Highway 89, Mount Lassen, CA
Highway 89 over Mount Lassen offers a stunning 34-mile motorcycle journey through Lassen Volcanic National Park, introducing riders to the southern gateway of the Cascade Range. Riding northbound from the southern entrance near Highway 36, you begin a steady, imperceptible climb up a scenic ridgeline toward the Visitor Center.
The route quickly enters a world shaped by immense winter snowfalls, which can reach 40 feet deep near Lake Helen and keep the summit pass closed until mid-June. As you ascend, the dramatic landscape reveals the cooling magma beneath your wheels. Just a mile past the visitor center, the Sulphur Works area lets you view bubbling mud pots and venting steam fumaroles right beside the road while the sharp smell of sulfur hangs in the air.
The highway flows through a photogenic set of S-curves, offering broad vistas of the rim of the ancient Brokeoff Volcano. Depending on the year, your ascent may even lead you through migrating swarms of California Tortoiseshell butterflies.
Views in this section extend for miles to the south, and for the hikers in the group, there's a parking lot near the summit for walks through Bumpass Hell. If you're up for a trek, you can even hike up to the 10,450-foot peak via a well-worn trailhead.
Cresting the 8,514-foot highway summit, the road delivers an unforgettable experience of Northern California's unique volcanic terrain before winding back down toward the northern exit at Highway 44. At the northern terminus, you can keep the ride going—head north for Fall River Mills, Burney Falls, or even Glass Mountain.
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