Lassen Volcanic Park, north of Susanville in Northern California, is another one of my favorite California parks. It’s fairly close to Reno (where I live), and it makes a great day trip during the summer and fall.

In winter, the main road through the park is closed, but both entrance stations are open, and there are trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The nicest thing about Lassen is that it’s not as crowded as a lot of other parks, even in the summer. For one thing, it’s out of the way, and for another, a lot of people just don’t seem to think there’s much to do there, but really, it’s a great park.

There are tons of hiking trails to choose from, and because Lassen has a volcanic history, there are a lot of geothermal features to the park, almost like a mini-Yellowstone right in Northern California.

My favorite hike is the hike to Bumpass Hell, a small valley filled with mudpots and other great features that are fun for the kids and parents, too. It’s a fairly level hike, until the last few hundred feet down into Bumpass and back, but it’s worth the effort to see and enjoy this area.

Of course, the hike is closed for the winter, but make a note of it when the roads open up again in April or May. Lassen is a little gem of a park, and once you discover it, I’ll bet you go back again and again.

I’m concentrating on California parks this week, because many of them are still very accessible this time of year, and many of them are fascinating, too. Take Manzanar, for example. I’ve visited this area several times, and for some reason it fascinates me, even though its’ history is a sad one. Manzanar is located about nine miles north of Lone Pine, CA, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, on Highway 395. In other words, it’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

That’s just why it exists, because Manzanar was a relocation camp for Southern California Japanese Americans during World War II. That’s why its history always makes me sad, and a little angry, too. And yet, the location is starkly beautiful, and something always compells me to stop on my trips up and down 395 to Southern California.

Manzanar has undergone quite a few changes, so if you haven’t visited for a while, it’s time. There’s a visitor center now, with a history of the camp, and there is a restored sample “house” as well. There’s also a self-guided auto tour, that takes you on a 3.2 mile journey through the camp. Visiting Manzanar is a haunting experience, but one you shouldn’t miss. 

One of my favorite parks in California is Cabrillo National Monument, maybe because I grew up in San Diego and visited it quite often! It used to be that you could actually climb up inside the light in the lighthouse, but that treat is long gone.

However, you can still enjoy some of the best views of San Diego from the “point” as we called it, and some wonderful views out to the Pacific, too. Even the drive up to Cabrillo, through Point Loma and Fort Rosecrans is a treat, one of the best short jaunts in San Diego county.

Don’t miss the tidepools down below the monument, and the other lighthouse that is now a Coast Guard station at the base of Point Loma, right below Cabrillo as well. Bring a picnic lunch, there are tables scattered throughout the monument, and hiking trails, too. Get there early on the weekends, because the parking lots fill up fairly quickly.

A visit to Cabrillo National Monument is a quick way to get away from city life in San Diego. Oh, during January and February, watch for whales off the coast, too!

If you’ve never experienced the awe and wonder of a Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwhanee Hotel in Yosemite, then you’re missing one of the grandest events in all the National Parks. Each December, the Ahwahnee transforms itself into a 17th century feasting hall, complete with costumes, decor, and of course, dining. It’s a four-hour long dinner with a play attached, and tickets are still available.

This year, the dinner takes place on December 18, 19, 21, 22, 24 and 26. Seating begins promptly at 6pm. Tickets for Bracebridge are available currently either online or by calling (559) 253-5604. The Bracebridge is a Yosemite tradition dating back to 1927, so don’t miss this outstanding “dinner and a show!”

Due to snowfall, the Tioga and Glacier Point Roads are closed; they usually reopen in late May or June. The Mariposa Grove Road is closed; it usually reopens sometime in April. These roads are not plowed, and no vehicles are allowed at any times. The roads in Yosemite Valley are open with no controls.