Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway Overview

Explore the wonder and beauty of a dramatic volcanic landscape on Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which stretches from Crater Lake in Oregon to Mount Lassen in California, making this byway America's Volcano to Volcano highway. The volcanic activity of the past has created unique geological formations such as wavy lava flows and lava tube caves. Surrounding this volcanic landscape is a wide diversity of scenery. On this byway you can travel through or near dense forests, broad wetlands and habitat areas, pastoral grasslands, farms and ranches, and well-managed timber resource lands.

The byway offers even more benefits than just the fascinating volcanic geology and scenery. Each season offers a different array of outdoor recreational opportunities for everyone. The beautiful green forests and mountains along the byway are home to hiking trails, including the nationally recognized Pacific Crest Trail, ski slopes, and great fishing and kayaking in clear, cool mountain streams and lakes. You can also enjoy viewing the hundreds of species of wildlife along the byway, including over one million birds at Klamath Lake during peak migration in the fall.

Enjoy the beauty of Pelican Bay which inspired John Muir (naturalist, writer, conservationist, and founder of the Sierra Club) to write The Story of My Boyhood and Youth, or dangle a line in one of the six national wildlife refuges in the Klamath Basin, reported to be favorite fishing spots of President Roosevelt. Search for your own treasured hideaway along the 500 miles of diverse landscapes which make up the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.

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Other Stories

  • Deep Powder Sledding on Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

    With thousands of miles of trails among aspen groves, conifer forests, and crystal-clear blue lakes, Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway delivers snowmobile enthusiasts to some of the finest terrain in the nation. From Diamond Lake just north of Crater Lake National Park to Lassen National Forest,...

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  • Bald Eagles and More on Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

    The Klamath Basin, located in southern Oregon and northern California, boasts some of the most diverse and healthy bird populations in the nation.

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  • Rapids and Lava Flows along Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

    Carving through diverse national forests, parks and monuments, past soaring mountain peaks and alongside deep volcanic lakes, Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway delivers travelers to a massive amount of recreation opportunities. Virtually every type of outdoor activity exists along the byway's 500...

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  • Pacific Crest Trail

    It's a unique vacation that begins in a Mexican desert at its hottest and ends smack-dab in the middle of a Canadian winter, but those who travel the Pacific Crest Trail take pride in their uniqueness. A thru-hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail learns a new reckoning for time, distance, and even...

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  • Wildlife Viewing on Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

    Visit Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway and see its dramatic lava flows and deep caldera lakes. The byway's assets are not limited to geological wonders; several protected wildlife reserves and two national parks house diverse wildlife enough to please even the most jaded of enthusiasts.

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