Hiking the Devil’s Kitchen Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Distance: 5.0 miles / 8.0 km
The Devil’s Kitchen Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park is a unique day hike out of Warner Valley that leads to the second-largest hydrothermal area within the park, behind only Bumpass Hell farther up the mountain.
That said, the Devil’s Kitchen Trail is the most popular day hike in Warner Valley, but in comparison, Warner Valley sees only a fraction of the visitors that Lassen Peak Highway does!
This is why it’s not uncommon to be the only one hiking on any particular trail in Warner Valley—especially if you get an early morning start, as I did on this day.
All this to say, those who make the trip south to Chester and Warner Valley can enjoy a number of one-of-a-kind volcanic thermal features by hiking to Devil’s Kitchen—a place that is truly and uniquely different from the much more popular Bumpass Hell Trail.
Devil’s Kitchen Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Devil’s Kitchen Trail is located at the Warner Valley Trailhead, just before Drakesbad Guest Ranch, which is the same trailhead used for every day hike that begins in Warner Valley.
Before arriving, know that entrance fees are still required to park and hike within Warner Valley, which is why it’s important to leave your entrance receipt or federal recreation pass visible in your vehicle before setting off—or, you risk receiving a citation upon return.
Google Maps Directions: Devil’s Kitchen Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Lassen Volcanic
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
That said, bear spray is purposefully excluded from this list because, while the park is home to Black Bears, bear spray is not allowed in Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Hiking the Devil’s Kitchen Trail
The Devil’s Kitchen Trail begins on a short connector that leads to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), located a short distance up the road.
Devil’s Kitchen-Warner Valley Campground Junction
After just 0.1 miles (0.2 km), the Devil’s Kitchen Trail reaches the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
Here, the PCT continues in both directions, with the path to the right leading to the Warner Valley Campground and the path to the left leading to all the day hikes further up Warner Valley.
That said, go left at this junction to continue hiking to Devil’s Kitchen.
If you look closely, you can see some Mule Deer in the photo below!
Once the Devil’s Kitchen Trail meets the PCT, the two share the same path for roughly 0.5 miles (0.8 km) until they go their separate ways just before Dream Lake.
The one thing that becomes pretty apparent when visiting Warner Valley today is just how severe the impacts of the 2021 Dixie Fire were in this area, as Warner Valley was one of the hardest-hit areas in all of Lassen Volcanic National Park!
To learn more, keep reading, as I have more thoughts on this below.
This is the first of three times the Devil’s Kitchen Trail crosses Hot Springs Creek, with the third crossing signaling the start of Devil’s Kitchen at the very end.
After crossing Hot Springs Creek, the Devil’s Kitchen Trail crosses a number of very small, unnamed creeks that tend to make this section fairly muddy—especially when the ground is already much more saturated in the early summer season from seasonal snowmelt!
What are Locals Saying About the 2021 Dixie Fire?
This is where the Drakesbad Guest Ranch can clearly be seen from the Devil’s Kitchen Trail for the first time.
That said, I learned a lot when I last visited the Guest Ranch in Warner Valley, Chester, and Lake Almanor about the fire and how the locals are responding in its wake.
To keep it short, it seems pretty safe to say that many of the residents who live south of Lassen Peak were pretty upset with the federal government’s handling of the fire, given how severe the devastation was!
Some would have liked to see a better effort to maintain the forests and reduce fuel buildup; others are upset that the firefighting efforts couldn’t have done more to save more. But of all there is to complain about, the source of the fire was man-made, which is what’s truly the most upsetting to everyone who call this area home!
Devil’s Kitchen-Boiling Springs Lake Junction
The next time the Devil’s Kitchen Trail splits is where it meets the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) junction, which leads to both Boiling Springs Lake and the Terminal Geyser beyond.
These are the three most popular day hikes out of Warner Valley.
In any case, go right at this split to continue hiking toward Dream Lake and Devil’s Kitchen.
Read My Separate Posts: Boiling Springs Lake Trail (Coming Soon) / Terminal Geyser Trail (Coming Soon)
When the Devil’s Kitchen Trail reaches this hillside and unnamed creek, the trail makes a hard right turn across the creek.
I mention this because there is a much more obvious path heading uphill, but the correct route is to go right.
Devil’s Kitchen-Dream Lake Junction
When the Devil’s Kitchen Trail reaches the second bridge across Hot Springs Creek, go straight (right) to continue across and remain on the Devil’s Kitchen Trail, as the path to the left leads to Dream Lake, a short distance through the trees.
Devil’s Kitchen-Drakesbad Guest Ranch Junction
Almost immediately after crossing Hot Springs Creek for the second time, the Devil’s Kitchen Trail splits once again, with the connector that leads to the Drakesbad Guest Ranch.
With that in mind, I think it’s important to mention that the Drakesbad Trailhead at the ranch is really only supposed to be used by those staying there, as there isn’t a good trailhead parking area like at the Warner Valley Trailhead.
All this aside, go left to continue up Warner Valley toward Devil’s Kitchen.
After the Guest Ranch junction, the Devil’s Kitchen Trail begins to pass through some of the most beautiful sections of the entire hike, as the meadows surrounding Dream Lake and Hot Springs Creek were among the least-affected areas in Warner Valley by the 2021 Dixie Fire.
Don’t forget to wear a hooded sun shirt for the very hot and exposed hiking trails in Lassen Volcanic National Park!
When the Devil’s Kitchen Trail enters the forest on the north side of Dream Lake Meadow, the trail continues through the trees for the rest of the hike to Devil’s Kitchen.
Devil’s Kitchen-Drake Lake Connector Junction
The last time the Devil’s Kitchen Trail splits before reaching the hydrothermal area in the upper valley is at this connector, which leads over to the Drake Lake Trail, about 0.4 miles (0.6 km) to the south.
However, to continue hiking to Devil’s Kitchen, go straight at this junction.
These final sections before Devil’s Kitchen are, in my opinion, the most monotonous of the entire hike since much of the remaining trail looks the same.
Again, don’t forget to wear a hooded sun shirt, as all the day hikes within Warner Valley are more exposed than ever!
When the trail drops down to this sharp switchback, Devil’s Kitchen is just around the corner!
Devil’s Kitchen
This is the third and final time the trail crosses Hot Springs Creek, and it’s where Devil’s Kitchen officially begins!
Devil’s Kitchen Loop Trail
Similar to Bumpass Hell, the end of the Devil’s Kitchen Trail is a short 0.2-mile (0.3 km) loop around all the thermal features within Devil’s Kitchen.
That said, the Devil’s Kitchen Loop is a lot less defined than the Bumpass Hell Loop, which is why it’s more important than ever to pay attention to where the trail is—and is not—especially when hiking with young kids!
While I chose to go right around the Devil’s Kitchen Loop, I truly don’t think it makes a difference either way.
At the far western end of Devil’s Kitchen, the trail leaves the loop and heads out to an overlook across the basin.
This is the far western end of the Devil’s Kitchen Trail and the view looking up the uppermost reaches of Warner Valley.
Once back at the loop, I continued right in the counterclockwise direction around the loop.
Devil’s Kitchen Loop Junction
This is where the Devil’s Kitchen Loop returns to the beginning.
From here, go right to begin the return hike to the Warner Valley Trailhead, located roughly 2.4 miles (3.9 km) from this point.
