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.

Encompassing hundreds of bays, there is much to do at Shasta Lake. featuring a full range of recreational facilities and natural beauties throughout coves, creeks, wooded flats, hillsides, waterfalls and thousand-acres of mountainous terrain surrounding the area.

Lake Shasta has 11 marinas and a large number of resorts providing swimming facilities since there are no developed areas to swim. Pools are a good alternative, unless you prefer to swim from the shore of a campground or boat, like many others do. The Lake’s water is warm during summer but forbidden at boat ramps. Anyway, be careful and avoid areas with heavy boat traffic if you opt for this activity.

There are many campgrounds and trailer parks with hookups and showers for camping and enjoying nature from a close view. Lake Shasta has conventional tent camps, trailer camps and boat access camps. Walk-in campgrounds have their own central parking area, but most equipment must be carried.

Forest Services areas only accommodate small trailers and they do not provide hookups for trailer camps, but these are available at most of the privately owned resorts and campgrounds in Lake Shasta. Either public or private, large trailers ranging from 22 to 30 feet are not advised to park in McCloud Bridge, Jones Valley, Bailey Cove, or Lakeshore East due to narrow paths.

Boat access camp is available in 4 campgrounds conveniently situated in remote areas of Lake Shasta where only boats reach. These camps provide campers with tables, stoves, and toilet facilities, far from the crowd. McCloud, off Gilman Road also offers quiet waters for camping and fishing.

Other campgrounds, such as those situated on Lakehead, Gilman and Jones Valley, are also popular ski areas. The Forest Service manages 22 campgrounds, all of them with piped water and capacity to accommodate up to 120 people. The region also offers rental cabins and motel-type accommodations to satisfy your accommodation requirements.

For camping activities, there are restricted areas, such as those housing endangered species. Although shoreline camping is permitted, it is not allowed camp in Osprey and Bald Eagle nesting sites. Furthermore, campfires are allowed on the shoreline, but a permit is required. Permits are free and obtained from any Forest Service office.

Another popular activity among the things to do at Lake Shasta is hiking. Trails in this area are open all year, offering moderate hiking and scenic views at the Shasta Dam, Jones Valley, Hirz Bay, Bailey Cove, and Packers Bay. Hikers can also access oak woodlands and creeks, as well as shoreline fishing areas. It is recommended that you carry enough water and hike when the weather is cool.

Picnicking is another popular activity in Lake Shasta. Bailey Cove, Dekkas Rock, and Fisherman’s Point, near Shasta Dam, offer picnic tables, grills, stoves and restrooms for your convenience. Watching the lake from different locations can become by itself a new experience on every visit to Lake Shasta.

Next time when visiting the lake, try O’Brien Rest Area, Antlers Bridge, or the Pit River Bridge on Interstate 5. Otherwise, enjoy all the Shastas (Shasta Lake, Shasta Dam, and Mount Shasta) from the Shasta Dam Vista Point. In addition, there are 6 public ramps for boat launching, providing access to those areas around Lake Shasta.

However, take in mind that during summer weekends some of those ramps are congested, particularly ramps situated on Jones Valley Centimudi, and Bailey Cove, although the marinas offer additional launching facilities to satisfy the summer demand. And being at the marinas, do not miss out on waterskiing, the most popular activity everywhere on the lake.

Lake Shasta water is usually calm and warm, suitable for waterskiing on any point, but particularly in the Jones Valley and Sacramento Arm areas. However, floating debris and snags make hazardous waterskiing in the Pit Arm, although this situation does not occur when debris is removed. As a note of precaution, remember that Water skiing is prohibited in expressed small coves and bays.

Fishing is obviously another of the things you can do at Lake Shasta, combining the flow of the rivers Sacramento, Pit, McCloud, and Squaw Creek, which filled the impoundment that creates the lake. When full, Lake Shasta contains 4,493,000 acre-feet of water, featuring 365 miles of shoreline that provides the best overall fishing.

Hot fishing spots are generally the points and bridges where the rivers flow to empty into the lake. Most anglers fish for sturgeon, but there are many species in these waters, including the lake’s 1977 catch record of 190-pound behemoth measuring 8 feet, 2 inches. Sturgeon season goes from January through April, peaking in February through April, but biting remains good until August.

Sturgeon’s popularity comes from the fact that they are considered pre-historic fish. However, anglers can also catch Salmon roe, crawdads, shad, ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, mud shrimp, sardines, or eel, species serving also as Sturgeon’s baits.

Where is Lake Shasta Located?

Shasta Lake City, Lake Shasta, Shasta Mountain and Shasta Dam are all them located in Shasta County in northern California, and north of Redding city.

How far is it from other closer cities?

Major cities nearby are as close as the following chart:

Medford, Oregon, 145 miles

Eureka, California, 158 miles

Sacramento, California, 163 miles

Grants Pass, Oregon, 177 miles

Reno, Nevada, 201 miles

San Francisco, California, 218 miles

Eugene, Oregon, 316 miles

Portland, Oregon, 423 miles

Los Angeles, California, 545 miles

Seattle, Washington, 595 miles

How do I get to Lake Shasta?

Shasta Cascade region in Shasta County can be accessed from anywhere, since Interstate 5 bisects Northern California, and there are many transportation facilities.

Can you name some those transportation facilities?

Accessing Lake Shasta is possible by road, air or rail in different ways

By road you can get there by means of the world-famous Greyhound bus lines. By rail, just take the Amtrak rail. Private cars can reach Shasta lake from different routes, including Interstate 5 and the Highways 3, 20, 32, 36, 44, 70, 89, 97, 299, and 395.

How do I get to Lake Shasta by air?

There are several national and international flights from a large number of airline carriers arriving to San Francisco and Sacramento, which airports are only a few hours drive from Lake Shasta, the same as domestic airports in Redding and Chico with rental car agencies to serve you.

I need further directions to get there, where can I find it?

Call any of the following transportation service numbers:

Amtrak Rail, Tel. 800-872-7245

Greyhound Buses, Tel. 800-321-2222

Chico Metro Airport, Tel. (530) 898-2359

Redding Municipal Airport, Tel. (530) 224-4399

San Francisco Airport, Tel. (415) 761-0800

Sacramento Airport, Tel. (916) 929-5411

Which other cities are near Shasta Lake City?

If you plan to visit the surroundings, Anderson City in a middle point on Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, near the Sacramento River. Other cities closer to Shasta are Cottonwood, Fall River Mills, Burney, and Redding.

Where do I get maps and further information on Lake Shasta?

Shasta Lake Visitor Information Center provides brochures, maps, directions and any other information that visitors request.

This center is operated by the U.S. Forest Service and located off Interstate Highway 5 (i-5) in Mountain Gate, Shasta County, approximately 8 miles north of Redding, California. Tel. (530) 275-1589

Is there not a way to get such information online?

Yes, the Shasta Lake Visitor Information Center has created several guides providing information on different recreational aspects of Lake Shasta, downloadable at this address: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity/maps/rog-index.shtml

Where do I get other specific information on Lake Shasta?

For emergency call 911, for other numbers it depends on what you need to know, however there are some numbers often required by visitors to the region that might serve you:

Shasta County Sheriff, Crime Reporting, Tel. (530) 245-6540

Shasta County Sheriff General Information, Tel. (530) 245-6000

Sheriff’s Lakehead substation, Tel. (530) 238-8648

Shasta County Sheriff’s Boating Safety Office, Tel. (530) 245-6075

City of Shasta Lake Local Government, Tel. (530) 275-7400

Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Tel. (530) 226-2500

National Recreation Reservation Service, Tel. 877-444-6777

Shasta Lake Chamber of Commerce, Tel. (530) 275-7497

Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tel. (530) 225-4100, 800-874-7562

Shasta Recreation Company, Tel. (530) 275-8113

Where do I get information about foreign visitors?

This information is available through the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, 1699 Highway 273, Anderson, CA 96007. Tel. (530) 365-7500, Fax – (530) 365-1258, Toll-Free 1-800-474-2782, or via email at scwa@shastacascade.com.

Someone told me that Shasta Dam is a sewage, not a recreational area, isn’t it?

The Shasta Dam is operated by the U.S. Water and Power Resources Service and is not a sewer, but provides a variety of services including , power, irrigation and flood control.

When was Shasta Dam was constructed?

Shasta Dam was constructed between 1935 and 1945, impounding 3 north state rivers, the Sacramento, Pit, and McCloud, later referred as arms. The lake was filled in 1948 and the Shasta Dam is today the second tallest and largest concrete dam in the United States.

Hence, can I have some fun at the dam?

Of course, there are fishing and camping facilities there. In addition, every arm has its own history, characteristics and environment, providing great recreational opportunities.

Can I camp on the lake’s shoreline?

Shasta Lake is one of the few lakes in all California where it is allowed to camp along the shore.

Are campfires permitted at Lake Shasta,?

Yes, but you need to get a permit from the Forest Service Office. Permits are free.

Is there any recommended reading to learn more about Lake Shasta?

In fact there are two, The After Five Magazine and Redding Record Searchlight, for further information getting them call 1-800-637-3540 and (530) 243-2424 respectively.

Northern California was inhabited by several groups of Native American tribes prior to the arrival of European settlers to the region. The Lake Shasta region was home to the Atsugewi and Yana tribes. The Atsugewi Indians (”pine-tree people”) occupied the “rugged lava-strewn valleys north of Mount Lassen”

The Yana Indians extended to the southwest of Mount Lassen, and remained adjacent to the eastern foothills, depending on vegetables and acorns as their main staple food. Nowadays, this tribe is endangered and it is estimated that there are fewer than 2,000 Yana descendants living on the Redding Rancheria.

However, centuries ago the Native American population in the Shasta area was considerable even after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, concentrating a large number of missions along the coast of California, region that mostly remained uninhabited for the following centuries, until the gold fever hit California in the19th century.

The discovery of gold in the 1840s brought to northern California literally floods of immigrants to the state, most of them gold seekers and miners. The lure of easy money through gold discovery and later gambling fever developed in nearby Lake Tahoe impacted agriculture in the Central Valley in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Farmers began searching for the plan to face the withdraw of workers and the problematic with irrigation and water supply. Then, California designed the Central Valley Project to control the Sacramento River floods, transferring water to the dry lands of the San Joaquin Valley, however, the state found itself unable to finance the project.

In the beginning, the project was not approved for loans and grants under the National Recovery Act, even when Harry W. Bashore reported the relief project to Reclamation, remarking that the Kennett Reservoir, later Shasta Lake, would be the cornerstone for the entire Central Valley Project. Therefore, California applied to the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works (FEA) for grants and loans.

The FEA created the Water Project Authority, and a Committee on Rivers and Harbors of the House of Representatives was responsible for the suggestion of the construction of Kennett Dam, citing the national benefits in flood control and navigation on the Sacramento River, recommending involvement by the Federal government for $12 million in cost of such a project.

After a number of investigations and reviewing the plan was approved by the California Joint Federal-State Water Resources Commission, the United States Senate Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, recommended the plan to President Franklin D. Roosevelt

President Roosevelt approved the Central Valley Project on December 2, 1935. In December 1935, the initial exploration of the Kennett Dam site cleared out and re-timbered several of the many exploratory tunnels. Drilling on the area revealed ancient, re-crystallized, volcanic rock, and work crews began experimental washing and grouting.

On March 25, 1936, a cooperative agreement to coordinate the CVP and the California State Water Project was executed by the California Water Project Authority and the United States. Representatives of labor federation councils and labor organizations presented some objections by then based on wage scales.

The State Attorney General ruled on the case counseling future relations between government, contractors, and workers. Finally, Congress re-authorized the project in the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1937, announcing the construction of the large concrete dam to solve the problem and provide energy and water management in the region.

Shasta County was immediately flooded with job seekers and workers who previously were enrolled in government irrigation and water projects in Western states. Hundreds of cars, tents, and cramped trailers were accommodated to serve as lodging facilities for the dam’s workers. The original project by William and Gene Hammans was distributed among 3 companies.

After receiving their contracts, those companies constructed buildings and water systems for the camp, that was finished in early 1938. L. R. Kronschnabel, J.J. Humphreys, Charles McConnell and Albert Rouge joined forces to purchase large tracts of land in the surrounding areas, focusing on the idea of subdividing their holdings.

By then, Reclamation Commissioner John C. Page officially renamed Kennett Dam as Shasta Dam, after Mount Shasta, home to the Shasta Indians traditionally living in the Siskyou County, thus a name having historic and geographic significance, while Kennett came from the nearby railroad way station in Sacramento Canyon, situated above the dam site.

After several disruptions, labor disputes, conflicts between constructor companies modification on-site, involving the Southern Pacific transferred its railroad tunnel for river diversion in 1942, World War II caused a labor turnover, when workers left to take more defense industry jobs or join the military the dam was finally completed.

The final concrete on the dam structure was laid on December 22, 1944. and the final concrete in the Shasta’s Vista House Power plant and additional complementary projects throughout the year of 1945, continue its development until the present