Castella, California

One of the gems in the Shasta area, Castle Crags. You can spot these dramatic granite towers from a distance and their jagged formations beckon climbers and hikers alike. Imagine a slice of the Dolomites plucked out of Italy and placed in Northern California. Crags Trail to Castle Dome winds up t...

Disclaimer: Hiking to the falls is trespassing. Fines can be as much as $300. If you choose to hike to the falls, you're doing so at your own risk so please be cautious and cognizant of your surroundings. If you live anywhere near Northern California or Southern Oregon, you may have heard about ...

Scenes like this are rarely so accessible. Heart Lake is nestled in a bowl below Castle Peak, on the edge of the Castle Crags Wilderness just west of I-5 and the city of Mt. Shasta. The parking lot and trailhead are both located on the shore of Castle Lake, a much larger lake that is stunning in ...

Just 4 hours north of San Francisco, McCloud Falls offers a quick hike and swimming hole for those looking for something less crowded than Burney Falls. McCloud Falls has 3 tiers, but the middle section offers the best views by far. Getting Here To get here, park at the Fowlers Campground which...

Mount Shasta is an incredible mountain in Northern California that offers a great variety of activities. The Gray Butte trail is one of the more beautiful trails in the area, and it's not too long (2.8mi, ~2h). We arrived at Shasta by late afternoon, so it was a great hike to do when golden hour ...

Black Butte is hard to miss from I-5 as it winds past the city of Mount Shasta. This lava dome formed roughly 9,000–10,000 years ago and isn't a cinder cone, though it does look like one. The rock that makes Black Butte was extruded instead of spewed, then broke apart as it cooled. The jumbled re...

Note: February thru early March are great times to climb it for a winter ascent without snowshoes. If there is no snow seen from the south (e.g. on I-5 heading north to Mount Shasta City), don't be too worried. As long as there is snow on the surrounding peaks (e.g. Trinity Alps) around the same ...

The least technical route to the summit of Mt Shasta begins at the Clear Creek Trailhead (elevation 6390 ft). Please note that although this is a less technical route, this is still dangerous and there have been deaths on Mt. Shasta because of falling rock. To start this, you should be a good hik...

The Dead Falls Lake Trail is perfect for families, dog, and all adventurers. In the spring and summer, there are gorgeous and abundant wildflowers. There is a perfect lunch spot at Deadfall Lake.  Close to the gargantuan Shasta, Mount Eddy is the highest peak in the Klamath Mountain. Mount Eddy ...

The trail is a bit rocky, so wear sturdy hiking boots or trail runners. While your elevation gain is only 800 total, you will travel upwards of 1,982ft in elevation given the ups and downs of the trail. At mile 1.75, there is a spring that feeds into a large meadow. At mile 3, there is another sp...

The Fen Trail around Kangaroo Lake is a beautiful secluded camping and hiking area in the Klamath Forest of Northern California. It connects to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), where you can hike up through Oregon and Washington to Canada, or south through to Yosemite.The trailhead starts at the Ka...

The Algoma Campsite is a free campsite along the Upper Portion of the McCloud River. It features eight sites and a pit toilet. Unlike the other campgrounds in the area, this site receives very little traffic and has no fee.  To get there, take SR 89 east from the McCloud Ranger Station for 13 mi...

Park in the pull-out on Fenders Ferry Road. There you will find the Potem Falls trailhead. The hike is only 0.6 miles long--you'll likely spend more time enjoying the falls than getting there! Bring your swim gear if you want to jump in the pool. The trail is dog-friendly and open March-October. 

Lake Shasta sits at the foot of infamous Mt Shasta, past the major Northern California city of Redding. From the Bay Area you can count on at least a 3.5 hour drive to get to waters edge, but the drive goes by quickly just cruising on HWY 5. There are multiple Marinas on Shasta but the largest is...

About 45 min outside of Redding, California is this breathtaking waterfall, with being a relatively short hike makes it fun for all ages. The hike takes about 5 minutes from the road. Finding Hatchet Falls (aka Lion Slide) from the road are another story, with these falls not being marked anywher...

Day 1 Swift Creek Trail Head to Bear BasinThe trip begins at the Swift Creek trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Permits are very easy to get, just stop by the Ranger station in Weaverville, CA. They are free and can be self-issued in front of the ranger station, or you can go in if you wou...