Hiking the Ridge Lakes Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Distance: 2.2 miles / 3.5 km
Elevation Gain: ~1,000 ft. (305 m)
The Ridge Lakes Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park is a short but challenging day hike that leads to arguably the most beautiful alpine lake in the entire park!
Yes, few lakes in Lassen rival the beauty of the turquoise-blue Ridge Lakes, situated beneath the summit of Brokeoff Mountain.
That said, the Ridge Lakes Trail is fairly steep, gaining roughly 1,000 ft. (305 m) in just 1.1 miles (1.8 km), which essentially means there are no breaks from the near-constant uphill climb.
However, the effort is easily worth the reward, as hikers can swim, paddleboard, and even fish for trout—though fishing reports are not the best compared to other lakes and streams throughout the park.
Ridge Lakes Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Ridge Lakes Trail is located in a joint parking area that serves both the hike and Sulphur Works.
For this reason, parking at the Ridge Lakes Trailhead can be more difficult during the peak summer travel season. However, visitors should know that no destination in Lassen Volcanic is nearly as busy as other California National Park trails, like the Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park.
Google Maps Directions: Ridge Lakes 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 Ridge Lakes Trail
The Ridge Lakes Trail begins adjacent to the restroom, where the hike will parallel West Sulphur Creek for nearly the entire ascent up to the lake.
The ascent begins almost immediately upon leaving the parking lot, and it essentially continues uninterrupted for the entire hike.
This is why some hikers may want to carry trekking poles on the Ridge Lakes Trail, which can be especially helpful for the steep and sometimes slippery hike back down.
In this long tunnel of trees, the Ridge Lakes Trail is one of those day hikes where it doesn’t become obvious how beautiful the destination is going to be until the very end!
In addition to poles, I recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt for the typically very sunny summer weather that frequents Lassen Volcanic during the best travel months.
If you know what to listen for, you may hear—or even see—a Black Bear when hiking the Ridge Lakes Trail.
I say this because, while bear sightings are not as common in Lassen Volcanic as in other California National Parks, like Sequoia and Kings Canyon, these more remote areas can be great places to spot them—though I like to say it’s almost more common to hear one before you see it.
It’s worth noting that the plant species shown here is highly toxic to both humans and animals and should be avoided wherever it’s found—typically in wet, marshy areas like this and along other day hikes across Lassen Volcanic National Park.
This is where the Ridge Lakes Trail begins some of the steepest sections of the entire hike, which can be slippery on the way back down.
At this junction, just 0.1 miles (0.2 km) below the Ridge Lakes, the trail splits into two separate paths, each leading to different sections of the lake above.
Officially, the Ridge Lake Trail continues to the left, but it truly doesn’t matter which direction you decide to go, as both meet at the top just a short distance ahead.
This is the official Ridge Lakes Trail on the left-hand side.
Ridge Lakes
After roughly 1.0 miles (1.6 km), the Ridge Lakes Trail ends at Ridge Lake.
I honestly don’t understand why the National Park Service uses the word lakes instead of lake, since the two main areas of the lake only become separated late in the summer/ fall season, when the water level drops from its peak snowmelt level.
In any case, the Ridge Lakes are a very beautiful place to hang out and enjoy the sunny summer weather in Lassen, and for the more adventurous type of hiker, the surrounding peaks can even be climbed via the Ridge Lakes Trail, such as Mt. Diller to the north.
This is where the Ridge Lakes Trail wraps around to the second half of the lake.
