lake-shasta.net

Lake Shasta is probably the most picturesque city in California’s Sacramento Valley, with majestic views of the Mount Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mount Shasta, decorated with snow in winter. During summer, the Shasta lake offers spectacular panoramas, sometimes seeming to be several contiguous lakes when it is only one wide lake.

Whether for camping, exploring or sporting, Lake Shasta National Park offers thousands of acres of wooded flats and rocky hillsides with creeks, lakes and some waterfalls surrounding the lake. Mountainous landscapes are common settings to several activities such as hiking, biking, horse riding, climbing, etc.

Lake Shasta features at least ten different marinas and numerous resorts.  Rustic camping accommodations often include showers and hookups, except for those that accommodate trailers up to 30 feet. When it comes to campgrounds, this Californian region offers an option hard to find elsewhere: boat-in campgrounds.

In addition, the Lake Shasta region offers a sensation of serenity and freedom inviting you to enjoy some of the finest recreational attractions and activities in the world. For more information on tours and scheduling around Lake Shasta, contact the US Bureau of Reclamation at (530) 275-4463. or via email to sharral@mp.usbr.gov.

Even when the history of Lake Shasta is relatively new, the region encompasses areas of historical significance and natural beauty. Just off O’Brien exit, Shasta Caverns are one of those remarkable sites to spend a day exploring incomparable forms created 250 million years ago in the ponderous limestone of the Grey Rock.

Shasta Caverns is 2-hour tour, including a boat ride across Lake Shasta aboard a catamaran, then a scenic bus ride to get there. These caverns are visible from Interstate 5 since they are located 800 feet above Shasta Lake. Once there you will be lead through different rooms, including the Cathedral room, where a human skeleton was discovered in 1878, helping to determine the ancient origin of the formations.

Another way to discover the history of Lake Shasta region is taking a self guided tour following the Samwel Cave Trail, located about one mile south of the McCloud Bridge Campground, or the Hirz Bay Nature Trail in the Hirz Bay Campground, where natural beauties display the flora and fauna evolution in the zone.

Some trails have historical significance, such as the trail at the Sacramento River, discovered in 1834 by Michael LaFramboise, that later would become the Oregon Trail, intensively used by gold seekers, trappers and traders in the late 19th century and later, in 1872, used as a guide line route for Central Pacific Railroad.

For nature lovers, the Shasta Unit is one of 3 units comprising the Whiskeytown and Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area, established by Congress in 1965, featuring countless outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, mountain biking, picnicking, camping, boating, swimming, fishing and hunting.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest has day-use picnic facilities and public boat ramps for boating, including loading platforms and receivers that can be used to accommodate patients and disabled people lifts. There are also several public campgrounds and off-Highway-vehicle areas to enjoy the trails and points of interest, including the wildlife areas.

Hirz Mountain Lookout is another of the major historic attractions in Lake Shasta, situated above the McCloud River Arm, dedicated in honor of all women and watching over the Shasta-Trinity National Forest for the past 100 years. At an elevation of 3,540 feet, Hirz Mountain Lookout offers splendorous scenic views in all directions.

From the lookout, the snowy peak of Mount Shasta is easily viewable to the north, Overlooking the southeast, you can enjoy the Mount Lassen vistas, also including the McCloud Arm and the gray limestone exposures in Hirz Mountain. In the winter season, views are decorated with snow on all mountains within the region.

Other attractions in the area or nearby are the Mount Shasta, the Lassen Volcanic National Park, Pacific Crest Trail, Castle Crags State Park, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Potem Falls, Hatchet Creek Falls and Montgomery Creek Falls, and the many and varied streams, such as the Hat Creek and the Sacramento River, paradise for anglers

During winter, Mount Shasta Board and Ski Park becomes one of the most visited attractions, just 65 miles north of Redding, following Interstate 5 in the Siskiyou County. Mount Shasta is rich in wildlife, seasonal activities and railroad history, including summer time activities like climbing, fishing, and bird watching.

Summit climbs on Mount Shasta are popular and close to Lake Shasta, there are many trails and high mountain areas for backpacking and mountaineering. Lakes are open all year and great for fishing, but some inaccessible during winter. However, check with the visitor’s center or U.S. authorities because local fishing regulation within this area vary.

The Turtle Bay Exploration Park features Botanical Gardens and the McConnell Arboretum in a 300-acre campus across the Sacramento River, off Redding city. This park is also home to the Turtle Bay Museum showcasing permanent, interactive exhibits and exhibition galleries to watch underwater fish.

For hiking, biking, climbing or driving around there is an informative service providing visitors with driving information about road conditions in the Shasta Lake, Redding, Reno and Lake Tahoe area. The CalTrans road info is the popular service that you can tune to on your radio 1610-AM when driving.

Otherwise, you can call the CalTrans toll free 800 service to learn more about road conditions, providing different access methods for your convenience: calling at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623), using the Caltrans Highway Information Network’s voice activated feature calling at 1-800-427-7623 and speaking the route number, or from outside California dialing (916) 445-7623.

Another way to receive more information on the attractions and activities featured on Lake Shasta is getting in touch with the Shasta Lake Visitor Information Center, located on Interstate 5, 10 miles north of Redding. Operating since 1981, this information center provides a wide variety of visitor information, including brochures, maps, news, and details on the implementation of programs such as the Bald Eagle Protection Plan.