It’s never a bad time to explore the awe-inspiring landscape of Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. However, if you’re interested in witnessing the sight of millions of butterflies swarming the park’s most famous peak, we suggest planning a trip for late summer! Every year, a massive butterfly migration occurs in which the top of Lassen Peak becomes covered in clouds of California Tortoiseshell Butterflies. Sounds amazing, right? Read on to learn all about why this unique natural phenomenon takes place.
It's not very often you get the opportunity to witness millions of butterflies fluttering around you, but that's exactly what you can experience if you visit Lassen Peak at just the right time.
As one of the park's most popular destinations, Lassen Peak never fails to leave us in total awe of its majestic beauty. Considered the largest lava dome on Earth, the peak is a popular destination for all kinds of recreational activities.
There's something to do on Lassen Peak all year round, whether it be snowshoeing in the winter or backpacking in the summer. There's truly no bad time to visit it! However, something really special occurs at Lassen Peak every year around the middle or end of summer, and it's truly a sight to be seen.
A gigantic swarm of California Tortoiseshell butterflies flocks to Lassen Peak every year. The amount of them can vary, but they can appear by the hundreds of thousands and even millions! The sight of their bright orange bodies (often mistaken for Monarchs) taking over the peak is a breathtaking thing to witness.
There's no predicting exactly when the butterflies will arrive every year, although they typically start to show up in mid-July. They can stay for several weeks at a time, sometimes extending to the end of August. Visitors who would like to time their visit exactly right can call the park ahead of time and ask if the butterflies have arrived.
Park rangers don't know exactly why the butterflies come to Lassen Peak every year, but they believe it may have something to do with hatching season. This is typically the time of year that this species of butterfly hatches, and they may prefer to nest high up in the trees at the summit.
Another reason the butterflies may flock to the summit is to escape the heat. After emerging from the bushes in the lower elevations of the park, they swarm to the high elevation of Lassen Peak to wait out the dry and hot conditions of summer.
Just when we thought we couldn't love Lassen Peak any more! Start planning your next visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park around the colorful butterfly migration. It's a surreal sight that you don't want to miss.
