Lassen Snowshoe & Snow Play

Free ranger snowshoe walks on an active volcano, with a sledding hill right behind the visitor center. Winter entry is only $10 a car.

4 hrs drive · 2 days · Best for toddlers to teens · Jan–Mar

Day 1: Snowshoe with a ranger

For little kids, sled the wide, gentle mile of closed road toward Sulphur Works, where ski tracks keep sleds going straight. Skip the first steep hill past the ranger station; one family's 8-year-old flipped at the bottom. Frog Mom
The park's loaner snowshoes are adult sizes only. One family bought cheap plastic kid snowshoes online for about $20 so the kids could tramp around on their own. Frog Mom
Kids loved the mud pots at Sulphur Works but complained loudly about the rotten-egg smell, which you notice well before you get there. Frog Mom
On a walk day the visitor center lot was full and one visitor circled about 20 minutes for a spot. Even the 2-mile walk felt hard at that altitude, and with thin snow the group just followed the road to Sulphur Springs. Active NorCal
The visitor center Wi-Fi went down and took card payments with it, so carry cash for the entry fee. Food inside is just snacks, so bring a stove or thermos for hot drinks. Adventures of A+K

Ranger snowshoe walks last ran in 2025 from Jan 4 to mid-March, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30, about 2 hours. Free snowshoes are provided. Ages 8 and up only, and no children in carriers. The 2026–27 schedule is not posted yet, and NPS said 2025 walks were pending staff availability.
Walk tickets are free, same day only, first come first served from 9:00 at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee info desk. No holds or reservations. Space is tight on holiday weekends. Conditions and cancellations: 530-595-4480.
In winter you can only drive about 1 mile in from the Southwest and Northwest entrances. Plowed lots are at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (south, 6,700 ft) and Loomis Plaza at Manzanita Lake (north). Hwy 89 through the park is closed.
Gentle sledding slopes are directly behind the visitor center; steeper ones are a short walk up the closed road. No rentals in the park, so bring sleds. NPS says sledding is the top cause of winter injuries there. Gentler hills for little kids are on the north shore of Manzanita Lake.
Winter entry (Dec 1 – Apr 15) is $10 per car, versus $30 in summer. No gas in the park from November to May. The visitor center lobby has 24-hour restrooms and water; the cafe is limited October to April but a microwave is available.
Lassen Mineral Lodge's motel stopped rentals Oct 31 for the season and its restaurant is weekends only, so plan to sleep in Chester or Red Bluff.