I tried to find a listing for the actual Castle Lake but instead just found the campground. To be…read moreclear, the campground is a short distance prior to the actual lake which has its own parking lot and trailheads. Once parked at the lake, you can embark on the moderate trail to Heart Lake. Approaching the lake, the trail is to the left of it and climbs along the lake shore with intermittent views. As you take a gradual but steady climb up, you will start to see views open up and eventually see Mt Shasta itself. Most hikers stop at Heart Lake which is a scenic spot with granite on one side and on the outlet side of the lake for Shasta views. If you're wanting a little bit of a longer hike, when facing the lake, make a right and log hop across its outlet and follow a faint but obvious trail to a rocky outcropping. There you will reach an amazing vista of Castle Lake and Mt Shasta. It's a great spot to have your lunch and take some amazing photos. Take care on the way down as there are some steep drop offs and slippery rocks. Most of the trail is exposed, so I'd go earlier in the day in the warm months. Depending on how far you go, it's 3-4 miles out and back. Wonderful way to have amazing mountain scenery in a short hike. Free parking at the lake and pit toilets (not the best, not the worst I've seen.)

Terrific little campground in a picture perfect setting. First come first serve with six…read morecampsites. A maximum of three day stay and you cannot leave your campsite unattended for more than 24 hours. The Castle Lake day use area is just up the road. Lots of great hikes and beautiful views.

Peaceful; wear hiking shoes; bring hiking sticks just in case; there was a very narrow steep path-…read morebe careful; you will feel the vortex or maybe even hear strange rock or thump sound... be careful; it is pretty secluded

Wow!!! This is a hidden gem if I ever saw one! A beautiful flourishing waterfall hidden just a few…read moremiles behind Lake Siskiyou! Only saw about a handful of groups on the trail while I was here, and there were only 2 other gals enjoying the falls when I made it there. This is one of those spots where you kind of want to keep it to yourself, but... I've already let the cat out of the bag so. Ya know. I still don't think this is the type of spot to get overrun with people. It's about a 2 mile drive on an unpaved road that connects from the main road along Lake Siskiyou. You'll come to a dead end with a small parking lot. The trail isn't clearly marked, but it starts to the right of the parking lot. Someone had posted a handwritten sign with an arrow on one of the trees when I went about a month or so ago. Not sure if it's still there, but you'll follow the trail up the hill. The hike to the falls is pretty short... maybe 3/4 of a mile long. It inclines the entire time, but it's not super steep. Also, the turnoff to the falls is unmarked. You need to take the second left to get down the falls. The main trail actually continues on, but the turnoff to the falls will be the second left. Once you turn, the path becomes extremely narrow and a bit sandy/slippery in some spots. You can hear the falls from this point. You'll scrabble down some rocks and then BOOM! You'll be met with this insanely gorgeous waterfall! This waterfall actually creates a small pool of water that you can take a dip in. It's on the shallow side, but still gets thigh deep in some spots. The two ladies that were here while I hiked down were actually laying in the water and enjoying. The rocks are a bit slippery, but the water felt so amazing on that particularly hot day. Such an incredible find and the hike was pretty easy too. Definitely family friendly and a nice way to escape the crowds of Lake Siskiyou.

Very well maintained trail along the perimeter of Lake Siskiyou. Decent amount of free parking near…read morethe trailhead/lakefront with bathrooms and trash cans. Tons of folks with boating equipment and stuff to hang out by the lake front and relax, fish, or have a picnic. The trail itself is a loop and you can turn around at any point. Not terribly strenuous and almost all flat - great for little ones/carrying a baby. There is a developed camp and a beach on the other side of the lake. If you're interested in a little bit more seclusion, there is plenty of space to spread out and relax, looking up at the base of Mt Shasha!

This spot was utterly incredibly! Came here with my family as it is my brothers birthday and we…read morethought a Mount Shasta trip would be a nice easy fun get away from the rigors of Los Angeles and the concrete jungle. We stopped by after eating around the area (recommend the smokehouse or bbq, stay away from the Mexican food at all costs!!) So we went to cable beach and got off and walked around and went to the lake to skip rocks and hang out as we unfortunately forgot our bathing suits. The view was so incredible, and perfect I couldn't even believe the how breathtaking it was at sunset . We skipped many rocks and even made it into a competition which I won, then I went off and found a great stump to take pictures on and unfortunately I slipped and fell on the rocks. Caution! Many rocks here so take water shoes or something with a thick bottom! Although it was pretty funny I'm still hurting haha. We saw boats on the lake and some people off to the side having a picnic and taking a dip in the lovely, warm water. All in all this was an incredible place to stop by and visit! I highly, highly, highly, HIGHLYYY recommend coming here!

Such an amazing and absolutely beautiful waterfall nice and clean very cold lol yet it was so niceread more

Super great place to visit, especially in the summer when it's hot. You park in the lot at the…read moretrailhead and it's a short walk down to the Falls. The Falls are located at the end of the trail, and from there it's a very short clamber down to the Falls themselves. The Falls fall into a reasonably sized pond that is shallow and great for wading in the cool waters during a hot day. It's shallow enough so you can bring a folding patio chair into the water. I recommend the Crystal Creek Falls.

Literally, one of the most beautiful campgrounds I've ever been to. We've booked this campground…read morefor the past five years and are already booked for our sixth next year. This is one of those places where you really don't wanna leave a great review, because if everyone knew how great it was, it would be impossible to get a reservation. Well, spoiler alert: everyone figured it out, and it's almost impossible to get a reservation. We knew that the camp resort transitioned ownership before we arrived this year. We were excited to see the improvements the new owners would make, but we were disappointed when we arrived. The prices went up, but the maintenance decreased. The road in the trailer loop is really beat up, the security presence decreased, and the cleaning/maintenance overall was lacking compared to the other years we've visited. We hope the new owners are still gaining their footing. Don't get me wrong, things are still nice. Just noticeably different, which is a bummer because the price has increased, and it's already a pricey spot. When we arrived this year, we did our usual thing and pulled to the right to check in. A woman, who we believed to be the owner, asked us to move forward, which we did. Then she came back and asked us to move even further. She was quite grumpy and ruffled. It was not a great welcome after an almost 6-hour drive. Then I was asked for my credit card to make the final payment. The woman would not tell me how much I owed or how much she was going to run my card for. I was under the impression I was paid in full. She seemed to be confused with her new system, which is understandable, but I didn't feel OK with her running my card without telling me how much she was going to charge. Everyone in our party experienced the same ruffled welcome. We hope that as the new owners get their footing, they will get some of these things sorted out and/or add signage so the folks who have been coming for years and years understand that the expectations are now different. We're super excited to visit next year and can't wait to see some of these expected wrinkles smooth out.

What a great family campground. We stumbled on Lake Siskiyou when ChatGPT recommended it for family…read morecamping. It truly checked that box and more. There is a general store, and a restaurant that are walking distance from all of the campsites. Down at the beach there is a taco bar, a beer garden, and in-lake obstacle course for the kids. They offer so much to do right onsite! That said there are certainly recommendations to make Lake Siskiyou a home run. 1. The bathrooms are nasty. Listen, it's camping - I'm not expecting the four seasons, but a little bit of money would go a long way. Repaint the entire facility. A simple coat of paint would make a huge difference. You also need to hire someone whose only job is rotating through every bathroom on the property all day long cleaning and restocking them. 2. The beach taco truck and beer garden hours - you are missing out on some serious revenue by not taking orders until 1pm during summer weekends. Kids wake up early camping. By 11, or the very minimum 12, you guys should already be grilling. Beer was even later. We left the beach at 3 on Saturday and they were just starting to setup. On Friday it was closed when we left at 4. I was just watching the $$$ go out the window. We loved our trip and look forward to going back!

Amazing vistas of Mount Shasta, lake Siskiyou. Lovely new picnic tables, water access that is…read moreshallow and fun. You don't have to pay $6 like you do near the campground. Dogs are allowed on leash. Restroom, easy parking, very easy short walk to the beach. What's not to like!

The water is hypothermia inducingly cold, the walk is treacherous and the falls aren't that…read moreexciting. You can take the long route which requires a lot more walking near the train tracks or attempt the river crossing which could end with you swept miles downriver or drowned. At any moment they could let water out of the down to send a surge down the Sacramento River and send you off through rocks and rapids below the falls. The trains come through fast and around blind corners and the roar of the river masks the sound of the train. It is a dangerous hike and people have died there. I don't recommend it for day trippers or casual tourists. Advanced hiking skills required and extra attention to safety and strong swimmers only. Even in mid August the water is high and freezing and the river crossing is very slippery and dangerous. If you know what you are doing and manage the trek there and back you will have seen one of the areas smaller but pretty waterfalls. There is talk of building a trail with a pedestrian bridge to the falls so once that is done it will likely be overrun with day trippers. I recommend going now but be careful.

A must visit in Dunsmuir! Live the cascading waterfall so majestic , calm and mesmerizing ! It's…read moreour second time here and definitely be more visit in the future ! We had the whole waterfall to ourselves

really lovely, clear blue-green lake to look at, walk around and/or have a picnic. on the day we…read morevisited, the weather was perfect....mid-upper 70s, sunny, breezy, and we saw visitors doing all 3 and just enjoying this little gem in lassen nat'l park. hubby and i took the time to admire this lake, snap a few pics, then walk around the lake, mainly b/c i was curious how long it would take to walk around and how many miles it was....answer? 24 minutes and 0.79 miles! normally, i'd be able to walk this distance in under 20 minutes, but given how bumpy the walking path was, it took a bit longer and i had to slowly step over a few of the rocky passages. there's plenty of spots for people to sit and sunbathe or have a snack. there are also a few picnic benches higher up from the lake, and we saw a family bring their camping stove and cook lunch there. lots of free parking all along the rim of the lake as well as separate men's & women's restrooms and trash/recycling receptacles. i'll definitely plan on a longer visit the next time i'm here and perhaps bring my portable stove to make myself a feast and enjoy this lovely lake!

Lake Helen is a simple quick-stop feature as you venture along the 30 mile Lassen Volcanic Parkway…read more The reason why I'd like to mention Lake Helen is because of how beautiful and COLORFUL I found this place to be! Wow....I was pretty stunned by the mixture of the still melting snow with what seemed like turquoise blue waters....and this was the status when I visited back in the middle of July! There's really not much to Lake Helen other than stopping, getting out of your car and taking scenic photographs of the area with this stunning lake as the focal point. During my visit to Lassen National Park, it was one of the first few attractions I came upon as I navigated the parkway from the main, southwest entrance all the way up towards the Manzanita Lake Camping Area. In estimation....I'd say it was located about 5 - 10 miles going along Lassen Parkway. It can't be missed from the road. I saw plenty of cars parked with visitors playing by the snow and capturing photos of this picturesque surrounding. I certainly took a few moments to appreciate the landscape. Although Lassen NP has a rugged and brownish exterior from the high elevations and chilly winter setting,....this Lake Helen was a wonderful reprieve from the mostly out of bloom and dull terrain I found the park to be. Although there's not much to Lake Helen other than observing the wonderful blue coloring of the waters mixed with the snowy ice melting....it was still quite a fascinating revelation to witness such an unheralded and strikingly colorful roadside attraction.

Fresh water, hippies, unique vibes. There were people bringing their 10 gallon jugs filling up…read morewater here. They even rinse out their jug first using the spring water to clean out the residual contaminents. We were wary at first, but then we filled up our water bottles as well. I'll be honest -- I think there is a charged energy to the water and space here. When we left, we felt lighter and recharged. I probably wouldn't bring kids here because there are suspicious individuals and people smoking. I had some interesting conversations with the local hippies.

Such a cool freshwater spring. It's small (so want to keep things in context), but the spring is…read morethe headwater for the Sacramento River...and people bring bottles to sip fresh spring water. It's delicious and special. Please be respectful and keep this amazing and spiritual place pristine so everyone can enjoy it.

Truly a magical spot a short hike from the road off Hwy 5. Easy to miss, we drove past and Waze Ap…read morehad us throw a U-turn. The drips of pine sap lion these ancient rocks look like sparking diamonds along the path. The sound of the stream and falls, then the slight mist and lower temperature as you approach is inviting. Take off your shoes and wade in the water under the falls, it simply is magical.

A short distance walk from the parking lot. Parking is limited and free…read more It was a cool experience to be able to walk behind the falls. Pretty easy trail. Be careful as the rocks around and behind the falls can be very slippery. The trail does continue behind the falls that will lead to the Sacramento River. A cool one time thing but not worth the drive unless you are in the area.