Explore Northern California’s rugged side this spring by visiting the high desert town of Standish.
H.R.T. Coffin from New York laid out this community in 1897 and named it for Mayflower leader Myles Standish. It is safe to assume that the the iron-nerved Pilgrim never saw a dramatic landscape such as his namesake town, where the Sierra Nevada mountains crash down into the Great Basin desert. The communities in Lassen County that became ghost towns over the years outnumber those that endured. The rural outpost of Standish on US 395 has survived and thrived.
Planning a visit? Stay at Days End RV Park.
The high desert lifestyle and proximity to the splendors of Lassen Volcanic National Park makes Standish a magnet for outdoor lovers. Honey Lake on the community’s southern doorstep provides warm water fishing, bird watching (bald eagles nest here in winter) and waterfowl hunting.
Susanville is the only city in Lassen County, about 13 miles to the west. Unexpectedly, an internationally acclaimed symphony orchestra performs in the old frontier town. For day-use recreation, the Susanville Ranch Park has blossomed into trail user’s delight with 22 miles of bridle paths, hiking, and biking trails. Come winter, the Coppervale Ski Area boasts 800 vertical feet of drops and the Fredonyer Snowmobile Park boasts 80 miles of looped trails.
