Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity NRA

Whiskeytown

Is anyone else confused by a lake named Whiskeytown? As it turns out the lake was man made in the 1960’s and now sits on the site of the old town. The town existed between 1850 to 1950 and got it’s name from a gold miner who’s supplies broke loose from his pack mule, spilling his entire whiskey barrel into the creek. After this event the creek was forever know as Whiskey Creek, and from there Whiskeytown was born.

We begin our exploration of the area on the western edge of the lake at Whiskeytown Falls.

Whiskeytown Falls Trail

Shortly after descending the initial part of the trail we run into some wildflowers in the valley. Then the steep uphill trek begins. As we progress, we can see by the volume of water rushing by that the waterfall at the end should be spectacular and well worth the climb.

Whiskeytown Falls

The falls have definitely lived up to our expectations. There are 4-5 full tiers visible and flowing. It goes so far up, we wish we could go higher and see it there are any more tiers just out of sight.

Crystal Creek Falls

On the way back from Whiskey Falls we stop to see Crystal Creek Falls. These falls are found down a short ADA trail that leads to an incredible sight. Visitors without mobility issues can climb the trail down to the pools under the falls to swim. We can see several families enjoying the water and it looks really inviting. But; we’re getting hungry, so we decide to head back to the truck and move on to our next stop.

Whiskeytown Lake

The lake spans over 5 square miles, with 37 miles of shoreline, and is 264 ft deep. Surface temperatures of the water can reach nearly 80 degrees on a hot day; which makes it ideal for swimming at one of the three beach area. The lake is also home to many other water sports including scuba diving to see the submerged town. When water levels are low enough, you can see the foundations of some of the buildings without having to don scuba gear. However, most of the town was either demolished or moved prior to the lake being created.

The town of Shasta

Ghost town

The town of Shasta’s story is similar to many others in the west. This thriving gold rush town was bypassed by the railroad for nearby Redding as it was lower in elevation. So, most of the businesses in Shasta closed up shop and relocated. What’s left looks very much like it did in the late 1800’s. There’s not much here expect a few old buildings, a State Park, and an incredible lunch spot named “Shorty’s Eatery” for hungry travelers like us.

Shasta State Historic Park

After the railroad arrived in Redding in 1872, the brick buildings (built between 1853 and 1856) in Shasta’s business district were closed up and used for construction materials. By the 1930’s, these once impressive brick buildings were mere shells of their former selves. Fire, neglect, and the tin roofs being used in the war effort, were all contributing factors in their decline.

The boardwalk in front of these once magnificent buildings has been reconstructed by the park service to give a glimpse into what it might have been like to walk down main street in the 1800’s.

Keswick Dam

Next, we head toward Shasta Lake and on the way come across Keswick Dam and powerplant. As we round the corner we catch site of the wildflower lined Keswick Reservoir and decide to stop to look around.

Shasta Lake

Shasta Lake spans just under 47 square miles, has 365 miles of shoreline, and is ~518 ft deep. It’s also known as the “Houseboat Capital of the World.” And similar to Whiskeytown Lake, the ghost town of Kennett lies at the bottom.

Shasta Dam

Frank T. Crowe, the famous civil engineer who built the Hoover Dam in Nevada, ended his long and distinguished career here by building the second largest concrete dam in the United States between 1938 and 1945. The Dam is 602 feet/183 meters tall, 3,460 feet/1,055 meters wide, and contains 6.5 million cubic yards of concrete. It’s design is a curved, concrete gravity dam that’s weight ensures structural stability against the pressure of the water.

There is an incredible visitors center here with a short movie showing the history and the making of the dam. It’s well worth the time to visit and a great way to get out of the heat for a little while.

Sacramento River

As we turn south back towards the visitor’s center we see the Sacramento River peeking between the trees. This river flows down to the Keswick Dam we visited earlier, and also helps feed Whiskeytown Lake.

This area has such a vast array of activities and sights that we could easily spend more time here; but it’s time to move on to… Lava Beds National Monument.