Welcome to the Shasta Cascade Region
From 101 Things To Do... coming new edition
edited by Stacey Councilman 7.13.09
Welcome to California’s wild and beautiful playground, the Shasta Cascade Region. It is a land of mountains and lakes, fields and streams, and some of the most amazingly beautiful cities, fashionable small towns and quaint, yet trendy communities in the world. Whether your plans include snow or water skiing, fishing or houseboating, hiking or just getting away from it all, Shasta Cascade’s eight counties offer something for everyone.
The areas covered by this magazine include the state’s northern most inland counties, Butte, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Lassen, Modoc and Plumas counties, and also features Colusa and Glenn Counties. The region is bounded by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, the coastal California counties of Humboldt and Del Norte to the West and the Sacramento Valley to the south. While the land area encompasses nearly 20 percent of the Golden State, the population base is a mere 1.4 percent of the 39 million people calling California home.
The Shasta cascade region is a summertime playground with warm water lakes and all kinds of activities that go with them. It is also a wintertime playground for alpine enthusiasts. This scenic region serves as a major supply and support center for the I-5 corridor.
With the exception of Chico, with a population exceeding 105,000, and Redding with more than 94,000, most towns in the region are small and the surrounding countryside is sparsely populated. In an area the size of Ohio there are seven National Forests, twelve State Parks, and four National Parks. It is an expanse full of natural wanders.
The Shasta Cascade region is served from north to south by I-5. Smaller routes traverse the area from west to east and include Highways 36, 44,70, 96, 99, and 299, among others. The roads are mostly two-lane and offer incredible scenery for motorists.
Major rivers in the area include the Sacramento, Klamath, Trinity, Feather and McCloud. The waterways provide excitement for anglers, whitewater rafters and kayakers, as do the regions lakes and reservoirs. The dominant body of water in the region is, of course, Shasta Lake, with 365 miles of shoreline created by the second largest dam in the United States. The lake is visible to travelers at several points along I-5.
Mt. Shasta, seen on clear days, seems impossibly massive, its white peak too lofty to be of this world. At 14,162 feet, the mountain is the highest volcano in the state. The mountain attracts hikers, skiers, campers and mountain bikers who cavort on its slopes, and serious mountaineers who strive for its summit.
Mt. Shasta is part of the Cascade Range, which runs diagonally through the region. Southeast of Mt. Shasta is Lassen Volcanic National Park, with 106,000 acres of volcanic terrain that includes steaming mud pools, hot sprints, cinder cones and lava pinnacles. Other portions of the park feature thick forests, clear streams and wildflower-dotted meadows.
Bird enthusiasts can see the states largest resident population of bald eagles at Shasta Lake. Hundreds of species can be seen at wildlife refuges such as the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge and the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge north east of Mt. Shasta near the Oregon border.
At Lava Beds National Monument, visitors can view miles of hardened molten lava flows, lava tubes and caves. Cave enthusiasts will also enjoy Lake Shasta Caverns, which is 19 miles north of Redding and features a one-hour guided tour after a boat ride across the lake, and a bus ride tot the cavern entrance.
In the western portion of the Shasta Cascade region lie the Trinity Alps and Marble Mountain Wilderness Areas. Accessible by Highway 299 and Highway 3, the mountains draw backpackers to 9,000 foot peaks, alpine meadows and more than 50 mountain lakes.
Lake Siskiyou and Lake Shastina in Siskiyou County feature miles of beautiful shoreline and are growing in popularity. Farther east, Eagle Lake is the second largest natural lake completely within California’s borders. It is home to abundant wildlife and the famous Eagle Lake Trout, which grow very large in size. Lake Almanor is a large man-made lake in Plumas County and is a popular recreation destination. Whiskeytown Lake is another popular lake and is located within a National Recreation Area abundant with activities to enjoy, having 36 miles of shoreline. Lake Oroville is a man-made lake, with the largest earthen dam in America. All of these lakes have similar outdoor recreation possibilities, including water-sports, camping, fishing, hiking and all-around exploring.
