Hike to Crystal Creek Falls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

French Gulch, California

Save

View all 5 photos

All 5 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

0.6 miles

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Michael Fricke

Easy hike along ADA paved trail to get to a waterfall. Great place to take the family or stop for lunch

From Redding pass the visitor center on highway 299 and pass the lake. Make a left turn on to Crystal Creek Road. Follow this road for about 2 miles. There will be signs to make a left turn to Crystal Creek Falls. This is less of a hike and more of a walk. The trail is paved. It is less than a half mile to the falls from the trailhead. It is a great place to take children and people that don't want to hike far. The waterfall is nice and there are picnic areas to eat. It is a great place for lunch if you want to see all the waterfalls of Whiskeytown. Do one or two in the morning stop here for lunch and finish the others in the afternoon.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Hiking

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

River

Scenic

Waterfall

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike to Whiskeytown Falls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Coming from Redding pass the visitor center and heading down highway 299. Make a left turn on Crystal Creek Road. Drive about 3.75 miles and on your left will be the Mills Creek Trailhead. Start hiking. You will start headed downhill towards the creek. You will cross Crystal Creek on a footbridge. A little bit after crossing the creek you will see where you need to turn right to the James K. Ca...

Hike to Brandy Creek Falls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

My favorite hike in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. From the visitor center you will take Kennedy Memorial Drive towards the dam, make a left at Brandy Creek Road. At a junction for Sheep camp/Shasta Bally make a left. You will arrive at the trailhead. This hike follows a beautiful stream through forested area. There are multiple waterfalls along the way. The path is well maintained. Ther...

Hike to the top of South Fork Mountain

Starting from the Kanaka Peak Trailhead, follow the Kanaka Peak Trail all the way, continuing on past the Peltier Trail Junction and the Kanaka Cutoff Trail Junction until the trail begins to head east (about 2-2.5 miles from the trailhead) and there is a gently sloping hill on your right that is comprised mainly of pine trees and a carpet of pine needles. If you continue along the trail for an...

Hike Kanaka Peak

Head to the Peltier Bridge Campground after entering Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and then go 1.1 miles along the road through the campground until you reach the trailhead for Kanaka Peak. The road from the campground is open from late spring to late fall, otherwise hikers will need to park at the campground and hike the extra 1.1 miles to the trailhead.From the trailhead, you'll cross ...

Camp at Shasta Campground

Shasta Campground offers 27 tent/trailer campsites, picnic tables, paved loop road, vault toilets, OHV staging area, potable water, and fire rings. To get to the campground head along Keswick Reservoir, below Shasta Dam. Take I-5 north from Redding about 10 miles to Shasta Dam Blvd. Follow Shasta Dam Blvd. to Shasta Dam (dam hours are 6AM to 10PM), cross the dam, turn left and follow the road...

Camp at Steel Bridge Campground

Steel Bridge is located along the Trinity River. About three miles east of Douglas City on State Highway 299, turn north onto Steel Bridge Road and go about 2 miles to the campground.This campground is open from Mid-May until winter weather forces closure. The campground is home to 12 camping sites with picnic tables and fire rings, day-use parking area, vault toilet. No potable water. MAX tr...