California & Oregon Road Trip Planning - Mt. Shasta

"Every hundred feet the world change." -Robert Bolano

We're so looking forward to exploring the beautiful landscapes of Mt. Shasta, an experience that's been on my bucket list for way too long. Once we leave Lassen Park, we are planning to stop by McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

Courtesy of California State Park, 2015

Burney Falls Park was once described by Teddy Roosevelt as "the eighth wonder of the world". One of the most visually stunning waterfalls in the state, Burney Falls is a fern draped, 129 foot tall cascade of pure water power. The park sits on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range, between magnificent Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak.

There are 5 miles of hiking trails that wind through the park's beautiful evergreen forests. There are 3 main trails that lead from the falls; The Burney Creek Trail, the Falls Loop Trail, and the Headwaters Loop Trail, all starting near the park's visitor's center. There are tons of activities to enjoy in the park, too many to mention here. To explore your options, visit page 4 of this link.

Now on to Mt. Shasta
Spectacular mountain vistas and pristine alpine lakes make Mt. Shasta the most idyllic destination in the country, presenting a "fairy tale" like vision, dominating the northern California landscape. Mt. Shasta is awe inspiring, at an incredible 14,179 feet.

Photo by Zengame

Submitting the mountain is left to the most experienced climbers who can also enlist the services of local, highly trained guides. You definitely don't need to be a world class hiker to enjoy this breathtaking paradise. No trails lead up Mount Shasta, but there are many that provide access to the wilderness around the foot of the mountain. There are plenty of easy, maintained trails (27.8 miles in all) that loop through the area, taking you through gorgeous meadows filled with wildflowers and lush green forests. One of the prettiest trails in the area is an easy, 2-mile path that takes you along McCloud River, located on the mountains south side. This trail leads you to 3 beautiful waterfalls with Middle Falls being most visitors' all-time favorite.

Additional Activities in Mt Shasta
There's an endless list of exceptional outdoor activities to enjoy in Mount Shasta including camping, caverns to explore, fly fishing and skiing during the winter months at the Mt. Shasta Ski Park, located on the mountain's western slope.
 
Shasta Lake
Shasta Lake is a home to a wealth of unique recreational pursuits. You can watch bald eagles soar through the air as you fish, explore its many coves and rent a luxurious houseboat - basically, no visit to Shasta Lake needs to be the same.

photo by psyber artist

Renting a houseboat makes it easy to explore the state's premier reservoir, something everyone should try once. A typical summer day on the lake finds the impossibly blue waters dotted with jet skis, fishing boats, houseboats and just about anything else that floats. The nearly 370 miles of shoreline wrap around tranquil coves, the perfect places to drop anchor and relax, maybe do a little fishing for sturgeon, crappie, catfish or bass. You can rent houseboats from resorts and marinas around the lake, ranging from high end to more affordable models.

Another worthy activity at the lake would be taking a free tour of 602-foot Shasta Dam, the second largest concrete dam in the United States. You can also take a guided tour of the Lake Shasta Caverns, an intriguing underground world (over 250 million years old), that's only accessible by boat which is included in the tour.

If you're interested in a truly distinctive overnight experience, why not stay in a "Yurt" (located at Lakeshore East in Shasta Lake), a circular tent commonly used by nomads in Mongolia, Siberia and Turkey. You'll find several campgrounds around the lake as well, with different parts of the lake best suited for varying recreational activities. Here's a great link that will help you decide which part of the lake you should consider visiting.