Mount Shasta is an incredibly beautiful mountain and volcano. If your driving between Seattle and…read moreLos Angeles you can't miss it from the highway. There are probably a couple different cities that you can enjoy Mount Shasta from but my favorite city is Weed. They have hotels and gift shops and is a cute little town with everything you need. There are two exits for Weed off the highway. One exit is the 'old town' part that is more cute and the other exit is the newer part. I think staying a night here is a perfect thing to do as the scenery is so pleasant. It really is a destination. So often to see natural beauty like this you have to sacrifice comforts of city living. Not with Mount Shasta - its a town that has it all and is just steps away from a little nature walk with an incredible backdrop. It is a real sight to see when you have this regular old Shell Gas station or even Grocery Outlet where the backdrop is the volcano. I don't think you can ever get tired of the harmony here of man made combined with nature.

Incredible volcano and mountain…read more Really recommend spending some time around the nature in this area, even if you won't be committing a summit climb. I went up this past weekend with the attempt to summit Shasta and had a really nice time. The town of Mt. Shasta has a few restaurants and some decent accomodations for sleeping (slept in Loge with our group which was great)... As for the hike, we went up and started at Bunny Flats and camped at Helen Lake for the night and then going for the summit via the Avalanche Gulch route. It was a beautiful and trying hike...definitely be familiar with the risks and have the proper skills to manage them if attempting. All in all; Mount Shasta is majestic and magical. Spend some time here!

A really nice visit with gorgeous views of the mountains to start off. Waited in gift shop for our…read moretrip to the boat to go across the lake to go up to caverns. You can walk down stairs or take the ramps to get to boats. Nice easy ride across lake where your docked and take a bus up to lodge before entering the caves. If you are not able to climb a lot stairs, don't try the caverns. There are lots of stairs with narrow pathways. Sorry. Beautiful caverns with lots of history about how they were found and even some original paths in and ladders from founder. The light show at the end was fun. Worth the history, boat and bus ride up. Plus, Elsie, a boat from WWII Normandy sits in the harbor and is still used to boat stuff around and even has old bullet wounds to show. Reasonably priced adult ticket is $47.84 and can be purchased online or at the cute little gift shop. This is for at least 2 hours and if your a smaller group, lots of 1 on 1 with your guide for questions answered and they are very knowledgeable.

I had a wonderful time at the caverns. This is a must see if in the Redding/Shasta area…read more I purchased my tickets online. It was easy and quick process. You can also purchase tickets from the gift shop. The entire trip was smooth and super fun. It started with a ferry ride to the other side of the lake. There was a bus waiting for us. We loaded the bus, drove up to the caves, and met our guide. We met Jenna, tour guide, and began our tour. She was funny and very informative throughout the entire tour. The caves were fantastic to see. BEWARE: there are lots of stairs in the caves that you must climb and descend. There were loads of rock formations to see in the caves. The lighting system made it easier to each one. I especially liked the light show at the end.

DIRECTIONS: Don't rely on your GPS to guide you here. I plugged Pluto's Cave into Google Maps and…read moreit led us down all these eerie gravel roads (there were private properties along the way but we couldn't figure out if they were residential or commercial; didn't see any humans). It was uncomfortable. In the end, it led us to the wrong side of the cave. You are better off looking at Google Maps and just following it manually. It clearly shows where the road to the trailhead is. You take A12 and then you'll see a small sign for Pluto's Cave where you turn onto 43N30. That'll take you to the trailhead. If you want something to plug into the GPS, use Juniper Flat OHV Area which is less than a mile away. Once you make that turn from A12, you'll see an official sign for Pluto's Cave. The parking area wasn't really much but there was only one other car so we managed to squeeze in. OTHER TIPS: ~Bring at least two sources of light. One back-up is generally recommended so you have something else in case your primary source of light dies. In my experience here, I'd recommend bringing a headlamp (mine was garbage so try to get a good one) as well as a flashlight. The thing is, there are some areas in the cave where you have to climb boulders and the terrain isn't flat. Your headlamp isn't lighting up the area where you are stepping unless you look down. Then it won't light up the area in front of you. Ideally, you'd want to use the headlamp to illuminate the space in front of you and point the flashlight at your feet. This may be a major DUH to regular cave explorers but this was my first cave. At the start of the cave area, you actually have some light where the ceiling has collapsed. It almost looks like a small cave but you want to keep moving forward as the cave continues. Eventually though, you reach an area with boulders that you climb to look around the bend. After that, it's DARKNESS. Not sure how far the cave actually continues....eek. I didn't want to risk it with poor/minimal lighting so I didn't go any further. ~Good shoes, obviously. ~Be aware that there are bats in here. Leave them alone. They shouldn't bother you. Don't bother them. This is their home. Also, they carry diseases. ~The trail from the trailhead to the cave is short but not well marked. Beware of rattlesnakes, per the sign. Overall, this is a pretty cool experience but spooky as heck. At least for me. There is a lot of graffiti on the walls which doesn't help. I went with my boyfriend and we didn't see any other people until we were headed back and already out of the cave. If I were to go back, I'd prefer to do it with a larger group.

Meh..The place is heavily graffitied and smells like urine. I got a very disturbing and somewhat…read moreevil vibe from the place. Your GPS may take you off an unpaved dirt road - glad we had a 4 wheel drive truck, about .4 miles to where you will see a sign for 'Plutos' Cave' and another dirt rood offshoot behind the sign with a lowered gate behind it. DON'T GO THAT WAY. Look around the little parking area for a path with rocks painted white on either side. THAT path will take you to the cave. Some smart person also painted several rocks white on the path to the cave. Look for those as there are several path offshoots.

I was having lunch with my parents today at our usual pizza spot, shout out Stark Street Pizza, and…read morewe were talking about all the times we would drive to Tahoe years ago. This prompted me to ask my parents if they remembered ever seeing the Truck Village. They said they had not. We all found that interesting. As I stated in my previous review, I used to drive I-5 from Portland, OR to San Francisco, CA somewhat frequently. On my way home to Portland I would pull off Exit 743 North, just south of Weed, CA, and have a bite of my packed lunch and admire the vividly painted water trucks that are neatly parked in a perfect display for passers by. The view heading south on I-5 isn't as good. I did some internet sleuthing on this matter. It seems that the provenance of these trucks and where the name "Rainbow Drive" the road you follow to the gate is beyond my ability to attain. The earliest mention of it is on an online travel message board back in 2006. I was making the drive in 2010-2011. The most recent post was 2023. This iconic roadside attraction is mysterious indeed. 2024 - Review # 23

Just love these colorful trucks all lined up! Look forward to this welcome to CA several times a…read moreyear as we go to/from WA state. Thanks for the eye candy! Ps. I have never bought a water truck but if I did I would think if this place first

I've been to where lava flows were before but never have I walked/climbed through where lava tubes…read moreactually are before. This was definitely an experience if you haven't done it! $15.00-25.00 to bring your horse, bicycle, motorcycle cycle, car or RV into the park. Doesn't matter how warm outside as the caves are cool to freezing with ice depending on which cave and how far down it goes. Headlamps/flashlights are needed but headlamps easiest so you can use both your hands. The fantastic Park Rangers will not only give you expert advice on what caves are best suited for you but the history about this amazing park. Skull Cave before you get to the visitors center was my first cave. After descending the short rock staircase then a rock floor then to a metal landing and down the metal staircase lower and lower into the cold dark earth. At the bottom is a Skull, bones and ice. The hand rails were freezing. Wish I would have brought my gloves. The visitors center can help with what caves are where and offer helmets, flashlights and other needs via borrow, rent or buy. Closed shoes, knee pads, etc for tight caves recommended. The others I tried weren't near that cold but still really incredible in different ways. To see all the melting of rock and burn scars through these tubes is spectacular. Our earth is alive and so amazing. There are some bathrooms at some of the sites but not all so take advantage. Also, make sure to wear clothing you've never worn in other caves. Transfer of biologicals is real and could very negatively effect the bats in here. An awe experience and I highly recommend it. Some spaces also might be a bit small in case you're claustrophobic. Many are not tight but pitch black. Better than any Halloween haunted house with the creep jumping out at you. A park experience not to miss!

One of the most underrated national parks in the country. You owe it to yourself to visit Lava…read more Beds National Monument at least once in your life! There are many lava tubes that are for all difficulties and they are all mostly along the road loop around the park or a short trail walk away. Some are easy to walk through upright all the way to those you have to crawl through requiring gear. Certain tubes can be closed seasonally to protect the bats that both migrate and hibernate there, so be sure to check with the park before you go if there is a specific one you would like to visit. The campgrounds are first come first serve except for the large group sites that can be reserved online, and the restrooms are decently kept with water refill stations outside. Overall a great experience, would highly recommend!

This is an amazing landmark and art piece that's on the grounds of the Sheraton Redding Hotel at…read morethe Sundial Bridge. It's basically an old aggregate plant that took stones from the Sacramento River and used a miles-long conveyor belt to send them to be used in the construction of the Shasta Dam. It's a very cool piece of history that easily flies under the radar.

While driving through Sundial Bridge Dr, I saw a sign that says "Monolith". I had no idea what it…read moreis. We made a stop to check it out. It is located next to Sheraton hotel. Remains of Shasta Dam that was converted into art pieces. Learned a bit about the history of Redding during this quick stop. Free to explore and browse. Free parking as well.

This is a quick spot to pull over to take in the view of Mount Shasta. There are a few educational…read moreboards with information along the sidewalk, but not much else. The view isn't even all that good. In all, it's an okay spot to get out and stretch the legs for a few minutes, but that's it.

Amazing view! ...and people's garbage left behind. The view is incredible though. I wish it had…read moreenough elevation to get photos with out trying to hide the traffic.

The views are amazing and anxiety imposing!…read more You can walk out onto the dam and looking either way, the views are spectacular. To your one side, amazing anxiety driving views where even if you're not afraid of heights, you'll start breathing heavy. Then, on the other side, spectacular views of lake Shasta with imposing mountains in the backdrop. Connected to a cool visitor station, this is worth the drive to visit if you're around the area.

After a tour at Shasta Caverns, I was able to nerd out even more with a visit to Shasta Dam. The…read morearea is free to visit if you want to walk across the dam or check out the visitor center, which has a small theater with a really fascinating short documentary playing. There's also a gift shop and some displays. But what you really need to check out is their free tour of the dam. On the tour, you can go inside the dam itself and have a guided tour of the facilities and even the grounds at the bottom of the dam. I found it really interesting and learned a lot about the dam's construction and role it plays in water management from the heavy rains Nor Cal gets in the winter. Their website posts hours the visitor center is open and what times tours run. I caught the last tour of the day on a random Monday and it was just my boyfriend and I. The tour is free and even with just the two of us, our guide made it engaging and educational. The epic views of the river, lake and Mt Shasta are worth the drive over. Definitely a cool attraction and not too far from Redding if you're in the area.

Best way to cool off from the heat wave…read more Bring sturdy shoes bc the ground is rough Bring flashlights and try not to bring led lights as to not blind others Amazing lava flow chambers

If you're visiting Lassen Volcanic NP and Burney Falls, it's worth a stop at the free Subway Cave…read moreLava Tube. Although the trail inside the tube is only 1/3 mile, I can't stress enough to bring a head lamp or flashlight per person and really good shoes. Do not wear flip flops or open toe footwear. The flooring has sharp rocks and it's VERY dark. Admittedly, the instructions for the trail is somewhat confusing, but after encountering the dead end, I knew to take the fork in the road to reach the end of the tunnel. While I thought the tube would have several signs along the trail, there was only one, but it was informative.