“Embark on a journey to two of the most diverse wildernesses in the US: Death Valley and Lassen Volcanic National Parks. Death Valley boasts of being the driest and hottest place in North America with its scorching sands and towering dunes, while Lassen Volcanic offers a dramatic contrast with its active geothermal wonders and stunning alpine scenery. Experience the power of nature in both its searing and simmering forms as you hike through these incredible parks. So, get your backpack ready, strap on your hiking shoes, and prepare to be awed by the beauty and diversity of Death Valley and Lassen Volcanic National Parks.”
Hiking Trails in Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Death Valley NP and Lassen Volcanic NP both offer a range of trails that showcase their unique geological features. Death Valley is known for its arid desert environment with sand dunes, salt flats, and towering peaks, and has trails like the Mosaic Canyon Trail, a 2.5-mile hike through a narrow canyon with rock formations. For a more strenuous experience, the 28-mile Badwater Basin hike takes visitors to the lowest point in North America. Meanwhile, Lassen Volcanic NP features volcanic landscapes, including hydrothermal areas, and offers trails like the half-mile Devastated Area Nature Trail, as well as the strenuous 5.5-mile Lassen Peak Trail to the park’s 10,457-foot peak.
Most Popular Hiking Trails in Death Valley National Park
| Name | Length | Elevation | Type | Difficulty | Visitor Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badwater Basin Salt Flats Trail | 2896.812 | 2.7432 | Easy | out and back | 4.5 |
| Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Trail | 4506.152 | 62.7888 | Easy | out and back | 4.5 |
| Zabriskie Point | 643.736 | 15.8496 | Easy | out and back | 4.5 |
| Dante’s View Trail | 2574.944 | 109.728 | Easy | out and back | 4.5 |
| Telescope Peak Trail | 19312.08 | 1012.8504 | Hard | out and back | 4.5 |
| Golden Canyon Trail to Red Cathedral | 4667.086 | 174.9552 | Moderate | out and back | 4.5 |
| Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop via Zabriskie Point | 9334.172 | 332.8416 | Moderate | loop | 4.5 |
| Mosaic Canyon Trail | 5632.69 | 324.9168 | Easy | out and back | 4 |
| Death Valley Natural Bridge Road | 6920.162 | 304.8 | Easy | out and back | 4 |
| Darwin Falls Trail via Old Toll Road | 3057.746 | 68.8848 | Easy | out and back | 4 |
Most Popular Hiking Trails in Lassen Volcanic National Park
| Name | Length | Elevation | Type | Difficulty | Visitor Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lassen Peak | 8207.634 | 599.8464 | Hard | out and back | 5 |
| Kings Creek Falls Trail | 4345.218 | 143.8656 | Moderate | out and back | 4.5 |
| Cinder Cone Nature Trail | 7724.832 | 317.9064 | Hard | loop | 5 |
| Brokeoff Mountain Trail | 12230.984 | 786.9936 | Hard | out and back | 5 |
| Mill Creek Falls Trail | 6115.492 | 237.744 | Moderate | out and back | 4.5 |
| Manzanita Lake Loop | 3057.746 | 13.716 | Easy | loop | 4.5 |
| Devil’s Kitchen Trail | 7402.964 | 187.7568 | Moderate | out and back | 4.5 |
| Chaos Crags Trail | 6437.36 | 301.752 | Moderate | out and back | 4.5 |
| Cluster Lakes Loop Trail | 16737.136 | 451.7136 | Moderate | loop | 4.5 |
| Boiling Springs Lake Loop Trail | 3701.482 | 75.8952 | Easy | loop | 4.5 |
Wildlife in Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Death Valley NP is known for its desert environment and wildlife like bighorn sheep, tortoises, and rattlesnakes. It also has a significant bird population with species like golden eagle, roadrunner, and owls. Lassen Volcanic NP offers a diverse range of habitats and is home to animals like black bear, deer, and foxes. The park also has a rich birdlife, including Steller’s jay, mountain bluebird, and Clark’s nutcracker. Both parks have diverse vegetation, including shrubs, wildflowers, and trees.
Below are lists of the most commonly spotted wildlife at Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. However, you can see a full list of wildlife at each national park here.
Birds
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Peregrine Falcon | Peregrine Falcon |
| Northern Harrier | Northern Harrier |
| Sharp-Shinned Hawk | Sharp-Shinned Hawk |
| Osprey | Osprey |
| Tree Swallow | Tree Swallow |
| Mallard | Mallard |
| Canada Goose | Canada Goose |
| Lincoln’s Sparrow | Lincoln’s Sparrow |
| Ruby-Crowned Kinglet | Ruby-Crowned Kinglet |
| American Robin | American Robin |
| Great Horned Owl | Great Horned Owl |
| Red-Tailed Hawk | Red-Tailed Hawk |
| Northern Flicker | Northern Flicker |
| Merlin | Merlin |
| Barn Swallow | Barn Swallow |
| Savannah Sparrow | Savannah Sparrow |
| Great Blue Heron | Great Blue Heron |
| Hermit Thrush | Hermit Thrush |
| American Kestrel | American Kestrel |
| Bald Eagle | Bald Eagle |
| Song Sparrow | Song Sparrow |
| European Starling | European Starling |
| Northern Pintail | Northern Pintail |
| American Wigeon | American Wigeon |
| Green-Winged Teal | Green-Winged Teal |
Mammals
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Coyote | American Beaver |
| Muskrat | Muskrat |
| Big Brown Bat | Bobcat |
| Bobcat | Striped Skunk |
| Little Brown Bat | Raccoon |
| Deer Mouse | Black Bear |
| Raccoon | Silver-Haired Bat |
| Porcupine | Hoary Bat |
| Silver-Haired Bat | Long-Tailed Weasel |
| Hoary Bat | Mountain Lion |
| House Mouse | Mink |
| Mountain Lion | Mule Deer |
| Mule Deer | Gray Fox |
| Gray Fox | Wolf |
| Long-Legged Myotis | Long-Eared Myotis |
| Long-Eared Myotis | Snowshoe Hare |
| Badger | Fringed Myotis |
| Californian Myotis | Western Harvest Mouse |
| Fringed Myotis | Yuma Myotis |
| Common Shrew | Bighorn Sheep |
| Mexican Free-Tailed Bat | Montane Shrew |
| Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat | Long-Tailed Vole |
| Bushy-Tailed Woodrat | Ringtail |
| Western Harvest Mouse | Virginia Opossum |
| Western Small-Footed Myotis | Wolverine |
Reptiles
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Gopher Snake | Gopher Snake |
| Terrestrial Gartersnake | Western Terrestrial Garter Snake |
| Ring-Necked Snake | Racer |
| Common Sagebrush Lizard | Western Rattlesnake |
| Common Side-Blotched Lizard | Ring-Necked Snake |
| Rubber Boa | Sagebrush Lizard |
| Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard | Common Garter Snake |
| Smith������S Black-Headed Snake | Common Kingsnake |
| Tree Lizard | Rubber Boa |
| Eastern Fence Lizard | Striped Whipsnake |
| Glossy Snake | Western Whiptail |
| Long-Nosed Snake | Western Skink |
| Western Fence Lizard | Western Fence Lizard |
Insects
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Orange Sulphur | Orange Sulphur |
| Painted Lady | Painted Lady |
| Monarch Butterfly | Monarch Butterfly |
| American Lady | American Painted Lady |
| Red Admiral | Common Checkered-Skipper |
| Mourning Cloak | Honey Bee |
| Cabbage White | Buckeye |
| Silvery Blue | Anise Swallowtail |
| Common Checkered-Skipper | |
| Clouded Sulphur | |
| Honey Bee | |
| Variegated Fritillary | |
| Buckeye | |
| Purplish Copper | |
| Gray Hairstreak |
Fish
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Redband Trout |
| Mosquitofish | Brook Trout |
| Goldfish | Brown Trout |
| Fathead Minnow | |
| Golden Shiner | |
| Silver Salmon | |
| King Salmon | |
| Mottled Sculpin | |
| Speckled Dace | |
| Brown Bullhead |
Amphibians
| Death Valley National Park | Lassen Volcanic National Park |
|---|---|
| Woodhouse’s Toad | Bullfrog |
| Canyon Treefrog |
Beautiful Landscapes in Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Death Valley NP is famous for its desert landscapes, including Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282ft below sea level, and the colorful Artist’s Drive. Lassen Volcanic NP is known for its volcanic features, such as Lassen Peak, the largest plug dome volcano in the world, and Bumpass Hell, a geothermal area with boiling mud pots and steam vents. Both parks offer scenic drives, hiking trails, and camping opportunities to enjoy their unique geological wonders.
Things To-Do and Activities in Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Both Death Valley and Lassen Volcanic NP offer unique outdoor experiences. In Death Valley, visitors enjoy scenic drives, stargazing, visiting unique geological formations like Badwater Basin and Zabriskie Point. Lassen Volcanic attracts visitors for hiking, camping, exploring hydrothermal features like boiling mud pots, fumaroles and ranger-led programs. Lassen’s varied topography, including active Lassen Peak, provides a wider range of recreational options, especially for those interested in volcanic activity. Death Valley’s rugged desert landscape appeals to those seeking a more extreme environment.
Best Time to Visit Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Death Valley NP and Lassen Volcanic NP are located in California, but have vastly distinct climates. Death Valley is known for scorching summer heat, with temp reaching over 100°F. Winter is milder, but still warm during day and cold at night. Lassen Volcanic has a temperate climate, summer temp in 70s-80s°F, winter temp often below freezing & receives 35+ inches of snow annually.
The best time to visit Death Valley is winter when it’s mild and less crowded, while summer is not recommended due to heat. Lassen Volcanic is best in summer, with clear roads for sightseeing, but winter offers snow sports & is accessible only with difficulty due to snow and ice.
Family Friendliness of Death Valley National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park
Death Valley and Lassen Volcanic offer different family experiences. Death Valley is more suited for older kids and teens who enjoy rugged terrain and extreme heat, offering scenic drives, hiking trails, and ranger programs. In contrast, Lassen Volcanic is better for families with younger kids, with easy hikes, geothermal demonstrations, horseback riding, ranger walks, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Thus, Lassen Volcanic is a more accessible and convenient option for families.