All-American Road · California, Oregon

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

A volcano-to-volcano route from Crater Lake through the Klamath Basin and Lava Beds to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California.

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway: Butte Valley National Grasslands

Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source

  • Length500 miles[1]Travel Oregon gives a separate, shorter figure for the Oregon section alone.
  • Drive timeTwo days of driving, or five days to enjoy the byway[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
  • RoadsIn Oregon: US 97, OR 138 and OR 62 to Crater Lake, West Side Road, OR 140, and US 97 south of Klamath Falls[2]Travel Oregon covers the Oregon section only.
  • Start and endDiamond Lake Junction on US 97 in Oregon south to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California[2]
  • Fees and passesNone for the byway[1]Crater Lake and Lassen Volcanic national parks charge entrance fees.
  • Best seasonJune to October[2]Travel Oregon's best time for the Oregon section.
  • SurfaceNot verified
  • Vehicle notesCrater Lake National Park has no size limits for RVs, trailers or buses, but its roads are narrow.[8]
  • Seasonal closuresAt Crater Lake, Rim Drive and the North Entrance Road close for the season with the first big snowstorm or on November 1, whichever comes first.[3]Travel Oregon notes the park's south entrance on OR 62 stays open all year.

Before you go

Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Facts last checked against the sources on October 29, 2026.

About the drive

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway links two volcanic national parks: Crater Lake in Oregon and Lassen Volcanic in California. In Oregon it starts at Diamond Lake Junction on US 97, crosses the Pumice Desert into Crater Lake National Park and follows part of Rim Drive before heading south.

Below the park it passes Fort Klamath and runs along Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon's largest lake and a major stop for migrating birds, to Klamath Falls. South of the California line it continues past Tulelake, Lava Beds National Monument and Mount Shasta to Lassen, where the park road passes Manzanita Lake and the hydrothermal area at Sulphur Works.

FHWA suggests two days to drive it and five to enjoy it. Snow closes Crater Lake's Rim Drive and North Entrance Road by November 1, so the high sections are a summer and early fall trip. Both national parks charge entrance fees.

Stops along the way

  1. Sulphur Works

    The park's most accessible hydrothermal area, beside the road.

    Official information · 40.44859, -121.53571 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  2. Manzanita Lake

    Lake and visitor area at the north end of Lassen Volcanic National Park.

    Official information · 40.53658, -121.56212 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  3. Lava Beds National Monument

    Volcanic landscape south of Tulelake.

    Official information · 41.76992, -121.52648 · about 1.5 mi from the route line

  4. Klamath Falls

    Railroad-era town at the south end of Upper Klamath Lake.

    Official information · 42.23043, -121.79946 · about 1.9 mi from the route line

  5. Fort Klamath

    Site of an 1863 Army post, now home to the Fort Klamath Museum.

    Official information · 42.70458, -121.99587 · about 3.9 mi from the route line

  6. Sinnott Memorial Overlook

    Crater Lake's most popular overlook, below Rim Village.

    Official information · 42.91155, -122.14296 · about 0.3 mi from the route line

  7. Pumice Desert

    Pumice plain left by the Mount Mazama eruption, on the North Entrance Road.

    Official information · 43.03146, -122.11788 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).

Food along the way

Farmers markets within about 25 miles

  • WRC/WCRC Farmers' MarketWeed, CA · about 0.3 mi from the route
  • Weed FMWeed, CA · about 0.3 mi from the route
  • Mount Shasta FMMount Shasta, CA · about 0.5 mi from the route
  • Klamath Falls Farmers MarketKlamath Falls, OR · about 2.3 mi from the route
  • Burney CFMBurney, CA · about 3.4 mi from the route

Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.

Farms along the way

Farm stands and pick-your-own seasons vary, so check with the farm before you go.

In season during the best months to drive

The drive's best months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. Typical U.S. seasons from our Fresh Market Guide; local harvests vary.

Keep exploring

Scenic drives nearby

More scenic drives in California, Oregon

Food and farms in the area

Sources

  1. America's Byways: Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-29)
  2. Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (Travel Oregon, Oregon Tourism Commission) (checked 2026-10-29)
  3. Operating Hours & Seasons, Crater Lake National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  4. Pumice Desert (NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  5. Sinnott Memorial Overlook (NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  6. Manzanita Lake Area (Lassen Volcanic National Park, NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  7. Sulphur Works (Lassen Volcanic National Park, NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  8. Directions, Crater Lake National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-29)
  9. Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.

Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).

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