Header Image Attribution: "Juniper Lake" by Rick Swart at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0This post contains affiliate links. Our Extraordinary Planet may be compensated for any purchases you make.If you’ve been looking for an excuse to swim in the tranquil waters of Juniper Lake at Lassen Volcanic National Park, you’re not alone. For years, this lakeside paradise has been a summer highlight for families across northern California — and now, with this guide to the best reasons to take a trip to Juniper Lake, you can find your own ways to enjoy it, too!
There’s a lot of different aspects of the park that draw people to it each year. For anyone who likes a camping and fishing getaway, this is easily one of the best lakes to camp at in NorCal. There’s also the incredible appeal of going to a U.S. National Park, since the nature is so intact and well-maintained by the National Park Service.
Whatever draws you to Juniper Lake and the broader area of Lassen National Park, if you’re ready to go camping on the lake, our tips will help you have the best trip you can dream of!
Enjoy the Ranger-led Programs
Aside from the activities typical to camping, the Juniper Lake Campground rangers actually offer a variety of activities you can enjoy alone or with friends and family. Some of the best activities offered by the national park rangers include nature walks, astronomy programs, snowshoe hikes, Starry Night programs, and campfire programs. And if you’re visiting in August, you might even be able to celebrate with other campers and admire the beauty of Lassen Volcanic National Park during the Lassen Dark Sky Festival!
Refresh Your Herd at the Complementary Stock Corral
If you’ve been needing to find a good watering hole for your small herd, you’re in luck. Juniper Lake actually provides complementary watering troughs for use by up to 8 animals, making it perfect for anyone visiting with their herd The water for your stock animals can actually be fetched from the nearby lake, but it’s recommended that if you intend to drink any water yourself that you bring a source suitable for human consumption!
Also, before visiting the stock corral, you’ll need to reserve the spot beforehand. Once you’ve made your reservation, you can bring up to 10 people and 4 licensed vehicles. The corral is located in between the entrance to the Juniper Lake campground and the Juniper Lake Ranger Station, and when you arrive you can expect to enjoy complimentary amenities like a vault toilet and comfortably shaded areas. You’ll need to pay $30 per night for your stay at the corral.
Visit the Loomis Museum
If you’re looking to satiate your curious mind during your visit to Juniper Lake, you’re not alone. The park actually has a museum you can visit nearby the Manzanita Lake Area of Lassen Volcanic National Park called the Mae Loomis Memorial Museum. This museum was constructed by Benjamin Franklin Loomis, a famous photographer, in 1927.
He brought the park to international fame and with the help of his wife worked to establish it as the Lassen Volcanic National Park after taking incredible pictures of the volcano’s eruption in 1914. He named it in dedication to his daughter, who died years prior at the young age of 21.
Camp With Friends and Family
If you’ve been looking for a relaxing retreat to get away from all the buzz of the world around us, then the campsites at Juniper Lake are a perfect retreat. The park actually offers two group sites named A and B, as well as the main campground that offers smaller sites suitable for families, couples, or solo campers. If you’re interested in booking one of the group campsites, you’ll need to make a reservation the same day they become available — these sites are in high demand!
If you prefer a smaller getaway, you can expect the sites to be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The primary campground, Juniper Lake Campground, is tucked towards the southeast shore of Juniper Lake. If you’re looking for the most scenic destination to kick back and relax in the Lassen Volcanic National Park, this is the best place you can go. There’s 18 small campsites available, each situated along the shoreline of the lake and offering magnificent views of Lassen Peak.
It’s important to note that the Juniper Lake campgrounds don’t offer potable water, so you’ll need to make sure you arrive well-supplied. But if you run out of anything important, there are shops nearby the Lassen Volcanic National Park that you can restock at for slightly higher prices. You can expect to pay $12 per night during your magical stay at Juniper Lake for a single site, or $32 per night for a group site.
Hike to the Summit of Lassen Peak
There’s no doubt that reaching the peak of any mountain is an incredible feat. The first experience of reaching a summit is almost magical, really, as you’re able to admire the incredible view around you — one you never could have fathomed seeing before. The summit of Lassen Peak is one that you won’t regret reaching. While it might be a 5 mile trek up to the summit, with some areas being slightly rocky, this is a very manageable climb and is a great objective whether you’re an experienced climber or new to the hobby. The nearby Prospect Peak is also a great climb at only 3.1 miles.
Enjoy the Scenic Walk to Juniper Lake Campground
If you enjoy walking on trails, you’re in luck — Juniper Lake Campground has plenty of scenic trails to offer! But in such a beautiful park, you’ll also adore the walk to your campsite. The nearly 14 mile path brings you all the way from Chester to the campgrounds. You’ll find that the path is partially paved and partially gravel. Along the way, you’ll get to enjoy the lush foliage of Lassen Volcanic National Park up close, and enjoy extraordinary views of the magnificent Lassen Peak and Juniper Lake. Just remember to take some good shoes — these Sketchers really saved my feet on the long trek!
And if you’re not up for the long trail, no problem! You can also opt to bike or drive to the campgrounds. Biking allows you to stop and enjoy the most magnificent areas of the path just as closely as walking, all while allowing you to speed through the average portions. And if you prefer to drive, it’s worth pulling to the side for the most beautiful sights — but you’ll need to be mindful of other drivers and continue along the path at the recommended speeds if someone is waiting behind you.
Take an Auto Tour of Lassen Volcanic National Park
After driving to your campsite, you might be itching to see more of the park. Luckily, the Lassen Volcanic National Park service actually developed an auto tour anyone can take! It’s recommended that you start by driving the 30-mile Lassen Volcanic National Highway, which takes you from the northwest entrance of the park at Manzanita Lake to the southwest entrance. While this road is only fully open to traffic from June to November, it’s absolutely worth seeing since it takes you through some of the densest forest at the park and even up to a 8,512 crest nearby the Lassen Peak trailhead. You’ll need to be careful while driving this trail, however, since there’s no guardrails.
After driving the Lassen Volcanic National Highway, you can also try going along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. This byway is an incredible 500 miles long, considered one of the 31 All American Roads in the United States. Aside from visiting Lake Almanor and the Lassen Volcanic National Park, this scenic byway will also take you to Mount Shasta, Burney Falls State Park, Lava Beds National Park and Tule Lake, and Crater Lake National Park.
If you’d like a guided tour, there are also plenty of informational resources available to help you. You can use the Roadside Audio Tour with a downloadable MP3, listen into the Lassen Audio Tours podcast, or even purchase a CD at the Loomis Museum or Lassen Association stores. You can also take a geologic tour of volcanism with a geologic field-trip guide provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, or purchase the Lassen Volcanic National Park: Auto Tours, Trips, and Trails at a Lassen Association store for a more in-depth auto tour.
Go Fishing along Juniper Lake
If you love fishing for largemouth bass, then Juniper Lake is a great spot to hit. Largemouth bass are the most frequently reported catch from Juniper Lake, but if you’re lucky, you can also expect to find species like Bowfin, Red Drum, and Bluegill. Motorboats aren’t allowed on the waters of Juniper Lake, but you can fish along the shoreline or even bring a boat like a kayak out onto the water.
Swim in the Gorgeous Lake Waters
While it might be a little chilly, the gorgeous waters and scenic view of the Lassen peaks from the Juniper Lake shoreline makes it a worthwhile swim. The water is a beautiful, vivid blue, and due to the diligent care of the park staff the lake is also quite clean. Whether you prefer to stretch out and relax on the beach or play in the crisp waters, you won’t regret taking a swim in Juniper Lake. And because the water is clear and pleasantly shallow, it’s a great destination for families to swim.
Prioritize Enjoying Yourself
While you can’t pre-plan how well a trip will go, you can still plan to have fun from the beginning. There’s a lot of reasons to love Lassen National Park California, from the scenic trails to the incredible hike up to Lassen Peak. Even if it’s a little bit rainy during your trip, Juniper Lake is a wonderful place to find yourself brought closer to family and friends.
Some great ways to enjoy the park more is to plan beforehand about what activities you want to prioritize and to make sure that everyone gets a little bit of what they want out of the vacation. And if you’re considering going on a road trip, you can even visit other highlights in northern California like the Fandango Pass!
Anyways, since you’ve read all of our best tips on going to Juniper Lake, we just want to give the most important reminder of all: have fun! And if you have any extra tips you think other readers would love, please feel free to share them in the comments!
