Sacramento River Trail Photo: Chris Flentye
TRAILS
T
he Shasta Cascade Region offers abundant prime walking, hiking, biking, equestrian, backpacking, and off-road vehicle trails. The Sacramento River National Recreation Trail — ranked 7th Best Trail in California — is the crown jewel of Redding’s trail system, spanning 17.4 miles from the world-famous Sundial Bridge to Shasta Dam. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area contains rugged canyons, forests, streams, and waterfalls. With more than 75 miles of trails in the park, it is a perfect way to see wildflowers in spring, discover a breathtaking waterfall, experience the glory of fall color, and view wildlife in its natural habitat.
Lassen Volcanic National Park offers over 150 miles of hiking trails for every level of ability. Discover the devastation of Lassen Peak’s last eruption on the trail at the Devastated Area, explore Lassen’s largest hydrothermal area on the Bumpass Hell trail, or spend the day climbing Brokeoff Mountain and enjoy its spectacular panoramic views. Experienced hikers can take the ‘Reach the Peak’ challenge on the newly restored Lassen Peak trail affording the opportunity to climb to the top of one of the largest plug dome volcanoes in the world! Check current trail conditions at www.nps.gov as many trails are not snow free until June or July. A significant segment of the Pacific Crest Trail runs through Shasta-Cascade country, attracting
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UpStateCA Visitor Guide
hikers and equestrians from all over the world — some to experience a few miles, and others making the entire trek from border to border. It traverses Lassen Volcanic National Park, home of geothermal wonders such as bubbling mudpots, boiling lakes and magnificent panoramas of Lassen Peak and Mt. Shasta. The PCT then turns west and drops to cross the Sacramento River at Interstate 5. It then enters Castle Crags State Park and the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The trail reaches 7,600 feet in the mountains connecting the inland Cascade Range with the coastal ranges, winding north through the Marble Mountain Wilderness before descending to the Klamath River. In Trinity County, the Weaver Basin Trail System comprises nearly 50 miles of some of the best single track in the nation. Whether you’re mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding, you’ll experience biologically diverse terrain with many opportunities to interpret historic mining sites, riparian zones, wetlands, old growth forests and timber harvest sites. Feather Falls National Scenic Trail, a nine-mile loop in Butte County provides an incredible view of Bald Rock Dome, Bald Rock Canyon, and the 640-foot waterfall, Feather Falls. Uncrowded and unspoiled, Susanville Ranch Park in Lassen County provides 29 miles of multi-use trails that wind through canyons, along creeks, around meadows, and up into the hills. From easy to challenging, these trails are ideal for hiking, mountain biking, horseback
riding, dog walking or a quiet stroll (and crosscountry skiing and snow-shoeing in the winter). Trail users will find gentle grades around the meadows and up Paiute Creek Canyon, with more challenging climbs and features on Coyote Bluff and on the Horse Trail in the southern portion of the park. Castle Crags State Park offers unmatched views of the stunning 6,000 foot glacierpolished granite spires of the crags. The Bizz Johnson Rail Trail, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Lassen National Forest, is one of the best “rail to trail” conversions in California. Equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers alike enjoy the comfortable 25-mile trail along the Susan River. The newest rail trail in the region is the Great Shasta Rail Trail, inviting non-motorized recreation on the bed of the historic McCloud Railroad traversing national park lands between McCloud and Burney. Access the trail from Burney or from McCloud to enjoy beautiful forests and inspiring views of Mt. Shasta. Cyclists will find Siskiyou County in far Northern California a hidden treasure. Visit this gold rush inspired, high-alpine region for some of the best cycling in the West. Experience rolling hills along the Old Stage Road of Route 99 to challenging climbs up Mt. Shasta, Castle Lake, and Carter Meadows Summit to name a few.
