Cliff Lake

Located between Lassen Peak and Reading Peak in the Lassen Volcanic National Park, Cliff Lake is one of the many lakes in the unusual California Park. The lake is bordered by a steep granite slope on one side, sandy beaches on the other and features an island and a section of partially submerged trees. The trees provide a home to thousands of tadpoles in the summer. This lake offers several places to relax, enjoy a picnic and watch for local wildlife.

Cliff Lake is one of the three lakes near the Dersch Meadows and Summit Lake campsites and is known for its colorful scenery. From the road, it is a short 1.8-mile hike to reach the lake. Visitors can also take a less used path from the North Summit Lake campground; the round trip distance for that trail is 7 miles.

Not a large amount of visitors come to this location, as it is 200 miles north of San Francisco and a good distance away from other popular natural attractions in the state. Due to the winter snowfall, access is limited for much of the year. Although the park may only be completely open for three months during the course of the year, it is partially accessible year round.