This trail is a prime example of why I don't let other people's reviews influence my decisions! I really enjoyed this hike and yet it received a lot of criticism on the internet for not having great views and no payoff. Those reviewers must not have gone all the way to the end because when we got to the last meadow, there were spectacular views of Eagle Peak, Vulcan's Castle and Loomis Peak.
As you'll notice from the video below, we saw more wildflowers on this trail than any of the other hikes we've done in the park. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the trail, too. Yes, it was mostly uphill (I've come to expect that from every hike now that I've done a few!), but there were beautiful lichen-covered forests, meadows full of blue, white, purple and red wildflowers, ferns growing on the hillside, and lush green spots where little creeks ran through, watering even more flowers.
We hiked this trail in mid-July and there were still flowers getting ready to bloom, so I can imagine how beautiful it must be weeks later. After completing 17 hikes in Lassen (wow, has it been that many already?!), I can honestly say that this is one of my top five favorites.
The moral of the story is to check things out for yourself and never let anyone keep you from discovering something worth exploring...
Manzanita Creek Trail
Lassen Volcanic National Park
7 miles round-trip
1,110 elevation change
For photos of the birds we spotted on this trail, visit my birding blog Wings and Daydreams...
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