Do I need a reservation for Lassen Volcanic?

No. Lassen Volcanic National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($30 per vehicle in peak season, $10 off-season) or show an accepted pass.

Is there an entrance fee at Lassen Volcanic?

Yes. A private vehicle pass is $30 per vehicle in peak season, $10 off-season. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Lassen Volcanic reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Lassen Volcanic

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

No reservation is required to enter Lassen Volcanic National Park in 2026. Some activities need their own permit.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

Park entrance
Required
You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
- On January 1, 2026 the seasonal rate applies: $10 — Winter entrance rate (Jan 1, 2026 – Apr 15, 2026).
- Outside that window the standard rate is $30 per private vehicle.
- $10 per private vehicle January 1 - April 15, 2026, valid 7 consecutive days. Motorcycle $10. Per person on foot or bicycle $10. The summer rates ($30 vehicle / $25 motorcycle / $15 per person) begin April 16, 2026. Lassen Annual Pass $55.
- An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
- The standard rate is the Apr 16 - Nov 30 summer rate. Lassen charges a discounted flat winter rate of $10 from Dec 1 to Apr 15 for private vehicle, motorcycle, and per-person alike. The $55 Lassen Annual Pass covers four NPS units: Lassen Volcanic and Crater Lake national parks, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and Lava Beds National Monument.
Timed entry
Not applicable
Lassen Volcanic National Park has no timed-entry system.
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- The 30-mile park highway is closed by snow in winter and spring — the park stays open, but you cannot drive through. The park itself never closes: 'Lassen Volcanic National Park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.' Both entrance areas stay reachable in winter — the highway is gated at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and at Loomis Plaza, so you can still drive to those points. During spring clearing the road opens to hiking and biking before it opens to vehicles. Roads to Butte Lake, Juniper Lake and Warner Valley are not plowed or maintained in winter and become impassible.
- Where the park highway is gated in the snowy season.
Shuttle
Not applicable
Lassen Volcanic National Park has no shuttle system.
Your campground or lodging
Not applicable
Lassen Volcanic National Park has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.
Selected activity
Required all year
Wilderness permit for backcountry camping applies on every date in 2026.
- Wilderness permit for backcountry camping
  Dates
  Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  $5
  Opens
  Rolling window
  Applies to Park backcountry, outside of the developed campgrounds
  - $5 per-trip, per-person fee (16 years and older), plus a $6 per-permit non-refundable Recreation.gov administration fee. These are separate from and additional to the park entrance fee, and are not covered by an America the Beautiful pass.
  - Day hiking does not need a wilderness permit.
  - Staying in a developed park campground does not need a wilderness permit.
  - NPS states there are no designated backcountry campsites and no quota restrictions.
  - A developed campground booking does not substitute for a wilderness permit, and vice versa.
Book on recreation.gov(opens in a new tab)

Fees and passes

Entrance fee rates at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Private vehicle	$30
Motorcycle	$25
Per person, on foot or bicycle	$15
Valid for	7 days
Park annual pass	$55

The standard rate is the Apr 16 - Nov 30 summer rate. Lassen charges a discounted flat winter rate of $10 from Dec 1 to Apr 15 for private vehicle, motorcycle, and per-person alike. The $55 Lassen Annual Pass covers four NPS units: Lassen Volcanic and Crater Lake national parks, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and Lava Beds National Monument.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

An America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee only — not wilderness permit fees, and it does not open the park highway when snow closes it. From 2026 the servicewide fee-free days apply to U.S. residents only. Lassen Volcanic is not one of the 11 parks charging the $100 non-U.S.-resident fee.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Southwest Entrance (Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center) and Northwest Entrance (Loomis Plaza / Manzanita Lake)Park entrance fee, charged at the entrance stations · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
Southwest Entrance (Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center) and Northwest Entrance (Loomis Plaza / Manzanita Lake)Winter entrance rate (private vehicle) · Dec 1, 2026 – Apr 15, 2027
Southwest Entrance (Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center) and Northwest Entrance (Loomis Plaza / Manzanita Lake)Winter entrance rate (private vehicle), January 1 - April 15, 2026 · Jan 1, 2026 – Apr 15, 2026
Park backcountry, outside of the developed campgroundsWilderness permit for backcountry camping (not needed for day hikes or drive-in campgrounds) · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Park entrance fee, charged at the entrance stationsNot covered by an in-park booking. A campground booking is a separate charge; it does not waive the entrance fee.
Winter entrance rate (private vehicle)Not covered by an in-park booking. A campground booking is a separate charge; it does not waive the entrance fee.
Winter entrance rate (private vehicle), January 1 - April 15, 2026Not covered by an in-park booking. A campground booking is a separate charge; it does not waive the entrance fee.
Wilderness permit for backcountry camping (not needed for day hikes or drive-in campgrounds)Not covered by an in-park booking. A developed campground booking does not substitute for a wilderness permit, and vice versa.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Lassen Volcanic?: No. Lassen Volcanic National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($30 per vehicle in peak season, $10 off-season) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Lassen Volcanic?: Yes. A private vehicle pass is $30 per vehicle in peak season, $10 off-season. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Lassen entrance feePaid at the entrance station on arrival, or bought in advance as a digital pass on Recreation.gov. No reservation is involved.
Winter entrance ratePaid at the entrance station on arrival, or bought in advance as a digital pass on Recreation.gov. No reservation is involved.
Winter entrance ratePaid at the entrance station on arrival, or bought in advance as a digital pass on Recreation.gov. No reservation is involved.
Wilderness permit for backcountry campingReleased on a rolling window. Permits can be reserved a maximum of 90 days prior to the start date. NPS publishes no daily release time.

Official booking and park information

Book Wilderness permit for backcountry campingrecreation.gov(opens in a new tab)$5 permit fee
Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrancePrivate Vehicle (Apr 16-Nov 30) $30.00 — Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle. Valid for up to 7 consecutive days from day of purchase. Private Vehicle (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00 — Discounted entry fee during winter.
Fees & Passes - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Lassen entrance feePrivate Vehicle (Apr 16-Nov 30) $30.00 — Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle. Valid for up to 7 consecutive days from day of purchase. Motorcycle (Apr 16-Nov 30) $25.00. Per Person (Apr 16-Nov 30) $15.00 — used to admit one person on foot or bicycle.
Fees & Passes - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-29 · applies to Winter entrance ratePrivate Vehicle (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00 — Discounted entry fee during winter. Motorcycle (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00 — Discounted entry fee for winter. Per Person (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00 — Discounted entry fee during winter.
Fees & Passes - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-31 · applies to Winter entrance rateRead 2026-07-31: "Private Vehicle (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00"; "Motorcycle (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00"; "Per Person (Dec 1-Apr 15) $10.00"; "Annual Entrance - Park $55.00". The published Dec 1 - Apr 15 window runs across the turn of the year, so January 1 through April 15, 2026 is charged at the flat $10 winter rate; the $30/$25/$15 summer rates resume April 16, 2026.
Spring Snow Clearing - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to The 30-mile park highway is closedin 2026, due to this year's lower-than-average snowpack, we anticipate that the road will be fully open by Memorial Day weekend. ... In future years, opening dates vary based on winter snowpack conditions and may occur as late as early July.
Directions and Transportation - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Where the park highway is gatedLassen Park Highway (Hwy 89) is closed at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (southwest entrance) and Loomis Plaza (northwest entrance). During the snowy season (approximately November - June), park roads are closed and/or impassible due to heavy snowfall.
Wilderness Permit Information - Lassen Volcanic National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Wilderness permit for backcountry campingA wilderness permit is required to camp in park's backcountry (outside of park campgrounds). ... $6 per permit non-refundable Recreation.gov administration fee ... $5 per-trip, per-person fee (16 years and older) ... Permits can be reserved a maximum of 90 days prior to the start date.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-31

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Lassen Volcanic, not by editorial preference.

Lassen Volcanic National Park entry requirements