If summer memories have an address, it’s at Lake Siskiyou in the Shasta Cascade region. Nestled at the foot of the Trinity Divide in Siskiyou County and fed by five mountain streams, the crystalline lake has all the perfect ingredients for a summer vacation—warm water for swimming, miles of sandy shoreline, and plentiful rainbow and brown trout—and it’s only an hour’s drive from Redding. Nonstop blue-water action is interspersed with quiet, lingering moments—an osprey diving into a ripple-less cove, a stand-up paddleboarder plying her craft across the lake, or the morning sun rising over fir-clad hills. It's no wonder this part of the state, sometimes called Upstate California, has such broad appeal.
Things to Do at Lake Siskiyou
The lake offers a lot of on-the-water activities. Fans of fishing will find a variety of fish including lake trout, brook trout, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and brown trout, whether fly-fishing, bait casting, or spin fishing. (For fishing license purchases, fishing rules, and fishing regulations please visit California Fish & Wildlife.) The water here is clear and temperate, hovering around 70 degrees during summer months, perfect for swimming; for those with children, the roped-off, ticketed Splash Zone is a good option.
Families flock to Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort, where they can rent a cabin or pitch a tent and take advantage of watersport rentals, from kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to 15-person party barges. The younger set can spend all day clambering up and zooming down water slides and splashing around in warm, shallow water—with refueling stops at the resort’s ice-cream stand.
Landlubbers can bike or hike the 7-mile Lake Siskiyou Trail Loop circling the lake. The scenic north shore features a single-arch suspension bridge over Wagon Creek—an ideal spot for selfies. Steel cables hang from a massive arch, suspending a sturdy wood-and-steel deck. The forested path offers fantastic vantage points for viewing and photographing Mt. Shasta, the largest stratovolcano in the Cascade Range. Shasta’s hulking volcanic cone soars to 14,179 feet high, its loftiest reaches capped with glistening ice and snow long into summer.
Where to Stay, Eat, and Shop
If camping isn’t your bag, book a stay in a lake-view chalet at Mount Shasta Resort on Lake Siskiyou’s east side. Play a round of golf on the resort’s challenging greens or sign up for a little pampering at Sacred Mountain Spa. Drive 10 minutes into Mt. Shasta City for lunch under the patio umbrellas at Lilys, then shop for outdoor gear at The Fifth Season. In neighboring McCloud, spend the night at the historic McCloud River Mercantile Hotel, built in 1897 as the lumber mill’s company store. Tastefully appointed rooms feature 12-foot ceilings, claw-foot tubs, and feather comforters. Browse the first-floor of the Mercantile for overalls and aprons, old-timey salves and apothecary goods, and gourmet food and wine.
Things to Do Near Lake Siskiyou
About 10 miles away, you can hike to two smaller alpine lakes within Shasta-Trinity National Forest—Castle Lake and Heart Lake—which both offer views of Mt. Shasta in the distance. Take the out-and-back trail from the Castle Lake trailhead and climb the steep one-mile route to reach the small but scenic Heart Lake. This is also a perfect trail for the off-season—bring snowshoes and hike it while it's covered in snow.
Also nearby is the charming mountain hamlet of Dunsmuir, and of course Mt. Shasta, a 14,179-foot-high volcano that draws not only hikers, campers, and skiers but also those curious about the peak’s fascinating spiritual side. (For insider tips on how to get the most out of a Mt. Shasta getaway, check out what this local has to say.)