Are you coming to California? Search here for the best deals in Flights, Hotels, Vacation rentals, & Cars!

Shasta Cascade

Taking a few days out to explore the Shasta Cascade region of California is a breath of fresh air, a real change from the rest of California and the more populated parks within the state. Located in the north and northeastern parts of California and including parts of the Central Valley and the massive Sierra Nevada mountain range, it is bordered by Oregon and Nevada, with Mount Shasta being the centre of the area. No small area it is, as it covers approximately 20% of the state. This region is wild, speckled with lakes, mountains and forests, a real treat for the imagination.

Mount Shasta, the namesake of the area, is a dormant volcano. Visible from 100 miles away, Mount Shasta is a formidable but friendly giant, at least for now. The description of the mountain by poet Joaquin Miller, “Lonely as God, and white as a winter moon, Mount Shasta starts up sudden and solitary from the heart of the great black forests of Northern California”, portrays perfectly the beauty of the mountain. It is the second highest peak in the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier in Seattle being the highest.

The county seat of the region is Redding, which is located on the Sacramento River. Other cities found in the region include Alturas, Weed, Fall River, Yreka and Burney. The Shasta Cascade region is famous for its many beautiful and wild national parks, such as Lassen National Forest, Lava Beds National Monument, Shasta-Trinity National Park, Modoc National Forest and Mendocino National Forest. Lava Beds National Monument is the largest concentration of lava tube caves within North America, making it an excellent choice for a day’s visit. For summer bathing, there are plenty of rivers, lakes and waterfalls in the region, such as Shasta Lake, Trinity Lake, Lake Siskiyou, Trinity River and McCloud River Falls.

During your visit to the Shasta Cascade region, there is an abundance of things that you can get up to. The simplest idea is to simply throw a backpack on your back and get hiking. This is one of the most stunning areas in America to go hiking. But after that is done, you can golf, go fishing, go bird watching, take part in water sports, go horse riding, cross country skiing and mountaineering. Then, of course, there are plenty of museums which may take your fancy, as well as wineries, restaurants, caverns, and even shopping.

This region is one of a kind, and absolutely not to be missed.