Lassen Volcanic’s Color Burst

Kings Creek Upper Meadow, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/28/20) Shanda Ochs

To Park Guide Shanda Och’s surprise, Lassen Volcanic National Park had erupted with fall color during recent days when she’d been working inside.

To her delight, she discovered that from Hat Creek Meadow to Kings Creek Meadow, the park landscape had become splashed with “vibrant gold, oranges and even red!,” she exclaimed. That was all happening between 6,500 and 7,500′ in elevation.

Aspen, Devastated Area, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/28/20) Shanda Ochs

Quaking aspen in the park’s were a blend of full yellow and bright green. And, though dazzling, we rate it as Patchy, with more to come.

Bog Blueberry, Dersch Meadows, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/28/20) Shanda Ochs

At Dersch Meadows, more red caught her eye. The rosy specimen seen above is Bog blueberry, Vaccinium uliginosum. In North Korea, its berries are used to flavor infused liquor.

A thousand feet higher at Kings Creek Upper Meadow, more of this red beauty competed with meadow grasses and willows for attention.

Lemmon’s Willow, Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/28/20) Shanda Ochs

While, at the national park’s northwest entrance, cottonwood and alder ringing Manzanita Lake (5,900′) are Just Starting; a few Lemmon’s willows are dressed in a leafy lace of green and gold, while most have decided to wear a disappointing brown. And, please don’t insist brown is the new orange. It isn’t.