World Country Guide

Shasta Cascade

The Shasta Cascade Region, roughly the size of Belgium, contains some of California’s most breathtaking natural wonders. The ‘Three Shastas’ include the huge Shasta Dam, the beautiful Shasta Lake and the dramatic, snow-capped Mount Shasta, one of the nation’s tallest mountains at 4248m (14,162ft). The region contains seven national forests, several national and state parks, six wild and scenic rivers, the State’s largest lakes, the Trinity Alps and the California Cascade Range. It is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, offering an endless range of activities in summer or winter.
The lively community of Redding, on the Sacramento River, is the centre of the Shasta Cascade Region, and with over 2500 hotel rooms, provides the widest variety of lodging choices within the region. Turtle Bay Exploration Park, one of Redding’s major attractions, is a collection of museums and exhibits that focus on the Sacramento River watershed and the history of far northern California. Current attractions include the new Turtle Bay Museum, with permanent interactive exhibits and two exhibition galleries; the McConnell Arboretum, some 90 hectares (220 acres) of walking trails; and Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp, with the popular summer butterfly house.
The Sundial Bridge crosses the Sacramento River and provides a new downtown entrance to Redding’s Sacramento River Trail system. Additional attractions include the region’s best shopping and the Sacramento River Trail, suitable for both walkers and cyclists.
The ghost town of old Shasta in Shasta State Historic Park is 9km (6 miles) from Redding. Known as ‘Queen City’ in the height of the gold rush, Shasta’s jail and general store have been restored. The county courthouse, also restored, houses historical exhibits, including an outstanding collection of historic Californian artwork. Nearby is Whiskeytown Lake, a scenic spot for canoeing, fishing, sailing and other watersports. The vivid blue waters of Shasta Lake are ideal for houseboating, and with the biggest combined rental fleet of houseboats in the world, holidaymakers are well catered for. The largest lake in the state, it was formed when four powerful rivers were dammed by the Shasta Dam, itself a popular attraction, with the highest overflow spillway in the world – three times higher than Niagara Falls. To the northwest lies the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park with its 39m (129ft) waterfall; the rivers and streams in the area offer some of the best fly-fishing in the State. To the west of Redding, Trinity Alps Wilderness Area is the second-largest wilderness area in California, with over 55 lakes, and several mountain ridges and deep canyons that offer breathtaking views. The historic gold mining town of Weaverville and picturesque Trinity Lake are also located here.
The second-highest volcano in the lower 48 states, the majestic Mount Shasta dominates the landscape. The mountain provides great hiking in summer and downhill and cross-country skiing in winter; and the alpine village of Mount Shasta makes a good base from which to explore the mountain and surrounding area. Fishing and rafting are popular on the Klamath, McCloud, Sacramento, Salmon, Scott and Shasta rivers. Relics of the area’s gold mining heritage are on display at Siskiyou County Courthouse in nearby Yreka, which has a collection of huge gold nuggets, and the Siskiyou County Museum, which includes a miner’s cabin and logging and trapping memorabilia. The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge at Tulelake is renowned for its abundant wildlife, including the country’s largest winter population of bald eagles. Also at Tulelake is the Lava Beds National Monument, a distinctive and rugged landscape formed when volcanoes erupted in the Klamath Basin. Near the picturesque mountain town of Dunsmuir is Castle Crags State Park, where the ancient granite outcrops resemble the turrets of a castle.
This area is home to the 3137m (10,457ft) volcano of Lassen Peak, which last erupted in 1921 and is part of the California Cascade Range. Volcanic activity is still evident at sites like Bumpass Hell, with its bubbling geothermal mud pools, Little Hot Springs Valley, Boiling Springs Lake, Devils Kitchen Sulphur Works and Terminal Geyser. Eagle Lake, the second-largest natural lake in California, offers some of the best fishing in the region; anglers flock here hoping to hook the famous Eagle Lake trout.
Situated on the Sacramento River, this town hosts the annual Red Bluff Rodeo, one of the largest three-day rodeos in the western USA. The Kelly Griggs Museum, a Victorian house with guided tours, and the William B Ide Adobe State Historic Park, a memorial to the only President of the Republic of California, are interesting reminders of the area’s rich history.
The town of Chico, at the southern end of the Shasta Cascade, contains Bidwell Park, where The Adventures of Robin Hood was filmed with Errol Flynn in 1937. The park was also the setting for scenes of Gone With The Wind. The Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park has preserved the mansion and grounds of the town’s founding father, John Bidwell, a wealthy gold miner.
The following is a selection of special events occurring in the Shasta Cascade in 2005:
Apr 6-11 Kool April Nites (Northern California’s largest classic car show), Redding. Apr 15-17 Red Bluff Round-Up (America’s largest three-day rodeo), Red Bluff. May 5-8 Sacramento County Fair. May 25-30 Silver Dollar Fair, Chico. Jun 15-19 Shasta District Fair, Anderson. Jul 4 Freedom Festival (one of the five largest fireworks displays in the West), Redding. Aug 10-14 Siskiyou Golden Fair, Yreka; Plumas-Sierra County Fair, Quincy. Aug 12-Sep 5 California Exposition & State Fair, Sacramento. Sep Siskiyou Century Bike Ride, Yreka. Sep 7-11 Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair, Tulelake.