The Eastern section of the California Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway (CVLSB) begins on US 97 just after you cross into California from Oregon and just south of the state line. Upon arriving at the junction of US highway 97 and California state Highway (SH) 161 (see map), turn east on SH 161 along the California-Oregon border across Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge and continue until you arrive at the junction of SH 196 with SH 139. Turn right and continue south to Tulelake, California, until you arrive at E Street, which is also known as Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. From here, turn right and drive east through town on E Street.

Just after you pass Park Street, you will leave the city limits of Tulelake at which location E street changes to East-West Road. Continue west along East-West Road until you come to a stop sign. This will be Hill Road and you will see a brown National Parks Sign which indicates that both Lava Beds NM and Klamath Basin NWR are to the left, so, turn left and travel south on Hill Road. In one block you will arrive at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the Tule Lake Visitor Center. This is an excellent place to pick up maps and learn more about the many sites and features of this volcanic areas. Directly behind the visitor center is Sheepy Ridge trailhead, which is a short hike to the top of Sheepy Ridge and the observation shelter on top which location has a must see view.

Continue south past the Wineman Lodge, along Tule Lake for eight miles and then arrive at the Lava Beds National Monument sign. The CVLSB continues into the monument until you arrive at a stop sign. Here you will another park sign that indicates that Captain Jacks Stronghold is to the left 3 miles.

and then in another half mile arrives at the main park road, Park Road 10. To the left is Canby Cross, Captain Jack′s Stronghold. Also, to the left is Canby Cross, a wildlife observation overlook and Petroglyph Point.

Turn right and continue into the national monument and follow the main park road past a closed fee charging station, then on the right a turn out for Gillems Bluff trailhead and cemetary. After this turnout, the road way turns south through an area with a higher ridge on the west side of the road and volcanic beds to the east of the road. Soon after arriving at a road to to right, the main park road turn to the east and crosses over the lava beds with a couple of turnouts for information boards. Along the main park road, there are several parking areas and side roads leading to numerous caves and volcano summits.

From the fee charging station, it is about eight miles along Forest Service Road (FS) 10 until arriving at the turn off for Mecicine Lake. Here, there is a brown park sign showing that Medicine Lake is to the right on the gravel road. Across the street is a sign showing that Modoc Volcanic Scenic Byway (MVSB) is also on the gravel road to the right. I believe that the MVSB is what has become the southward extention of the CVLSB from this junction.

However, while you are in Lava Beds NM, continue straight on FS 10 for another mile and you will arrive at a park sign on the left indication a turn to the right gives access to the Lava Beds Visitor Center. This turn is onto the Cave Loop Road which has the heaviest concentration of explorable cave sites in Lava Beds National Monument, but you will need to go into the visitor center to get a permit. Too, just past the visitor center on FS 10 in 0.2 miles is a left turn into the Indian Well Campground. Finally, the south entrance of Lava Beds NM is another 3.7 miles further east on FS 10, at which time the Modoc National Forest continues eastward.

To continue south on the CVLSB, return to the Lava Beds-Medicine Lake road, turn onto this road and continue south upon this gravel road. This road traverses about 13 miles along the MVSB at which time you will see the first exit to Medicine Lake to the right. This first exit will be FS road 44 N 75 (Medicine Lake Road), as well as the Lava Beds-Medicine Lake Road. Turn right if you would like to access the west end of Medicine Lake, the Headquarters Campground and Little Medicine Lake.

Or you can continue straight for another mile on the CVLSB which encircles Medicine Lake clockwise to the east until you arrive at the eastern end of FS road 44 N 75. This gives access to the east end of Medicine Lake with several campsites, Medicine Lake Beach as well as the Medicine Lake boat ramp. Both of these areas have large parking lots.

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway continues around Medicine Lake and then it continues along what had been previously called the Modoc Vocanic Scenic Byway and on a national forest road for some 31 miles before it connects with SH 89 in Bartle, California.

All of the lower section below Medicine Lake all the way to SH 89, from what I understand, is on gravel roads and is not a route that I have traveled mostly because of it all being on gravel Forest Service Roads.

Up at five am and check out the sky for possible meteorites but the sunglow has already begun and most of the stars are even gone so I go back to sleep until eight. Upon getting up, I fix a cup of coffee and head for the visitors center and get my Junior Ranger Night Explorer patch. Then I visit a couple of caves and walk a short ways into each.

Finally, I drive to the Lassen Peak Volcanic National Park and upon arriving at the north entrance find it to be closed, so instead of going around to the south entrance, I make my way east into Nevada towards the Great Basin National Park.

In the late afternoon, I cross the border again from Oregon into California and first stop at Tule Lake NWR visitors center to get the patch and then on to Lava Beds National Monument, arriving at the visitors center at just after four, too late for getting gear to do any spelunking, but do get the patch.