Lassen Volcanic National Park

Permit Information

NPS Special Use Permit required for weddings and commitment ceremonies. $75 non refundable application fee, payable by credit card (call the Fee Manager at 530 595 6120). Permits issued first come, first served up to one year in advance, apply early. Strictly prohibited: tables, sound systems, shade tarps, any amplification, decorations, balloons, confetti, and rice. The approved permit must be carried at the ceremony. Vehicles cannot drive into meadows or off designated roads.

Seasonal Planning

The main park road opens around July and closes by November depending on snowpack. The effective ceremony window is July through September for most locations, with August the most reliable. Bumpass Hell is accessible from July when the trail clears of snow. Lassen Peak trail typically opens in August and can close with early September snowfall. Manzanita Lake near the north entrance opens June through October. The park sees fewer than 360,000 visitors annually, the equivalent of a slow week at Yosemite.

Photography Notes

Lassen's visual variety is unusual: boiling mud pots, turquoise alpine lakes, volcanic summit, and old growth forest within a few miles of each other. Bumpass Hell requires a wide lens and patience for the steam to clear or become dramatically atmospheric. Manzanita Lake is a classic reflection shot: calm morning, Lassen Peak above, nothing else. The summit of Lassen Peak gives 360 degree Sierra and Cascade views but requires a 2,000 foot climb. All three subjects photograph completely differently.

Planning Your Day at Lassen Volcanic National Park

One-Spot Day

Lassen gives you three completely different elopements depending on what you want your ceremony to feel like. Bumpass Hell is otherworldly, boiling mud, venting fumaroles, the Earth literally working beneath your feet. Manzanita Lake is peaceful, calm water with Lassen Peak reflected behind you. Lassen Peak itself is a summit climb, 2,000 feet of gain on volcanic scree to the top of the largest plug dome volcano on Earth. Pick the one that fits the vibe, not all three. The main park road opens in July and closes with snow by November, so the entire year here is compressed into about four months.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

The three Lassen spots are spread along the 30 mile park road and all require real hiking except Manzanita Lake. A split day works well between Manzanita Lake for morning reflection portraits and Bumpass Hell for an afternoon ceremony, the drive is about 45 minutes and gives you two completely different environments. Combining either with Lassen Peak is not realistic, the summit climb is a full day by itself. If Lassen Peak is your ceremony, plan no other stops. The $75 permit is one of the lowest in the system, but permits are first come first served, apply as early as you can after January 1.

A Note on Light

July through October is the effective window, August is the most reliable. Bumpass Hell opens when trail snow clears (usually July) and the open treeless basin gets strong light from mid morning on, overcast days give softer, more even light on the colorful mud pools. The Manzanita Lake reflection shot only works in the morning, glass calm water before any wind, the peak filling the southern background. Afternoon wind ruffles the surface and breaks up the reflection. Lassen Peak summit is best before 10am, afternoon clouds build fast at 10,000 feet and wind strengthens. Start summit hikes before 7am.

Ceremony Spots at Lassen Volcanic National Park

• Bumpass Hell — Otherworldly ceremony beside boiling mudpots and steaming fumaroles with mountain views
• Manzanita Lake — Peaceful lakeside ceremony with Lassen Peak reflected in calm morning waters
• Lassen Peak — Summit ceremony atop the largest plug dome volcano in the world with 360 degree views