Falling for Kings Creek in Lassen National Park

Kings Creek rises from Lassen Peak’s south shoulder, spills through wooded glens and lush meadows and rushes headlong over a rock outcropping to create Kings Creek Falls, one of Lassen National Park’s most popular sights.

Twin cascades (split by rock) drop 50 feet or so into a rocky canyon. Both the attractiveness of the falls and its proximity (one mile) to the main park road contribute to the popularity of this jaunt.

Kings Creek Falls is certainly a worthy destination; however, the best part of this hike may be the journey itself. The path descends past corn lily-dotted Lower Meadow (as opposed to Upper Meadow on the north side of California Highway 89) and through woodsy areas cloaked in lodgepole pine, fir and hemlock.

Along with serving up lots of scenery, the trail is notable for a long series of stairsteps hewn from the granite banks of Kings Creek. The trail very closely parallels the creek.

Extend this walk--or escape the flocks of falls-bound visitors--by looping to Sifford Lakes. Swimming opportunities reward your efforts.

Directions to trail head: From the park’s Southwest Entrance Station, travel 12 miles north on California Highway 89 (a couple of miles past the Lassen Peak trail head) to the signed parking area for Kings Creek. The path departs from the right (south) side of the highway.

The hike: Begin a 0.25-mile saunter amid towering fir and pine to the fringes of Lower Meadow. Past the meadow is a fork; left is the falls, right the return leg of the Sifford Lakes Trail.

Continue to the falls (ignoring the “Horse Trail” that also leads to Kings Creek Falls) and begin a careful descent on a granite staircase. Step past numerous cascades on the ledge-like creek bank.

Just 100 yards shy of the falls, look for the Sifford Lakes Trail branching right. Continue to Kings Creek Falls and the fenced overlook. After admiring the falls, those opting for a longer hike will return to the Sifford Lakes Trail and cross Kings Creek on a log footbridge. Bid adieu to Kings Creek, which flows out of the park and through Warner Valley before joining the North Fork of the Feather River.

Begin a steep but short 0.1-mile climb to the top of a minor ridge. The path levels as it continues along the base of a volcanic outcropping, punctuated by a couple of caves near its top.

About 0.6 mile from the Kings Creek crossing is small and shallow Bench Lake, and another 0.4 mile brings you to a trail junction. Fork right and walk 0.25 mile to the left-forking connector trail leading to Sifford Lakes.

It’s a short half-mile to the first Sifford Lake, OK for swimming but not as pleasant as the second Sifford Lake, located 0.75 mile farther up the faint path. A couple of other Sifford lakes are short cross-country walks from the second lake. Retrace your steps back to the first Sifford Lake. South of it is a vista point offering a look down at the steaming landscape of Devil’s Kitchen. Return to the junction with the main trail and descend northwest a mellow mile to return to Kings Creek where it bubbles through Lower Meadow. You’ll then follow the Kings Creek Falls Trail 0.4 mile back to the trail head.

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Kings Creek, Sifford Lakes Trails

WHERE: Lassen National Park.

DISTANCE: To Kings Creek Falls is 2.4 miles round trip with 300-foot elevation gain; to Sifford Lakes is 5.25 miles round trip with 500-foot elevation gain.

TERRAIN: Pine and fir forest, meadows, waterfall, small lakes.

HIGHLIGHTS: Lovely Kings Creek Falls, compelling park sampler.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Lassen National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063; tel. (530) 595-4444.