Although I was in Redding, CA, on business, this town is nestled at the foot of some impressive mountain ranges. Located at the very northern tip of the Sacramento Valley, 55 miles from Mount Shasta (14,162 feet), Redding is justly billed as "the gateway to Northern California’s natural wonders." I regret that I didn’t have time to visit nearby Lassen Peak and Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is just 50 miles East of Redding on Highway 44.
After returning home, I learned from an ex-Californian that Lassen Volcanic Park is nicknamed "The Forgotten National Park" because it simply doesn’t get as much press as Yellowstone or Yosemite. However, it’s got the geothermal oddities of Yellowstone and (I understand) the scenic beauty of both its sister parks.
What Lassen Park has that Yellowstone and Yosemite don’t have is (1) mobs of tourists and (2) an active volcano, Lassen Peak – in fact, it has one of only two active volcanoes in the continental United States (the other, of course, is Mt. St. Helens). The last major eruption at Lassen Peak was in 1915 (smaller, sporadic eruptions finally petered out in 1921). The park boasts 106,000 acres of wilderness and old-growth forests, eight camp grounds, and 150 miles of hiking trails (including 17 miles of the "Pacific Coast Trail." Not being a serious hiker myself, I can only guess that it’s a particularly scenic trail). My next trip to Northern California will definitely include a visit to Lassen Park.