consecutive days. The park also lists a discounted $10 winter vehicle fee. When the entrance station isn't staffed, you can buy a digital pass on Recreation.gov. (NPS)
  • Roads: the park posts road closures and detours in its alerts, and none is listed today. It says road access is limited from roughly November through May because of snow. (NPS)
  • Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (near the southwest entrance): open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Loomis Museum (near the northwest entrance): open Thursday through Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • Manzanita Lake Campground: Loops A and B are open for dry camping (no water), by reservation. The park says the camping fee drops by $15 once the water is off. (NPS)
  • Southwest Walk-in Campground: open, first-come, first-served, paid with Scan & Pay in the Recreation.gov app. Self-contained camping is allowed in the parking area. (NPS)
  • Closed for the season: Butte Lake, Warner Valley, Summit Lake North and South, and Lost Creek Group campgrounds. Juniper Lake has been closed all of 2026.
  • Backcountry camping is allowed year-round with a wilderness permit, available only online through Recreation.gov.

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Early November: the Loomis Museum's 2026 season ends November 2, and it's listed as closed until May 20, 2027. From Monday, November 2, Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center switches to winter days: Friday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 12: the last listed date for dry camping at Manzanita Lake. The campground is listed as closed from November 13 until May 21, 2027, and may close sooner if snow comes.
  • When snow covers the ground (typically in November), the tent sites at Southwest Campground close.
  • Holidays: Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center closes on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26) and Christmas Day.

What this means for your trip

The main park road is what holds a Lassen trip together. It's the road that links the Manzanita Lake side in the northwest with the Kohm Yah-mah-nee side in the southwest. Nothing is posted against it today, but the park says snow limits road access from about November. If you're visiting in the next few weeks, check the alerts that morning. If the road is closed, plan your day around one entrance instead of a drive through.

Campers are down to two choices: dry camping at Manzanita Lake (reservation, bring your own water) through about mid-November, and the Southwest walk-in sites until snow closes them. Butte Lake and Warner Valley are already closed. Book ahead, because the park says connectivity inside is limited or nonexistent.

A few small things can trip you up. EV drivers should arrive with enough charge for the whole visit. If the phone line won't connect, email instead. And from November 2, Kohm Yah-mah-nee is open only Friday through Sunday, so if you're coming midweek, don't count on it.

Before you go

  • Check the park's current conditions and alerts the morning of your visit. For roads outside the park, the park points you to Caltrans QuickMap.
  • Reserve Manzanita Lake on Recreation.gov before you arrive.
  • Get a wilderness permit online for any overnight backcountry trip.
  • Questions: lavo_information@nps.gov.

If a closure knocks out part of your plan, my guide to Lassen Volcanic National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.