Travel
California

By Matt Kettmann
back to Dude/Guest Ranch info
 
If the weather's right-and you're lucky enough to have an uncle with a small plane-a flight into the Chester Airfield in northern Plumas County reveals not only Mount Lassen, but also its bigger volcanic sister, the towering Mount Shasta, about a hundred miles north. Lake Almanor and the pine-covered mountaintops of the southern end of the Cascade Range complete this unforgettable aerial view of this corner of Northern California.

The rest of Plumas County promises a similar perspective, increasingly attracting tourists from all over who want the wilds and waters of Lake Tahoe, but dread the traffic jams, crowded beaches, and not-so-natural casinos.

Since the view of Lassen dominates most northern views in Plumas County, starting an adventure there is apropos. There are three ways to thread your way through Lassen Volcanic National Park: roughing it hard, roughing it easy, and doing it in style.

For the rough and ready crowd, simply pile enough supplies into your backpack for a three-day jaunt over lava-crusted lands, through alpine moonscapes, and past smelly pots of boiling mud. The more than 150 miles of trails traipse past all four types of volcanoes on the planet, a geologic treat unheard of in North America.

Slightly easier is a drive to one of a handful of campgrounds, if walking long distances to backcountry outposts isn't your family's idea of vacation. Don't forget a portable fishing pole either, because countless hidden lakes hold big trout and bigger bass. Just beware of the winter snowstorms, which can sneak in during the fall season.

Luckily for city folk, Lassen's lava-licious legacy also can be enjoyed while one rests comfortably in the relative lap of luxury at the historic Drakesbad Guest Ranch. Built in the Hot Springs Valley near the original log cabin home of trapper and wilderness guide Edward Drake, who homesteaded the region in the 1870s, the Drakesbad Guest Ranch offers rustic accommodations with backwoodsy charm.

Kerosene lamps light the simple rooms at night, but during the day, natural relaxation thrives, for patrons of all ages can swim in the hot spring-filled pool, paddle canoes on Dream Lake, take a guided fly-fishing tour, or just meander around the wildlife-packed meadows. Best of all, the guest ranch offers extensive horse riding opportunities, making the majesty of Lassen that much more enjoyable.

If your travel plans include an autumn getaway, you can't pass up Plumas County, the West Coast's answer to New England's "changing of the leaves." Every year in early October, fall colors come to life in the Plumas-Eureka State Park, so make way for a stay at the resort area of Graeagle, about five miles east of "Plumas Park"-as it's known to locals.

Graeagle is quickly becoming the hottest alternative to Tahoe. For a complete list of ranches, resorts, B and Bs, and campgrounds, check out the Graeagle website below.

For More Information

Lassen Volcanic National Park: www.nps.gov/lavo

Drakesbad Guest Ranch: (530) 529-1512 ext. 120, www.drakesbad.com

Plumas-Eureka State Park: (530) 836-2380

Graeagle: www.graeagle.com