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Snag Lake Loop

Lassen Volcanic National Park · Lassen · Managed by Lassen Volcanic National Park (NPS)
Difficulty 11/100 · Easyloop#loop#volcanic#beginner-friendly#cinder-cone
Distance
7.8 mi
Total gain
603 ft
Net gain
87 ft
Net loss
0 ft
Elevation
6,111–6,390 ft
Days
2
Permit
Required
Campfires
Campfires allowed seasonally

Overview

The Snag Lake loop is Lassen's most unusual easy backpack: a short circuit from Butte Lake past the jet-black Cinder Cone and the Painted Dunes to the shores of Snag Lake, a lake born in the 1850s when lava dammed Grassy Creek and drowned a forest of standing snags. Camping on the lake shore with a volcano cone on the horizon is an entirely different California.

Highlights

  • The climb up Cinder Cone — a perfect 700-foot volcanic cone with a summit crater
  • Snag Lake's drowned forest, still visible as pale snags above the waterline
  • The Painted Dunes, ribbons of oxidized volcanic ash
  • Lassen Peak glowing at sunset from the lake shore

Logistics

  • Trailhead: Butte Lake Trailhead (6,111 ft · parking: End of Butte Lake Road, off Highway 44)
  • Water: Butte Lake and Snag Lake, plus seasonal creeks; treat all water.
  • Resupply: None; Old Station has a small store off Highway 44.
  • Shuttle: Not needed for a loop.
  • Bear canister required.

Permits

  • Agency: Lassen Volcanic National Park (NPS)
  • Reserve or apply on recreation.gov
  • Quota: No quotas or designated campsites in the Lassen backcountry.
  • Reservation window: Permits are reserved online only, up to 90 days in advance.

Campfires & stove regulations

Campfires allowed seasonally. Wood fires in the Lassen backcountry are restricted in many zones — review the park's backcountry camping regulations before your trip. A stove is the reliable option. Current fire restrictions. Rules change with conditions — always confirm with the managing agency before your trip.

Best time to go

Best months: July, August, September.

Snow: Trails are generally snow-free June through October; the Butte Lake road opens in summer.

Heat: Warm, dry summers; the cinder fields are exposed and dusty.

Bugs: Mosquitoes near the lakes into July.

Weather forecast

Know before you go

  • The cinder trail is loose and dusty — gaiters help
  • The 2021 Dixie Fire burned parts of the park's east side; expect open burned terrain and check closures
  • Bear canisters are required April 16 through November 30
  • No quotas, but permits must be reserved online before you arrive

Map

Route track shown for reference only — navigate with map and compass. Track source: OpenStreetMap route relation 19033474 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) (ODbL 1.0).

Sources & citations

Data compiled 2026 from public agency and reference sources. All descriptive text on this page is original; verify current conditions with the managing agency before your trip.

  1. Backcountry Camping. Lassen Volcanic National Park (National Park Service). https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/wilderness-permit-information.htm. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: Public domain (US government work). Permit system and fees, bear canister requirement (April 16–November 30), no-quota policy, and the Butte Lake to Snag Lake trail description.
  2. Lassen Volcanic National Park Wilderness Permits. Recreation.gov / National Park Service. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675334. Accessed 2026-09-07. Online-only wilderness permits, $6 reservation fee plus $5 per person.
  3. Butte Lake to Snag Lake Trail route relation 19033474. OpenStreetMap contributors. https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/19033474. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: ODbL 1.0. Route geometry; distance and elevation statistics computed from this track.
  4. SRTM90 elevation data. OpenTopoData (SRTM, NASA/USGS-derived open data). https://www.opentopodata.org/. Accessed 2026-09-07. Elevation enrichment for computed gain/loss statistics.