17 Best Things to Do in Mount Shasta, CA

Visiting Mount Shasta and looking for all the best things to do? From epic hikes to the best dining and waterfalls, I’ve got you covered.

I’ve been a California local now for over a decade and in that time I’ve explored many corners of the state, from urban cities and desert landscapes to the best beaches. Mount Shasta, however, has something different and special from any other place I’ve explored around California.

As you’ll quickly see, it’s undoubtedly one of the most scenic parts of California, but I think a lot of its magic lies in its difficulty to get to. With the closest regional airport still over an hour away, Mount Shasta attracts those who are willing to put in the effort for its dramatic beauty and tranquil backdrops.

The area is also considered by many to be a spiritual vortex—which is why you’ll find tons of offerings for spiritual seekers like crystal shops and spiritual tours. No matter the reason for your visit though, you’ll see that this small town in Northern California is an underrated gem that is absolutely worth the trek!

In this post, I’m going to break down all the best things to do in Mt. Shasta, from the best waterfalls and places to eat, to where to start if you want to explore the more mystical side of Shasta.

17 Best Things to Do in Mt. Shasta, CA

First, let’s get into some logistics and important tips you need to know about visiting this part of California. Below, I’m going to share some key tips to help make your trip planning to Mount Shasta easier and then we’ll get into all the best activities to experience while you’re there.

Where is Mt. Shasta In CA?

The town of Mount Shasta (or “Mount Shasta City”) is pretty far up in Northern California’s Siskiyou County just one hour south of Oregon’s border. If you take the 5 freeway straight up from Sacramento it’s still about a three hour drive north.

The town sits within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and at the base of Mt. Shasta volcano, which is the most voluminous volcano within the Cascade Range and last erupted over 3,000 years ago.

How High Is Mt. Shasta, CA?

Mt. Shasta itself sits at around 14,162 feet, but the town of Mount Shasta has an elevation of only 3,500 feet.

How to Get to Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta is certainly not one of the easiest destinations to get to in California, which is why after living in this state for over a decade, I only recently made my way here for the first time. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

First off, you’re going to want to have a vehicle to both get to Mount Shasta and to get around as it’s a small town with not many services in terms of ride shares or taxis. Activities and hikes are pretty spread out, so you’re going to want the flexibility of a car.

You can choose to drive the whole way if you’re based somewhere within driving distance, or you can fly to one of the below airports and rent a car from there.

Here are the closest airports to Mount Shasta:

• Redding Municipal Airport (RDD): 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Rogue Valley International-Medford (MFR): 1 hour, 40 minutes
• Crater Lake-Klamath Regional (LMT): 1 hour, 50 minutes
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF): 3 hours, 10 minutes

Driving distances to Mount Shasta from major cities:

• Sacramento to Mount Shasta: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• San Francisco to Mount Shasta: 4 hours, 30 minutes
• Reno to Mount Shasta: 3 hours, 40 minutes
• Portland to Mount Shasta: 6 hours
• Los Angeles to Mount Shasta: 9 hours, 30 minutes

Where to Stay in Mount Shasta

Accommodations in Mount Shasta and the surrounding towns are pretty simple and rustic, so I wouldn’t expect anything super high-end or luxurious. Still, there are a few great places around town I would recommend.

Cave Springs Resort

For a more unique stay just down the road in Dunsmuir, Cave Springs Resort is a collection of tiny homes and airstreams with elevated design and beautiful views of Mt. Shasta. This is where we stayed during our trip. Pro trip: Book this unit for the best views.

Summit Lofts

This is the most centrally-located spot right in downtown Mount Shasta and is a great stay for those that want more boutique-style design-centric accommodations. Extra bonus: It’s right next to the best coffee shop in town, Theory Coffee Roasters.

Check pricing for Summit Lofts.

Mossbrae Hotel

This simple but highly rated hotel in nearby Dunsmuir gets good reviews for comfort and cleanliness and features spacious rooms with a homey feel.

Check pricing for Mossbrae Hotel.

When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta is really a year-round destination with plenty of outdoor activities to experience during any season. However, most of the activities I cover in this post are best explored in the summer and early fall when there isn’t snow coverage.

Summer (June-September): The best time of year to visit for hiking to higher elevations, exploring alpine lakes, biking, and camping. Waterfalls are still great to visit this time of year as well. You’ll also experience the most crowds this time of year.

Fall (late September – November): Crowds start to dissipate and the weather cools down with the opportunity for colorful fall foliage. Snowfall at higher elevations starts in October and then reaches lower elevations consistently in November and December, which will strongly impact hiking routes.

Winter (December-March): For winter sports lovers, this is a great time to visit the area to snowboard, snowmobile, cross county ski, etc. Mt. Shasta Ski Park is the area’s ski resort and is the biggest draw for visitors in winter.

Spring (April – early June): Waterfalls are powerfully flowing this time of year but some higher elevation trails are still inaccessible due to snow coverage.

Important Tips for Visiting Mount Shasta

• Leave No Trace: This is one of the most stunning parts of California, so please help us keep it that way! As you enjoy hiking and taking in the surrounding nature, remember to follow leave no trace principles, and leave the area better than you found it.
• Check Weather and Road Conditions: Before heading out on hikes, make sure to check road and weather conditions, especially if you’re visiting in late spring/early summer or late fall as there still may be snow coverage in certain areas.
• What to Pack: Make sure to bring good hiking shoes and plenty of layers as you can experience quite a range in elevation here as you hike and drive up to the base of Mt. Shasta.
• The Town Shuts Down Early: This is not a late night town and some restaurants close as early as 8 pm (even in summer when it’s light out til almost 9 pm!), so plan to eat dinners on the earlier side.

What To Do In Mt. Shasta, CA

Drive Up to the Base of Mt. Shasta

Did you know that Mount Shasta is the third tallest mountain by prominence in the Lower 48? You’ve come all the way to the town of Mount Shasta—so you’ve got to make your way up to the base of Mt. Shasta itself, right?

This is a great activity for a day when your legs are tired of hiking and you could use a little scenic drive. I recommend following the route along Everitt Memorial Highway to the Bunny Flat Trailhead, which is a beautiful scenic drive to the base of the mountain with spots to pull off for photos.

If visiting in the snowier months, the trailhead provides the closest road access to the summit at about 7,000 feet. During summer and early fall you can drive even further up the mountain to the Old Ski Bowl at 8,000 feet. A lot of hikers start their ascent at Bunny Flat, and you’ll find a decent sized parking lot and some bathroom facilities.

If you don’t plan on summiting Mt. Shasta but want to explore one of the easier hiking trails here, check out the Horse Camp Trail which is a 3.4 mile roundtrip route to take from Bunny Flat.

Hedge Creek Falls

If you want an epic waterfall view with little effort, Hedge Creek Falls located in Dunsmuir is your spot. The falls are super accessible from a short 0.6 mile trail and the path provides access to actually walk behind the falls making for unique photos.

Though the trail is quite easy and flat, it can get a bit wet and slippery in parts of the trail close to the falls, so I’d recommend wearing shoes with good grip.

Stroll Downtown Mount Shasta

With only 3,000 residents calling Mount Shasta home year-round, the town itself is pretty small. Still, it’s worth spending a couple hours walking the main strip and popping into the shops along N Mt Shasta Boulevard.

Below, I’ll get more into the best restaurants around town, but Theory Coffee Roasters is always a must-stop in the morning for some fuel for the day ahead. Plus, don’t miss a stop into Soul Connections, a large spiritual store that sells a wide array of crystals, instruments, and other metaphysical knick knacks.

Castle Lake to Heart Lake Trail

This is undoubtedly one of the best hikes in the area for epic views of Mount Shasta.

The beauty of this 2.3 mile hike is the stunning panoramic views at the top that peer down over Heart Lake (that literally looks like the shape of a heart!) with Mount Shasta towering in the background. However, the entire hike offers epic views including those of multiple alpine lakes.

This was one of the things I was most excited to do on our trip to Mount Shasta, and I was extremely disappointed to find out that it was still frozen over in May when we visited. Accessibility will of course depend on the year you visit, but know that it really is a summer/early fall hike when the snow is melted.

To begin the hike, you’ll park at the Castle Lake parking lot and then start the trail along the East shore.

Important Note: The Mount Shasta Trail Association built an entirely new trail to this hike in 2021 to make the route easier to follow, so make sure you’re reading updated trail guides if you do research on this hike beforehand!

Lake Shasta Caverns

Just 45 minutes drive from Mount Shasta is Lake Shasta Caverns National Natural Landmark—it’s a mouthful, but definitely worth a visit to witness the unique geological formations inside the caves.

Think stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones and columns that have been forming in the limestone for millions of years, all lit up by state-of-the-art LEDs.

In order to reach the caverns, you have to book a guided tour through the official website and the tour includes a boat ride on Shasta Lake out to reach the caverns. They offer daily regular cavern tours as well as a dinner cruise if you want something a bit more romantic.

Dine at the Best Restaurants Near Mount Shasta

With a population of only about 3,000 residents, you’ll want to manage your expectations when it comes to dining. There isn’t A TON to choose from. Still, there are some worthy places to check out that will definitely satisfy your tastebuds.

A note about dining in Mount Shasta: Everything closes early! This is not a late-night town and is thus not the spot for a late night dinner. We struggled a bit in summer as we wanted to shoot photography at sunset (around 8:30 pm) and then go for dinner but most things were already closed by then.

Here are the best places to eat in Mount Shasta:

• Yaks on the 5: Come here for the biggest, juiciest burgers in town.
• Drizzle (Formerly Yaks Shack): This spot has a great outdoor patio and a variety of items like burgers, burritos, smoothies and bowls.
• Theory Coffee Roasters: The go-to aesthetic coffee shop in town with actually great coffee.
• Pipeline Craft Tap & Kitchen: One of the more upscale places in town, Pipeline is a great brewpub style spot with craft beers and hearty menu items.
• Berryvale Grocery: For quick pre-made to-go items or grocery staples for cooking at your accommodation, this spot is a gem.
• Mt Shasta Brewing Co: A must visit for beer lovers and an especially great reward after a day of hiking.
• Bistro 107: Cozy spot in Shasta serving burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads.
• Seven Suns Coffee and Cafe: Great morning pit stop for a quick breakfast and coffee.

Burney Falls

I was really disappointed that Burney Falls was closed for repairs during our trip to Mount Shasta, but the great news is that it’s back open and available to receive visitors! While it’s about an hour drive to get to from Mount Shasta, it really shouldn’t be missed while you’re in the area as it’s one of the best things to do in California.

Located inside McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, these falls drop 129 feet down and feature multiple powerful streams of water with a secondary level of smaller cascading streams—approximately 100 million grams of water per day to be exact! There is a $10 day use fee to visit here.

There are a few different trails to get to the falls, but the main one is Burney Falls Loop Trail, a short 1.2 mile walk that brings you to several great vantage points for taking in the falls.

Important Note: This spot can get extremely busy between April and October, so it’s highly recommended to arrive early to secure parking. Especially on weekends, the parking will sometimes close due to capacity so visit on a weekday if possible.

Take in the Views from Lake Siskiyou

If you want one of the best views of Mt. Shasta for sunset, my favorite spot can be found along the banks of Lake Siskiyou at Cable Beach. Here you’ll get unobstructed views of the volcano with the Wagon creek pedestrian bridge in the foreground which makes for stunning photos.

To get to this spot, navigate to the Cable Beach Parking area along Lake Siskiyou where you’ll find a short trailhead that brings you to the beach. There are picnic tables here where you can sit and enjoy the view of Shasta—or you can also take the trail further around the lake if desired for a full 7 mile round-trip hike.

If kayaking or paddleboarding on the lake sounds more enticing, head over to Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort where you can rent water sports equipment between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Spend an Afternoon in Dunsmuir

Even smaller in population and size than Mount Shasta is Dunsmuir, the town just a few miles south of Shasta. If you’re not already staying at one of the hotels here, it’s worth a stroll through town, with its historic charm and roots as an old railway center.

You’ll find some fun retro signage and historic Victorian-era buildings that line the main street as well as a few restaurants and even an art museum.

Hike McCloud Falls

Want to check out three waterfalls in one? Well, it’s easy to do at McCloud Falls which is home to a series of three falls along one easy hiking trail that are accessible year-round (granted you have the proper equipment in winter). If you want to do the whole route roundtrip, it’s about 4 miles.

I’d recommend parking and starting the hike at the Lower Falls as the Lower and the Middle Falls are the most worthwhile visits.

If you end up being pressed for time, you can always head back to your car early after the Middle Falls to shorten the hike. The Upper Falls are still nice but not nearly as impressive as the other two.

Castle Crags State Park

If nature hikes are your thing, then you’ll definitely want to check out Castle Crags State Park which sits along the famous Pacific Crest Trail. The park has about 28 miles of trails, with 9 major trailheads, including a mix of easy and more difficult hikes. The key feature of Castle Crags is its majestic granite spires that rise in elevation to over 6,000 feet, making for epic photos.

I’m not an avid hiker (unless there’s a great view or reward at the end of it), so we skipped Castle Crags for this trip and stuck to the waterfall trails which I cover in this post.

However, I would love to explore more of this area next time I come back.

Here are a few top trails to check out in Castle Crags State Park:

• Crags Trail to Castle Dome (~5.2–5.4 mi): An out-and-back trail that is known as the park’s most difficult but popular hike.
• Root Creek Trail (~2.2 mi): A great beginner’s level walk along the creek.
• Bob’s Hat to Crag’s Trail (~7.2 mi): An alternative route to take to the Castle Dome area that’s less trafficked.
• Vista Point Trail (~0.5 mi): A short out and back trail along a paved route that provides panoramic views of Mt. Shasta as well as the Crags.

Grab Brunch in an Old Railroad at Jubilee Railroad Wilderness Lodge

Founded in 1968, the Jubilee Railroad Wilderness Lodge (formerly Dunsmuir Railroad Park Resort) is a campground of original train cabooses that have been outfitted for overnight guests.

It’s definitely a quirky and unique place to stay in California, but if you don’t want to stay overnight you can also visit by heading to their restaurant, The Dining Car, which is the only place where you can dine under the area’s iconic Castle Crags.

We had brunch here one day and loved exploring the vintage railroad interiors and memorabilia on display. The portions are huge—so come hungry.

Explore the Spiritual Side of Mount Shasta

Mt. Shasta has long been considered a spiritual vortex and intense energy center by many seekers, and several Indigenous tribes consider it a sacred site. All kinds of things have been reported here, including UFO sightings, gateways to other dimensions, the list goes on. Many people believe Mount Shasta to even be the ‘center of the universe.’

If you want to seek it out, there are plenty of tours and retreats that promote diving further into this side of Mount Shasta. I haven’t personally taken part in any of them, but there’s no shortage of opportunities to dive in if that interests you—you can search online, but you’ll also see them advertised all around town.

For a low commitment way to explore this side of Shasta, head to one of the many crystal shops or spiritual bookstores in town. This Mount Shasta Sacred Sites Guide Book is another good place to start.

Regardless of whether you partake in any spiritual activities, you’ll be surrounded by natural places that contain many spiritual legends, so just stay conscious of this as you explore and notice if you feel any energy shifts!

Hike to Faery Falls

If you’re looking for a less popular waterfall hike that’s a bit of a hidden gem, then Faery Falls is for you. It’s an easy 1.5 mile round trip hike with very little elevation gain. At the end of the route, you’ll reach Faery Falls, a small but mighty waterfall viewed from a rocky section.

Depending on how close you want to get to the falls here, prepare to get wet as there is a lot of spray!

Winter Activities

Though I’m mostly covering spring/summer travel in this post, if you happen to be visiting in winter, there’s plenty to do in Mount Shasta in the snow. First off, there’s Mount Shasta Ski Park, the area’s main ski resort, and you’ll also find activities like snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and tubing.

Mossbrae Falls

Disclaimer: Hiking here is not technically “legal” as it requires trespassing. Still many people do this hike every day.

With so many waterfalls in the Shasta area, Mossbrae definitely stands out for its unique appearance. Rather than one strong stream of water, Mossbrae Falls cascades over a wide stretch of lush green foliage in more whimsical streams that feel like something out of Avatar.

In order to get here, you must hike along railroad tracks and though you can move aside if a train comes, there’s not a ton of room to do so. Hikers should really stay alert and use caution if attempting this hike.

Day Trip to Redding

If you have extra time and want to explore more of the local area, take a day trip to Redding. This is where we started our trip before heading up to Mount Shasta and I was pleasantly surprised by how much there is to do here.

A handful of highlights to check out in Redding:

• Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay Exploration Park which offers a unique modern design and views of the Sacramento River.
• Evergreen Coffee, a really vibey little spot with great coffee and yummy breakfast items. The waffles are to die for.
• Jack’s Grill, a locally owned spot that’s been serving the best steaks in town for over 85 years!
• Potem Falls, a really stunning waterfall outside of Redding where you can catch a rainbow over the falls if you’re lucky.
• Sketch and Press, the cutest little shop selling beautiful paper goods and giftables.
• Explore Local Murals – They are plentiful around town; this post has a great little self-led mural tour to follow.

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