Etna, California

To start off, you're going to want to navigate to the Etna Summit Trailhead (5956 ft). There's a small parking lot off to the side and we did not need any passes for our overnight trip. Since the summit isn't the main destination for many people in this area, you'll want to follow the Pacific Cre...

The Fen Trail around Kangaroo Lake is a beautiful secluded camping and hiking area in the Klamath Forest of Northern California. It connects to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), where you can hike up through Oregon and Washington to Canada, or south through to Yosemite.The trailhead starts at the Ka...

The Marble Mountains are part of the Klamaths, a biologically and geologically diverse range of peaks and ridges often overshadowed by its western neighbors in the Cascades. The Marble Rim is the signature feature of this subrange, a white wall of rock that glimmers in the sun. The nearby Sky Hig...

The Dead Falls Lake Trail is perfect for families, dog, and all adventurers. In the spring and summer, there are gorgeous and abundant wildflowers. There is a perfect lunch spot at Deadfall Lake.  Close to the gargantuan Shasta, Mount Eddy is the highest peak in the Klamath Mountain. Mount Eddy o...

The trail is a bit rocky, so wear sturdy hiking boots or trail runners. While your elevation gain is only 800 total, you will travel upwards of 1,982ft in elevation given the ups and downs of the trail. At mile 1.75, there is a spring that feeds into a large meadow. At mile 3, there is another sp...

Grizzly Lake is in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The lake is know for its brilliant waterfall flowing from the lake's surface straight off the side of a cliff and roughly 600 feet down to the meadow below. Grizzly lake is located in some of America's most amazing and remote alpine wilderness, incl...

Black Butte is hard to miss from I-5 as it winds past the city of Mount Shasta. This lava dome formed roughly 9,000–10,000 years ago and isn't a cinder cone, though it does look like one. The rock that makes Black Butte was extruded instead of spewed, then broke apart as it cooled. The jumbled re...

Note: February thru early March are great times to climb it for a winter ascent without snowshoes. If there is no snow seen from the south (e.g. on I-5 heading north to Mount Shasta City), don't be too worried. As long as there is snow on the surrounding peaks (e.g. Trinity Alps) around the same ...

Scenes like this are rarely so accessible. Heart Lake is nestled in a bowl below Castle Peak, on the edge of the Castle Crags Wilderness just west of I-5 and the city of Mt. Shasta. The parking lot and trailhead are both located on the shore of Castle Lake, a much larger lake that is stunning in ...

Day 1 Swift Creek Trail Head to Bear BasinThe trip begins at the Swift Creek trailhead in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Permits are very easy to get, just stop by the Ranger station in Weaverville, CA. They are free and can be self-issued in front of the ranger station, or you can go in if you wou...

Disclaimer: Hiking to the falls is trespassing. Fines can be as much as $300. If you choose to hike to the falls, you're doing so at your own risk so please be cautious and cognizant of your surroundings. If you live anywhere near Northern California or Southern Oregon, you may have heard about ...

One of the gems in the Shasta area, Castle Crags. You can spot these dramatic granite towers from a distance and their jagged formations beckon climbers and hikers alike. Imagine a slice of the Dolomites plucked out of Italy and placed in Northern California. Crags Trail to Castle Dome winds up t...

Mount Shasta is an incredible mountain in Northern California that offers a great variety of activities. The Gray Butte trail is one of the more beautiful trails in the area, and it's not too long (2.8mi, ~2h). We arrived at Shasta by late afternoon, so it was a great hike to do when golden hour ...

Numerous starting points with over 550 miles of trail and easily 50+ different featured trails depending on length and what type of activity you are are looking for. One of the more popular trails, and rightfully so, is Canyon Creek Lakes Trail. This 16 mile roundtrip hike has an overall elevatio...

The trail begins just past the Trinity Alps Resort, a private collection of cabins near Weaverville, CA. Hikers wanting an early start can spend the night at the Bridge Camp Campground, located next to the trailhead. The path starts out wide and level, following an old road to the wilderness bou...

Nestled in the heights of the Trinity Alps, this hike to Alpine Lake is not for the faint of heart. Before embarking on this adventure call the Weaverville Ranger station to check snow levels as well as the flow of the Stuart Fork River. If you are too early in the summer season the snowpack wi...