Sunrise to Sunset.
Self-registration fees are due and payable upon entry.
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park
What is open now?
The park is now open for boat-in day-use and overnight recreation with use of the following facilities:
- Trails for active recreation such as hiking, running, and bird watching.
- Campsites. For more information on camping guidelines, please visit www.parks.ca.gov/COVID19Camping.
- The PG&E boat launch facility on Big Lake known as “Rat Farm” is now open for parking and boat launching for access to the park.
Recreate Responsibly
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:
- Know Before You Go – Prior to leaving home, check the status of the park unit you want to visit to find out what restrictions and guidelines are in place. Have a back-up plan in case your destination is crowded. Stay home if you are sick
- Plan Ahead – Some restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap/hand sanitizer.
- Play It Safe – Find out what precautions you should take when exploring the outdoors, especially if this is your first time visiting the State Park System. Learn more at parks.ca.gov/SafetyTips.
- Be COVID-19 Safe – State Parks continues to meet guidance from local and state public officials as COVID-19 is still present and still deadly. Effective March 1, 2022, state guidance recommends that all individuals, regardless of vaccine status, continue masking in indoor settings, such as museums and visitor centers. Universal masking remains required in specified high-risk settings. Please plan ahead as local county guidelines may differ from state guidance and visitors are urged to follow county guidelines when required. Read the latest COVID-19 guidance at COVID19.ca.gov.
- Leave No Trace – Leave areas better than how you found them by staying on designated trails and packing out all trash. Do not disturb wildlife or plants.
Phone Number
(530) 335-2777
Park Hours
Dogs Allowed?
No
Dogs allowed in parking lot only.
Driving Directions to Ahjumawi Lava Springs SP
The Park can only be reached by boat. There are no public roads to it and private motor vehicles are prohibited within. Visitors can launch into Big Lake at a PG&E public boat launch known as "Rat Farm". It is reached from McArthur by turning north off Highway 299 on to Main St., continuing past the Intermountain Fairgrounds, crossing over a canal and proceeding 3-miles north on a graded dirt road.Online reservations are not available for this park.
Upcoming Park Events
No events scheduled at this moment.
Boat Ramps
Environmental Campsites
Primitive Camping
Boat-in/Floating Camps
Hiking Trails
Historical/Cultural Site
Fishing
Nature & Wildlife Viewing
Geocaching
Attention visitors there will be temporary limited maintenance services at Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park. Please pack out all refuse you bring. We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you. California State Parks.
"Where the waters come together...." is a translation of the California Indian word Ahjumawi, which is also the self describing word used by the band of Pit River of Indians who still inhabit the area.
Ahjumawi is a place of exceptional, even primeval, beauty. Brilliant aqua bays and tree studded islets only a few yards long dot the shoreline of Ja-She Creek, Crystal Springs, and Horr Pond. Over two thirds of the area is covered by recent (three to five thousand years) lava flows including vast areas of jagged black basalt.
The park is a wilderness area and most of it is extremely rugged lava rock. Visitors should prepare adequately for their visit. While there are over twenty miles of park trails by which to explore this beautiful geographical wonder, please be advised that travel off the trails requires proper preparation and equipment. Be sure someone knows where you are going and when you expect to return.
Location - Directions
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park is located in remote northeastern Shasta County and can only be reached by boat. Power boats are allowed to access Ahjumawi, but larger power boats are not recommended due to shallow access points to the park. There are no public roads to it and private motor vehicles are prohibited within.
Visitors can launch into Big Lake at a PG&E public boat launch known as "Rat Farm".
It is reached from McArthur by turning north off Highway 299 on to Main St., continuing past the Intermountain Fairgrounds, crossing over a canal and proceeding 3-miles north on a graded dirt road ending at a dirt launch ramp.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing
Summer and spring are warm; fall and winter can be cool. Layered clothing is advised.
More about the Park
"Where the waters come together...." is a translation of the word Ahjumawi, which is also the self describing word used by the band of Pit River Native Americans who inhabit the area. The waters which come together are Big Lake, Tule River, Ja-She Creek, Lava Creek, and Fall River. Together they form one of the largest systems of fresh water springs in the country.
Preserved within the Park are lava flows broken by great faults and deep cracks, lava tubes and craters. Freshwater spring flowing from the lava are prominent along the shoreline.
Oak, pine, and juniper forests and slopes of rabbit brush and sagebrush are part of the great variety of vegetation in the area. Abundant wildlife populations are evident all seasons. A great variety of birds, including bald eagles, ospreys, and great blue herons nest or travel throughout the park. Herds of mule deer forage through much of the park.
Visitors may be inspired by magnificent vistas of Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, and other nearby peaks.

“Ahjumawi” means “where the waters come together” in the Ajumawi language. This is a particularly appropriate description for Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, since the waters of Big Lake, Tule River, Ja She Creek, and Fall River all come together at this location. The springs at the park comprise one of the largest fresh water spring systems in the country. They discharge into Big Lake, Horr Pond, and Ja She Creek, which together form the headwaters of the East Fork of the Tule River (a major tributary to the Fall River).