One of California’s most exceptional and exclusive state parks is Ahjumawi Lava Springs. The park is so secluded that it is very likely that you won’t encounter anyone while paddling across the lake’s smooth waters.

Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park is considered one of the most unfamiliar and less frequented parks in the California system. One of the primary reasons this park is so appealing to paddlers is that the only way to reach it is by kayak, canoe or on a SUP board. There are no public roads to Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, and all private motor vehicles are prohibited within the park.

Big Lake and Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park appeal to those who enjoy paddling a place of exceptional, even primeval beauty. You can paddle through the many waterways that run through the park. The park is a wilderness area and over two-thirds of the area is covered by recent lava flows, including vast areas of jagged black basalt.

Paddlers will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Mt. Shasta, and Mt. Lassen, and other nearby peaks, as they glide along the winding interconnecting waterways that flow towards the west, which eventually turn into Horr Pond. Kayaking is only part of the experience. The park also offers wildlife viewing, photography, and boat-in camping. The breathtaking scenery and restriction of motorized boats make this a superb paddling destination.

Map of Big Lake

  
 
 
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