The Last and is known for its scenic beauty, for its vast wilderness, for its cascades and waterfalls, and of course its many volcanoes. And most people come to the park to visit the many hydrothermal areas, the largest of which is Bumpas Hell. Bumpas Hell is found in the park's mountainous southwest region. The trail is located along the main park highway, about six miles from the southwest entrance. Once you park your car at the trailhead, the hike to Bumpas Hell and back will take you about an hour and a half to two hours. This is really one of the best trails in the park. The destination is just part of the reason why. The trail is a mile and a half long, which means you get to see much more than just the hydrothermal basin and the boardwalk. One of the first things you'll notice is Lassen Peak towering to the north and at its base the clear waters of Lake Helen. At 8,000 feet above sea level, this trail winds along the rim of a large valley. The valley was once the site of Mount Tehema, also called Brocaf volcano. At the Brocaf volcano overlook, about a half a mile from the trailhead, you can use your imagination to reconstruct the ancient volcano from its remnants. You'll continue on from this point and make your way to the crest of the trail and descend into the basin. At this point you're entering into another world. Not only will you begin to see the changes in the landscape, but you'll be able to hear them and smell them too. You'll notice sulfuric gases rising from mineral-rich waters, thumping mud pots and boiling springs, and colorful soil and turquoise pools. The boardwalk takes you out into the steaming, boiling basin and allows you to get really close to the action. Just remember to stay on the boardwalk. This is a volatile area and it's difficult to tell what's going on underneath the surface. Don't suffer the same fate as the area's namesake, Kendall Van Hookbumpus. In 1865 he was walking through this area on what seemed like solid ground when he broke through the crust and sunk his leg into the superheated water. Take into consideration that higher elevations in Lassen can receive as much as 30 feet of snow each winter. The best season to hike Bumpus Hell is between July and October. The trail crew here at Lassen works hard to open the trail by July 4th, but this is really dependent on the winter and spring snowpack. Check our website or give us a call before you come up to the park to check on updated trail conditions. It could be 105 degrees down in the valley, but you'll still find snow on the Bumpus Hell trail in the summer. This is an awe-inspiring and dynamic landscape that's always changing from season to season and year to year. The earth doesn't need an audience. It will continue to construct and deconstruct regardless of who or what may be watching. But standing on that boardwalk at Bumpus Hell, for that moment we can be a witness to geology and action. There's not many places on the earth where you can do that.