Volcanoes

About Volcanoes

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  Wilderness Camping at Mount Rainier National Park

  Mount Rainier National Park

  Approximately 97% of Mount Rainier National Park is designated wilderness, with only a small part of the park easily accessed along road corridors. Hiking and wilderness camping provides a way to explore this wilderness and experience a greater portion of the park. Most backpackers prefer to use the established designated trailside camps along the park’s trail system. Camping along trails is only permitted at these established camps. All camps have primitive toilet facilities, marked sites, food storage poles (bear poles) for hanging food and garbage, and a nearby water source. Resources for planning wilderness camping trip: Wilderness Guidelines & Regulations Trail & Backcountry Camp Conditions Wilderness Trip Planner (PDF) Permits A permit is required year-round for all overnight stays in the backcountry. A wilderness permit allows the permit holder and their group to camp in a designated camp or area. A climbing permit is required for travel above 10,000 feet or on glaciers. Permits must be obtained in person at a wilderness information center or visitor center. Walk-up permits are available year-round. Advanced reservations are available for the peak season (June-September) on Recreation.gov . Park entrance fees are still required in addition to wilderness/climbing permits. For details on wilderness permit reservations, including applying for the early access lottery, visit the wilderness permit webpage. Party Size Summer: Party size is limited to 5 people for camping in individual sites at trailside designated camps, camping off-trail in cross-country zones, and camping on bare ground in alpine zones. Parties may not exceed five people. Party size for “groups” is defined as 6 to 12 people. Group camping is permitted at specific group sites at 25 designated camps, and when camping on snow in alpine zones. Winter: Party size is limited to 12 people for all areas. Large group (over 12 people) winter camping is available at Paradise by reservation. More on winter camping at Paradise. Safety Hikers need to emphasize personal safety as they journey by foot through the backcountry and along many of the popular trails. For trail conditions and information , talk with a ranger at any visitor center or wilderness information center. Be prepared for encounters with wildlife . Use the following tips to keep your journey safe: Protect yourself by wearing appropriate…

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  Crack-In-Rock Ranger-Led Hike

  Wupatki National Monument

  Crack-In-Rock Day Hikes Day trips to Crack-In-Rock will be offered each year in April and October. The number of participants on each hike is limited to 12 to preserve these fragile resources. Hikes may be conducted with smaller groups depending on staff availability. Spots are filled on a first come first served basis with a waitlist of 5 people per hike. Two people maximum can be signed up at one time. The 2026 October hikes are now FULL and registration is closed. For questions about this hike please contact FLAG_Ranger_Hikes@nps.gov . Participants will be driven by NPS staff in 4x4 vehicles and then led on a guided hike to the Crack-In-Rock Pueblo and other nearby archeological sites to experience protected petroglyph panels and Ancestral Puebloan structures. This day hike will be approximately four miles total in desert conditions. The hike is strenuous to include uneven terrain and steep talus slopes, participants will be exposed to outdoor conditions all day. These sites and the lands they are on are culturally significant to the 13 Traditionally Associated Tribes of Wupatki National Monument, all of whom have ancestral ties to this area.

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  Sugarloaf Mountain Trail

  Chiricahua National Monument

  This moderate trail to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain is 1.8 miles/2.8 kilometers roundtrip. Rising above the surrounding canyons, the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain at 7,310ft/2,228m is one of the highest points in the monument. The dark rock is dacite, evidence of a lava flow. Lightning activity is monitored from the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed fire lookout during the summer. Return the same way. Access is from the Sugarloaf parking lot.

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  Climbing Mount Rainier

  Mount Rainier National Park

  Mount Rainier, the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, offers an exciting challenge to the mountaineer. Each year thousands of people successfully climb this 14,410-foot active volcano. There is access to over twenty different climbing routes and ski descents via four main trailheads to approach the mountain: Paradise, Westside Road, White River, and Mowich Lake. Reaching the summit via any route requires a vertical elevation gain of more than 9,000 feet and traveling over ten miles in distance. Climbers must be in excellent physical condition and well prepared. Technical glacier-travel rope skills are also required to ascend and descend the mountain safely. Either independently or with a guide, climbing and skiing on Mount Rainier offers an unparalleled experience within the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Mountain Range. Climbing Regulations at Mount Rainier Climbing regulations are established in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, 7.5 (b) and describe three rules. You must have a permit to be on a glacier or above normal climbing high camps (~10,000 feet). You must be at least 18 years old or have permission from a guardian to apply for your permit. You cannot solo without being specifically authorized to do so. Depending on your climb and when you want to do it, there are four types of permits that you may be required to obtain before your trip begins: Climbing Registration Wilderness Permit Wilderness Reservation Solo Permit 1. Climbing Registration Register depending on the season: Winter Self-Registration Summer Walk-Up Registration Summer Reservation Activation Winter Self Registration (September 15 – May 21) Very few people try to climb Mount Rainier in the winter. During this period, there are no occupancy issues at any of our high camps or Wilderness zones. We allow “self-registration”. There are two steps to take: Each person in your party must pay $82 . The registration fee may be paid per party member online at Pay.gov (pay through the Mount Rainier NP Special Use Permit Application Fees form). You must pay before you come to the park . After you have paid your per person registration fees, you must fill out a registration card when you arrive to the park . These are obtained at a self-issuing kiosk inside the awning of the Paradise Old Station, which is the small A-framed building at the edge of the parking lot acr…

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  Hike to Bumpass Hell

  Lassen Volcanic National Park

  Bumpass Hell Trail Start : Bumpass Hell parking area, 7 miles from the Southwest Entrance Round-trip Distance : 3 miles Round-trip Time : 2 hours Terrain : Gradual climb first mile then 200-foot descent into basin Elevation : 8,200 - 8,400 feet Trail Surface: Packed gravel Width: 48" to basin overlook; trails into basin are narrow Season: Approximately late July through October 360-degree photos of the basin Bumpass Hell Trail provides access to the largest hydrothermal area in the park. The trail is open in the late summer and fall only. Learn more about the winter/spring closure . Parking for this popular trail is limited and is often full mid-morning to early afternoon, especially on weekends. The three-mile, round-trip hike is easy to moderate in difficulty and is popular with hikers of all ages. Vault toilets are available only at the trailhead, there are no restrooms on the trail or in the basin. Pets are not permitted on any park trails. How to Hike This Trail Safely Hiking the Bumpass Hell Trail involves risk. Learn more about general hiking safely in this high-elevation and remote park. Special considerations for this hydrothermal area include: Shade is limited on this trail. Hikers are encouraged to wear or bring a hat and carry water. Winter conditions can persist through the summer months, especially in the forested sections of the trail. Wear proper footwear (good tread, ankle support, closed toe) and consider using trekking poles to help maintain balance. Knee and ankle injuries are the most common visitor injury in the park. Stay on established trails and boardwalks in/around the basin . Ground in hydrothermal areas can look solid but may actually be a thin crust hiding pools of acidic boiling water or mud. Visitors have been severely injured by traveling off-trail in these areas. Water and mud in hydrothermal areas is acidic. Do not put water or mud from park hydrothermal areas on your skin. Even water that is cool to the touch is acidic and can irritate or burn your skin with prolonged exposure. Hiking at high elevation can aggravate preexisting medical conditions. Know the effects of altitude. Carry plenty of water, take often, and do not exceed your abilities.

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