devil's kitchen

Devil's Kitchen is not as large as Bumpass Hell, but still very interesting and worthwhile. We did this hike on our first day at Lassen as sort of a warmup. Note that the elevation is considerably lower than at Bumpass Hell, and also that much of the path is in the shade. It's a fairly long drive to the trailhead.

This is the best area to be up close and actually feel the hot steam rising from the cracks of the ground. The moment the steam hits you, I felt like I was in a sauna. The hike to Devils Kitchen is challenging because of the steep uphills you have to endure, but the scenery is beautiful. The trail takes you through a meadow. The meadow has a nice view because it is very open so you can take a picture of the valley behind you. After the meadow, the trail leads you through a dense forest of pine trees and it is a long incline hike. Once you hit the peak, it will be an all downhill from there to Devils Kitchen. When we got to Devils Kitchen, it was a great sight due to the blue color water due to the sulphur and the up close boiling mud pots you see. Overall, if your up to the long trek, then it is well worth it to visit this place. I definitely will go again and see what mud pots have moved.

The devils kitchen is a series of interesting geothermal events around a 4.4 mile loop trail. Spring and early summer best for hiking comfort, and for the performance of the vents which seem to simmer down as you head towards summer end and fall.Boiling Springs lake is nearby, really worth a visit, but if you plan to see it and Devils Kitchen too plan for a long day, bring lunch, energy bars and plenty of water. Access is via the small town of Chester near Lake Almanor- at mid town you head for Drakesbad to get to a little used Park Entrance (self registration strongly advised).There are no services past Chester, and rough car camping near park entrance. You see a lot of Pacific Crest Trail hikers and they are always in a hurry it seems but if you bring extra water and some energy bars you can get them to stop, chat and snack for a moment and they can tell you some pretty amazing stories of the Mexico to Canada trail.Mountain lions and Bears can be around- so be aware make noise so not to surprise a bear -never turn and run from a big cat- just act big and aggressive.This can be a very interesting lifetime experience especially in spring and early summer , but even in fall or dry conditions one alien place. Remember bring water- it makes for a happier day.

Devil’s Kitchen is a geothermal feature located in the Warner Valley section of Lassen Volcanic National Park. It's a short loop trail leading visitors to steam vents, mudpots, and boiling pools. Whether staying at Drakesbad Guest Ranch, or merely passing through Warner Valley for a day, this feature is quite interesting and you’ll generally have the place to yourself as it is off the beaten path.I choose to take advantage of the horseback riding option offered at the Drakesbad Guest Ranch, and thankful I did. The horses are very well maintained and the horse wrangler, Joe, is clearly dedicated to both the riders and the animals. The ride lasts approximately 2 ½ hours and starts at 9:00am. The trail is rather flat so novice riders like me had no trouble enjoying the experience. The other option of getting to Devil’s Kitchen is to hike the 4.4-mile round-trip trail. We saw folks doing this but they didn’t look like they were having nearly as much fun as us! Be sure to wear sunscreen, and pack in a small camera, as the geothermal feature is quite interesting. You’ll only have about 20 minutes to explore once you reach Devil’s Kitchen, so make the most of it!