This rails to trails conversion is a popular destination for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing. Camping is allowed along the trail, as long as minium distances from trail heads are observed. There are no fees to use the trail or camp trail side. The improved Goumaz Campground is accessible from the trail. There is a camp fee at Goumaz.
Mason's Station Trailhead, in a July rain storm!
Download a trail map here (PDF formatted). A good descriptive brochure is available from the non-profit Lassen Land & Trail site at (cut & paste this link into your browser's Address field) http://bizzjohnsontrail.com/
Following the old Fernley and Lassen Branch Line of the Southern Pacific railroad, the Bizz Johnson Trail winds 25.4 miles from Susanville to Mason Station. For the first 16 miles, the trail follows the Susan River. As it winds through the rugged Susan River Canyon, the trail crosses the river 12 times on bridges and trestles and passes through two tunnels. The landscape is a combination of semi-arid canyon and upland forests of pine and fir. The trail then follows existing roads an additional 4.5 miles into Westwood, where a railroad station type kiosk and a 25-foot carved redwood statue of Paul Bunyan mark the Westwood trailhead. The trail is uphill from Susanville to Westwood Junction and gradually slopes down to Mason Station. For this reason many cyclists prefer to ride from Mason Station (or Westwood) to Susanville and then take the shuttle bus back to their trail head. Contact Lassen Rual Bus at 530-257-5697 for more info.
In July 2007, the brdige was out upstream from the Devil's Corral trailhead. The detour was single track to and from the abandonded highway bridge under the trail. The Scouts' loved it!
Goumaz Campground. Goumaz is 5-site campground located on the 25-mile Biz Johnson Trail that runs from Susanville to Westwood. It is a great place to stop if traveling the Biz (hiking, biking and horse back riding allowed – no motorized vehicles), but is also accessible from Hwy 44. The Susan River that runs right beside it is visible from all the sites. Horses are allowed to be tethered outside of the campsites. The access and parking spurs are gravel and small, so only small trailers/RV’s and tents are recommended. See http://www.eaglelakerecreationarea.com/camping.html for info on fees & season.
Peanut butter shots at Devil's Corral trailhead for lunch.
Headlamps are handy in the tunnels. They're like refrigerators in the Summer (well, most Summers!).
Packing up at the restored Susanville train station. We left a shuttle car here overnight, with permission.
Roxie Peconom Camp. 10 sites off Route 36 out of Susanville. Named for a Native American woman, this little known tent-only campground may be one of the Lassen National Forest's best kept secrets. The walkin campsites are tucked in under a pleasant variety of conifers including Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. Willard Creek flows past the campground and can be heard throughout. A large communal meeting area with a large level area and a huge grille suggest this campground is good for group gatherings. Good as a base camp for your Bizz Johnson exlorations. See http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/pacficsw/lasscmp.htm#roxie%20peconom for info on season (no fees as of 2007).
Camping at Roxie Peconom is free, and a unique experience! Just off HWY 36 about 8 miles out of Susnaville, its sparsely used but of high quality with a creek and hiking trails. It was highly recommended by a local Scouter.
See the BLM site http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/eaglelake/bizztrail.html for more info. The non-profit Lassen Land & Trail site http://bizzjohnsontrail.com/ also has lots of info.
This page revised July 23, 2007