Lassen Mill Creek Falls

The hike to Mill Creek Falls in Lassen Volcanic National Park is interesting because of the variety of plant communities that the trail leads you through. You’ll pass through a red fir forest, traverse open hillside meadows, cross a mountain stream, and end up at a wonderful waterfall. There are wildflowers all along the way.

The Flowers

I love hiking in our national parks like this, far away from areas that are heavily developed. All of the flowers we found here are native California wildflowers, no introduced species like you’ll find in areas closer to towns and agricultural operations.

Here’s a sample of a few of my favorites from this hike (click on the image to see a larger view).

We found quite a bit of California stickseed. This is a beautiful white stickseed, similar in form (but larger) to the more common blue Jessica’s stickseed, which we also found on the trail.

*California stickseed, Hackelia californica*

Jessica's stickseed, Hackelia micrantha — *Jessica’s stickseed, Hackelia micrantha*

We found Oregon checkerbloom close to the edges of the Mule’s ears meadows, just as you entered the forest.

*Oregon checkerbloom, Sidalcea oregana ssp. spicata*

There were several kinds of penstemon on this hike. A new one for me was Plumas county beardtongue, which we found in the area just past the waterfall.

*Plumas county beardtongue, Penstemon neotericus*

For the best viewing experience, click on the lightbox image below, and you can scroll through larger versions of the photos of many of the plants (and other things) that we found on this hike. All photos are available for purchase in a variety of formats.

Mill Creek Falls trail, It starts off through mixed conifer — Mill Creek Falls trail
It starts off through mixed conifer

Pearly everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea — Pearly everlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea

Changeable phacelia, Phacelia mutabilis — Changeable phacelia
Phacelia mutabilis

White flowered Hawkweed, Hieracium albiflorum — White flowered Hawkweed
Hieracium albiflorum

Coyote Mint, Monardella odoratissima — Coyote Mint
Monardella odoratissima

Mill Creek Falls trail. After a descent, you come to open hillside meadows full of flowers — Mill Creek Falls trail
After a descent, you come to open hillside meadows full of flowers

Cow parsnip, Heracleum maximum — Cow parsnip
Heracleum maximum

Mill Creek Falls trail. There is a small stream to cross, this is great place for wildflowers. Look close along the trailside — Mill Creek Falls trail
There is a small stream to cross, this is great place for wildflowers. Look close along the trailside

Spur lupine, Lupinus arbustus — Spur lupine
Lupinus arbustus

Rough hedgenettle, Stachys rigida — Rough hedgenettle
Stachys rigida

Dwarf groundsmoke, Gayophytum humile — Dwarf groundsmoke
Gayophytum humile

Woolly mule's ears, Wyethia mollis — Woolly mule's ears
Wyethia mollis

Mill Creek Falls trail, Masses of Balsamroot and Mules Ears — Mill Creek Falls trail
Masses of Balsamroot and Mules Ears

Arrowleaf balsamroot, Balsamorhiza sagittata — Arrowleaf balsamroot
Balsamorhiza sagittata

Short flowered owl's clover, Orthocarpus cuspidatus ssp. cryptanthus — Short flowered owl's clover
Orthocarpus cuspidatus ssp. cryptanthus

Staining collomia, Collomia tinctoria — Staining collomia
Collomia tinctoria

Leichtlin's mariposa lily, Calochortus leichtlinii — Leichtlin's mariposa lily
Calochortus leichtlinii

Western hawksbeard, Crepis occidentalis — Western hawksbeard
Crepis occidentalis

Wavy leaved indian paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. pinetorum — Wavy leaved indian paintbrush
Castilleja applegatei ssp. pinetorum

Pacific bleeding heart, Dicentra formosa — Pacific bleeding heart
Dicentra formosa

Naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum — Naked buckwheat
Eriogonum nudum

Sierra onion, Allium campanulatum — Sierra onion
Allium campanulatum

Mill Creek Falls trail, Several times you break out into hillside meadows — Mill Creek Falls trail
Several times you break out into hillside meadows

Sierra morning glory, Calystegia malacophylla — Sierra morning glory
Calystegia malacophylla

Torrey's cryptantha, Cryptantha torreyana — Torrey's cryptantha
Cryptantha torreyana

Seep Monkey Flower, Erythranthe guttata — Seep Monkey Flower
Erythranthe guttata

Mill Creek Falls trail, After the open hillsides you return to the mixed conifer forest. You will find a different selection of wildflowers here — Mill Creek Falls trail
After the open hillsides you return to the mixed conifer forest. You will find a different selection of wildflowers here

White veined wintergreen, Pyrola picta — White veined wintergreen
Pyrola picta

Sanddune wallflower, Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum — Sanddune wallflower
Erysimum capitatum var. capitatum

Spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata — Spotted coralroot
Corallorhiza maculata

Meadow larkspur, Delphinium nuttallianum — Meadow larkspur
Delphinium nuttallianum

Rose meadowsweet, Spiraea splendens — Rose meadowsweet
Spiraea splendens

Buckwheat, Eriogonum sp. possibly Eriogonum umbellatum — Buckwheat sp.
Eriogonum sp. possibly Eriogonum umbellatum

Goosefoot violet, Viola purpurea — Goosefoot violet
Viola purpurea

Mill Creek Falls trail, Mill Creek Falls from the viewpoint — Mill Creek Falls trail
Mill Creek Falls from the viewpoint

Tall phacelia, Phacelia procera — Tall phacelia
Phacelia procera

Mill Creek Falls trail, The second bridge, just past the falls. where you'll find penstemon — Mill Creek Falls trail
The second bridge, just past the falls. where you'll find penstemon

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The Hike

This out-and-back hike is roughly 6 miles round trip, with a fair amount of elevation change. It is a popular trail that can have a lot of traffic.

The trailhead is located just east of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center, near the southwest park entrance. The trail heads downhill from behind the small amphitheater. The start may be a bit confusing as there are several overlapping trails here, including a paved trail that heads south towards a campground. Head downhill through the red fir forest.

After a quick drop down the hill you will come to West Sulphur Creek. You’ll find several species of wildflowers here that you won’t see elsewhere along the trail.

After crossing the creek you will cross several hillside meadows filled with Mule’s ears and Balsamroot. The main bloom was finished when we visited this time, if you get the right timing the view must be amazing.

Just short of 3 miles in you will come to a view point for Mill Creek Falls. I recommend hiking down and just past the falls, as there are flowers there (such as Plumas county beardtongue) that you won’t see elsewhere on the trail.

Lassen Mill Creek Falls trail, Mill Creek Falls from the viewpoint — *Mill Creek Falls from the viewpoint*

Here’s the track that we followed:

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Mill Creek Falls Trail

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Directions

Mount Lassen Volcanic National Park is located east of Redding and Red Bluff in Northern California. This hike starts behind the amphitheater near the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center, which is just past the southwest entrance. There is plenty of parking, and great facilities inside the visitor center.

Timing is Everything

We hiked this trail in early July of a somewhat dry year, and we found a wide variety of native wildflowers all along the trail. You have to pay attention, though, because many of them are not found in great profusion.

The weather was a bit cool and overcast, which made it a bit difficult to get sharp photographs.

I would like to come back here in mid June sometime, because the hillsides near the beginning are just covered with masses of Mule’s ears and Balsamroot – which were just about finished blooming on our July visit.