When we arrived at the Lassen National Park Manzanita Campground we found Grandpa Epp working hard to set up his campsite. We were excited to spend time with him, Nona, Nona’s Great-Granddaughter Jaliya, and their spoiled dog we affectionately call Cousin Bella. We spent the afternoon and evening catching up, exploring the lake, eating dinner, roasting marshmallows and playing games. After a great night sleep and an amazing breakfast, we set off to see the park. Lassen is known for having four different types of volcanoes: cinder cone, shield, composite and plug dome. Mount Lassen erupted in 1914 leaving a destruction zone that we could explore. We also saw two beautiful alpine lakes: Emerald and Helen. The most popular hydrothermal area in the park, Bumpass Hell was closed but we did get to Sulphur Works, which had some boiling mudpots. Before heading back to the campsite, we went on a three-mile hike to Kings Creek Falls. The views of the meadow and waterfall were stunning. As we hiked, I felt incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to see these amazing places and spend quality time with my family. When we got back to our site, Grandpa and Nona had made a steak dinner for us —what a treat! It was the best dinner we’ve had since starting our journey. Around the fire, Grandpa told us stories about camping as a young man while Nona and kids the played Clue. The morning we left, Matt caught a nice brown trout in Manzanita Lake. We had a fabulous time together in a spectacular place and unsurprisingly, it was difficult to say goodbye.
Great Pics! See you next week!