Volcanic Sentinel

Cinder Cone stands guard over Lassen's painted volcanic landscape

Cinder Cone, a perfectly symmetrical volcanic cone in Lassen Volcanic National Park, represents one of the most recent volcanic features in the Cascade Range, formed during eruptions in the 1650s. This 700-foot tall cinder cone showcases classic volcanic architecture, where explosive eruptions ejected lava fragments that cooled in the air and accumulated in a perfect conical shape. The surrounding Painted Dunes display the colorful oxidized volcanic material that was spread by these relatively recent eruptions.