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Mount Shasta is the perfect destination if you’re looking for a weekend getaway from the Bay Area or if you find yourself passing through the Northern California region. Just one hour north of Redding California, Mount Shasta dominates the sky standing at 14,179 feet tall and can be seen from anywhere in the region. Its mountain vistas and crystal clear alpine lakes offer tons of activities and spectacular views.
After months of sheltering in place in San Francisco I was eager to spend some time hiking, taking photos, stargazing, and set my sights on a weekend in Mount Shasta. Let’s walk through my weekend itinerary where I stayed, ate, activities, and how I stayed safe traveling during Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Where I Stayed
After mapping out my itinerary I knew I wanted to explore both Mount Shasta and McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, I settled on Redding as a middle point and found an amazing Airbnb named “The Ritz of Redding". David and Kami were wonderful hosts and recommend giving their place a look if you’re planning a trip.
The town of Redding made days to both locations very easy and as their slogan goes “Any Adventure, Any Day!”
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I didn’t spend too much time in the town itself but managed to grab Jamba Juice each day to ease the 100 degree summer heat. I would definitely love to go back and explore more of the town in the future.
What Activities I Did
Sunrise at Heart and Castle Lake
After driving from San Francisco Friday night, my group and I went straight to sleep to catch a few hours before we woke to start our sunrise hike to Heart Lake. Waking up at 2:30 AM is never easy but we made some coffee and tea and headed out. There’s something special about waking up with the sun. Heart and Castle Lake offer spectacular views of the snow-capped volcano Mount Shasta, mirror reflections, and lush alpine terrain. Although it’s an accessible hike, starting off with Sunrise will let you enjoy it and allow yourself to easily socially distance among the few backpackers.
Watching Sunrise over Castle Lake, in frame @realnoice
Perfect reflection at Heart Lake, in frame @allisonkim11
Here’s a few tips for the hike. If you decide to hike for sunrise make sure to bring headlamps and use AllTrails to keep you on the path, it’s pretty easy to get turned around in the dark. If you’re feeling brave bring your swimming suit to take a plunge after the hike. I also enjoyed bringing my Jetboil to enjoy some coffee at the top! It is a heavily trafficked trail, be sure to bring your face covering if you go during peak times.
How To Get There?
If you’ve decided to stay in Redding, it's 1 Hour and 20 Minutes drive to the Castle Lake Parking, this is where you’ll start the 2 mile out and back trail. AllTrails rates the hike as moderate and mentions it is best accessed from July until September. For more information on the hike, visit the AllTrails link here.
Let There Be Brunch
After a long hike and enjoying sunrise we were starving and headed to the town of Mount Shasta, only a 20 minute drive from Castle Lake Parking area. We stopped at Seven Suns Coffee & Cafe which serves breakfast all day including coffee, tea, sandwiches burritos, bakery goods, and more! Seven Suns did provide a few tables outside for to go orders socially distanced. We opted for the furthest one and wiped it down with Clorox wipes to enjoy our meal. I ordered a Breakfast Burrito and as I pulled it apart and watched the cheese stretch across, I knew I made the right choice.
Hike to Mossbrae Falls
After refueling with a bite to eat, we headed out to our next destination Mossbrae Falls. This dangerous 2 miles out and back trail along live train tracks leads you to a beautiful waterfall that feels like a pristine hidden oasis. The spring-fed falls were refreshing but were extremely cold when we visited in late June. Take a dip if you dare!
How To Get There?
Getting to the falls can be confusing and dangerous. When following the path you’ll have to walk along live train tracks. Stay aware of incoming trains and avoid walking in the middle of the tracks.
Below are step by step directions we followed:
Go to the north end of Dunsmuir Avenue, near Scarlet Way. Find a place to park. Once you get on foot, your trip to Mossbrae Falls is about 1.2 miles. The first street you walk down is Scarlet Way, which is located in the Shasta Retreat. You'll see a sign at the top of the hill at Dunsmuir Avenue and Scarlet Way. Walk down the road. At the bottom, the road turns into Cave Avenue. Veer right at that point and keep walking. After you veer right, you'll walk for about 100 yards, at which point you will see a small bridge that leads to the railroad tracks. Once you get to the tracks, make a right and stay on the east side of the tracks (the right side), which is closest to the Sacramento River that you'll be walking along. You'll be moving north at this point. Continue walking up the tracks until you get slightly past mile marker 3/4. There you will find a bridge. Do not cross it. Instead, right before the bridge, look to your right. There will be several trails that take you into Mossbrae Falls. Additionally, there is currently a big boulder near the tracks that has the words "Mossbrae Falls" spray painted on it. There is a spray-painted arrow on the rock, pointing to the river. The hike from the tracks to the falls is about 40 yards.
Note: Source of directions were provided by The Outbound and can view their article here.
Exploring Burney Falls
Our final stop of the weekend led us to booming cascade Burney Falls where Theodore Roosevelt referred to these falls as the “eighth wonder of the world”. From Instagram photos I imagined the falls were quite small but, there I stood before the enormous 129 foot waterfall. We spent our time visiting the base of the falls which is about a 5 minute walk from the parking lot. For additional views and pleasure there is a nice leisurely 1.3 mile loop hike around the area.
Exploring Burney Falls with the wanderbae blanket, in frame @allisonkim11
How To Get There?
Enter in your GPS Burney Falls. If you visit the falls during attendant hours you will have to pay a $10 fee per vehicle (national park passes are not accepted). Be sure to visit the falls early to avoid the crowds, there often is a long line to enter the parking lot during peak hours.
Until Next Time
I’m shocked it took me four years of living in San Francisco to visit Mount Shasta. After a weekend of fun, I can’t wait to head back and enjoy the many more activities the region has to offer. If you decide to go to Mount Shasta and need any tips feel free to direct message me on Instagram @nickfjord!