Burney Falls & Lassen National Park

Meeting at Baker's 6am KSU 7AM going to grab breakfast at the Outpost Cafe 8685 US-395, OAK HILLS CA 92344

This is a long awaited ride we have never done yet! Burney Falls and Lassen National Park are both breathtaking so let’s get ready to roll.
October is an excellent time for this ride. The fall colors along US-395 and SR-89 are spectacular, summer traffic is gone, and the summer weekend parking reservation rules at Burney Falls expire at the end of September. However, temperatures drop rapidly at altitude, and early winter storms can hit the passes. You must track Caltrans QuickMap closely for sudden weather updates. [1]
***Note*** I want to trailer my bike so I will head all the way to Susanville the first day and stay 2 nights in Susanville I’ll be exploring Susanville area the second day and meetup with you guys the next day the 4th. Also please note I will be ending my ride back in Susanville to trailer my bike to make it down to Lone Pine I love the Chinese food in Lone Pine looking forward to this trip.

Route & Lodging Overview

| Day | Route Segment | Approximate Mileage | Key Stops | Recommended Hotel Towns |
| --- | ------------- | ------------------- | --------- | ----------------------- |
| Day 1 | Colton to Bridgeport | 340 miles | Alabama Hills, Mono Lake | Bridgeport, CA or Topaz Lake |
| Day 2 | Bridgeport to Susanville | 200 miles | Monitor Pass, Lake Tahoe, Truckee | Susanville, CA |
| Day 3 | Susanville to Lone Pine | 380 miles | Lassen National Park, Burney Falls | Lone Pine, CA |
| Day 4 | Lone Pine to Colton | 200 miles | Fossil Falls, Randsburg Ghost Town | Home |

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Day 1: Colton to Bridgeport

• The Ride: Take I-15 North past the Cajon Pass, then quickly split onto US-395 North. You will cross the expansive Mojave Desert floor before climbing into the crisp air of the Owens Valley.
• Key Pitstops:
• Pull over into the Alabama Hills just outside Lone Pine to view the jagged, sunrise-colored rock arches framed against Mt. Whitney.
• Stop for a mid-day fuel and lunch break in Bishop.
• Take a late afternoon break at the Mono Lake Vista Point to capture views of the unique limestone tufa towers reflecting off the water.
• Hotel Options: Settle in at classic, rider-friendly spots in Bridgeport like the Walker River Lodge or the historic Bridgeport Inn.

Day 2: Bridgeport to Susanville

• The Ride: Keep north on US-395, turning left onto SR-89 North. You will carve over Monitor Pass (8,314 feet), skirt the alpine waters of Lake Tahoe, and dive through the dense tree lines of the Plumas National Forest.
• Key Pitstops:
• The switchbacks up and down Monitor Pass are clean, technical, and offer expansive canyon vistas.
• Stop in historic downtown Truckee for lunch along the railroad tracks.
• Enjoy the sweeping, uninterrupted river curves on SR-89 north of Quincy.
• Hotel Options: Susanville offers reliable, highway-accessible properties perfect for parking a bike safely overnight, including the Best Western Plus Diamond Mountain Inn 530 361 6142…900 Skyline, Susanville, CA, 96130, US.

Day 3: The Volcano & Waterfall Loop (Susanville to Lone Pine)

• The Ride: This is your "Iron Butt" day—a massive 380-mile mountain leg. Ride SR-44 West, pick up SR-89 South to punch directly through Lassen Volcanic National Park. Exit the northwest side, trace SR-89 North to Burney Falls, then drop down SR-299 East to reconnect with US-395 South for a long evening highway cruise to Lone Pine 866 306 0942…Dow Villa 310 Main St Lone Pine CA 93545
• Key Pitstops:
• Lassen Park Highway (SR-89): This high-alpine tarmac peaks at 8,512 feet. Stop at Sulphur Works to walk right up to bubbling, steaming mud pots, and check out the brilliant turquoise waters of Lake Helen. Note: If an early October freeze closes the Lassen highway, skip the park by using SR-44 west directly to SR-89 north.
• Subway Cave: Located just north of the park off SR-89. Park the bike and walk through a 1/3-mile, completely dark lava tube formed by an ancient eruption (bring a strong flashlight/headlamp).
• McArthur-Burney Falls: View the majestic, 129-foot spring-fed wall of water. Because your trip is in October, the summer weekend vehicle pass requirements are no longer active—you can pay standard park day-use fees right at the gate. [1, 2, 3]
• Hotel Options: Park the bike after a long day at the Dow Villa Motel or the Historic Dow Hotel in Lone Pine, both heavily steeped in classic Western film history.

Day 4: Lone Pine back to Colton

• The Ride: A steady, relaxing downward cruise heading south on US-395 out of the Eastern Sierra giant peaks back toward the high desert valleys.
• Key Pitstops:
• Fossil Falls: Pull off onto a brief dirt road to see an incredible geological formation where ancient glacial runoff carved smooth, polished black basalt rock into bizarre, twisted channels.
• Randsburg Ghost Town: Detour slightly off the highway into this living, semi-abandoned mining town. Ride your motorcycle straight down the dirt-edged main street and grab a traditional, phosphate soda at the 1890s Randsburg General Store.
• The Finish: Merge onto I-15 South over the Cajon Pass to wrap up the loop back into Colton.

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Fall Rider's Checklist

• Thermal Layering: Expect extreme temperature spreads. You may experience 80°F weather crossing the desert floor, dropping down to sub-freezing 30°F zones when crossing Lassen Peak or Monitor Pass in October. Pack an electric heated vest or robust wind-breaking mid-layers. [2]
• Daylight Management: October brings shorter days and earlier sunsets. Because Day 3 is exceptionally long (380 miles over technical terrain), wheels should be rolling out of Susanville at the break of dawn to ensure you aren't navigating mountain passes or deer-heavy highway stretches along US-395 in complete darkness.