Lassen Volcanic National Park has been on my photography list for quite some time. While many landscape photographers dream of travelling to places like Norway or Iceland, my dream was always to see the Painted Dunes in Lassen – ever since I first laid eyes on an image of them years ago.
These striking formations were forged during volcanic eruptions in the mid-1600s, when finely pulverized volcanic ash rained down onto still-steaming, active lava flows, specifically the Fantastic Lava Beds. As the hot, iron-rich ash coated the scalding basalt below, a rapid high-temperature oxidation process took place: the iron within the volcanic minerals effectively rusted on contact, transforming the dark ash into vibrant, rolling bands of terracotta red, golden yellow, ochre, and soft pink.
It’s a surreal landscape that feels lunar, if not completely alien. Arriving late in the evening on our first night, I made supper as quickly as I could for the family and set off to tackle the 6 km hike (300 m elevation gain) before sunset, eager to catch my first glimpse of the dunes in the evening light.
I had read that the trek up Cinder Cone was tough, but I was completely ill-prepared for just how gruelling it would be. I’ve hiked up mountains and completed multi-day backcountry treks, but few compare to the raw difficulty of Cinder Cone. It’s like climbing straight up a 300-meter dune – the loose, fine cinder offering zero firm footing with every step forward. Pushing myself harder than I probably should have to beat the light, I was breathing heavier than I ever had on a climb. By the time I reached the summit rim, my legs were shaking, and my stomach was turning, but the view instantly wiped that away.
As I walked the perimeter of the ancient volcano, the Painted Dunes finally came into view. They were everything I had hoped for and more. I spent the rest of the evening photographing the light shifting over the hills, then made the trek back up early the following morning with the family to capture even more images of one of the most surreal landscapes I’ve ever set eyes on.
If I could pass along one photography tip for this spot, it would be to stay 15–20 minutes past sunset to catch the soft, sky-reflected light glowing on the oxidized ash – or get up early to catch the low morning light skimming across the dunes, making the scattered pine trees pop against the dark volcanic soil.
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