Lassen Volcanic National Park [1] is one of the oldest national parks in the United States. It is also one of the most remote and primitive. On the other hand, a good (and paved) main road runs through the middle of the park, letting visitors enjoy many of the major attractions—including the park’s active volcanic features.
The good news is that the rugged weather and isolated location mean that a visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park [1] is a visit to an unspoiled wilderness area rather than an overdeveloped, Disney-fied amusement park with rocks.
A good half of the park has only minimal dirt road access and offers its rugged beauty only to those travelers willing to hike for miles into the backcountry [2]. Even the trails and campgrounds accessible by paved road [3] maintain a kind of charm that’s hard to find in the more popular California parks.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/lake-tahoe-and-the-northern-sierra/lassen-volcanic-national-park
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/lake-tahoe-and-the-northern-sierra/lassen-volcanic-national-park/sports-and-recreation/backcountry-hikin
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/lake-tahoe-and-the-northern-sierra/lassen-volcanic-national-park/camping/paved-road-accessible-camping