Perhaps best known for Lassen Volcanic National Park’s extraordinary landscapes, Lassen County is also packed with dog-friendly recreation, accommodations and events. This outdoor wonderland bordering Nevada, on the east-central side of the Shasta Cascade region, draws four-legged travelers with off-leash destinations like Susanville Bark Park and the freshwater creeks and meadows of nearby Ranch Park.
Overnight with your pup at Susanville’s Super 8 by Wyndham or SureStay Plus by Best Western, and then get out and explore.
Lassen Peak has been dormant since 1914. Today, trails at Lassen Volcanic National Park wind past hot springs, mud pots, mountain lakes, dense forests and wildflower-blanketed meadows. Nature enthusiasts also love Eagle Lake, home to a rainbow trout species only found here, along with off-leash sections of the 4.7-mile Eagle Lake Recreational Trail.
The lakefront Merrill Campground welcomes pups, as do Susanville’s Hobo Camp Day Use area, Juniper Lake Campground in Lassen National Forest, and Lassen West Village in Westwood. (Don’t miss Buffalo Chips Pizza, just down the road).
One of California’s top rail-to-trail conversions is the 25-mile Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail, a mostly flat route crossing several trestle bridges in the Susan River Canyon. After a walk, refuel with your pup at Joe’s Coffee or Lassen Ale Works at the Boardroom.
