Mill Creek Falls - Lassen Volcanic National Park

During our August 2013 visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park, I had the opportunity to hike the 3.8 miles round trip from the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center to Mill Creek Falls.  The falls is at the confluence of East Sulphur Creek and Bumpass Creek.  Yes, this is the same Bumpass Creek that flows out of Bumpass Hell.  The trail starts on the concrete sidewalk behind the amphitheater at the visitor center and quickly changes to packed soil as it descends to cross West Sulphur Creek on a sturdy bridge.  The headwaters of West Sulphur Creek are near Ridge Lakes in the saddle between Brokeoff Mountain and Mount Diller.  The creek then flows through the Sulphur Works about ¾ mile upstream of the trail bridge.  The trail to the bridge is wide and smooth.

Trailhead behind the amphitheater

The wide trail winds through a new growth forest...

...before heading through a more mature forest

The trail switches back to the left...

...and descends to West Sulphur Creek

Bridge over West Sulphur Creek

After crossing the creek, the trail narrows to a footpath across an open hillside covered in a type of sunflower commonly called mule-ears.  Because of the western drought, the plants were mostly dried broad leaves that resembled tobacco.  The low ground cover provided wonderful views of the surrounding mountains including Brokeoff Mountain. 

Climbing from the bridge across the hillside

The trail descends through a field of mule-ears and evergreens

Looking back along the trail through the mule-ears

Looking back also reveals Brokeoff Mountain

As the trail re-enters the forest, it is strewn with rocks

This woodpecker was really making a commotion

Upon re-entering the forest, the trail widens a bit, but still provides plenty of tripping hazards. The terrain changes from nearly flat to descending and ascending through small drainage areas while the vegetation ranges from a mature forest back to mule-ears and even some grassy hillsides.

A path had been cut through any downed trees

The trail descends into a small valley

The trail continues along a side slope...

...that opens up to long distance views...

...that include Mt Conrad

The side slope in some places seemed rather extreme

The downed tree is about 4 feet in diameter

While I didn't see anyone else on the trail until I arrived at the overlook, I found a couple there and three more people arrived almost immediately.  A young man hiking one-way across the park to the visitor center also passed through. Since the 75 foot high waterfall is named Mill Creek Falls, I assumed the waterfall was the beginning of Mill Creek.  However, the USGS maps list the combined creek as East Sulphur Creek with the name Mill Creek appearing below the confluence with West Sulphur Creek.  West Sulfur Creek flows in from the left and Bumpass Creek flows in from the right.  The rocks along and below the falls are stained with sulfur deposits.

Mill Creek Falls

Peaks between the two creeks top out at an elevation of 7879 feet

Bridge over West Sulphur Creek (visible in Mill Creek Falls picture above)

Bumpass Creek at the brink of the falls

Bumpass Creek appears to fall into West Sulphur Creek

Hillside observation deck from the falls

Bridge over Bumpass Creek

Bumpass Creek

Valley below the falls

West Sulphur Creek

The chance to further document trail conditions on the return trip to the visitor center was cut short as a thunderstorm quickly formed.  I was in the last field of mule-ears when I heard distant thunder and made it back across East Sulphur Creek before the rain started.  While it rained at the visitor center, the severe part of the storm stayed on the other side of the park where it left copious amounts of hail in the Manzanita Lake area.

A cleared path through the fallen debris

The trail climbs diagonally across the hillside

Mule-ears below and storm clouds over Brokeoff Mountain

A $10 vehicle pass is valid for seven consecutive days.  Another option is to purchase the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass valid for one year for $80.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm.