On my way to the
IRG in Humboldt County, California, I took a slight detour to spend a night at
Lassen Volcanic National Park. This small, but interesting park, is probably one of the least visited of the U.S. national parks. It's overshadowed by its neighbors (Yosemite, Death Valley and Yellowstone) and doesn't quite make it on the tourist loop. However, it has everything the larger parks do including hiking trails, wildflowers, waterfalls, alpine lakes, the 10,457 ft Lassen Peak and even some bubbling hot pots, steaming valleys and the smell of sulfur. Call it Baby Yellowstone.
What makes this park unusual for teardroppers is that the rangers let you camp out in the visitor center parking lot. There are several campsites for tents, but RVs and teardrop trailers can park right in the entrance to the park for up to 14 days. The cost is $14 for the night and includes water, bathrooms, a dishwashing station and access to the visitor center restrooms. For my one night in the park, I didn't even need to unhook from the vehicle.
