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Hiking
Choose from the following to find a site:
(photo: Bailey Cove Trail located on the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake)
There are many opportunities for general use hiking and wilderness backpacking as well as hiking along designated National Scenic and Recreation Trails. Perhaps the most well known of the designated trails is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which winds its way through the Shasta-Trinity on its route from Mexico to Canada. The is also the Sisson-Callahan National Recreation Trail, the South Fork National Recreation Trail.
There are five nationally designated wilderness areas including the Yolla Bolla-Middle Eel, Trinity Alps, Chanchellulla, Castle Crags and Mt. Shasta Wilderness areas. Each is unique and each is beautiful, offering untold opportunities for anyone willing to hoist a pack to their shoulders and get away from it all. Maps and brochures are available for most of these areas. There are special restrictions and guidelines for the Mt. Shasta Wilderness. If you plan on climbing Mt. Shasta you need to be current with the latest regulations.
Day hikes are walks through the forest that can be accomplished within one day. Day hikes can, however, be challenging and rigorous. It's advised to bring plenty of water and snacks for the day. Wear shoes with good support and be aware of wildlife, snakes and insects in the area. When hiking the trails on the Shasta-Trinity, please regularly examine yourself for ticks and remove ticks promptly.
On our Recreation Opportunity Guides page, we offer various brochures on hiking opportunities on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
- Mountain Biking Opportunities (Weaverville/Trinity Lake area)
- Trinity Unit Trails (Weaverville/Trinity Lake area)
- Pacific Crest Trail Access Points (Mt. Shasta area)
- Sisson-Callahan National Recreation Trail (Mt. Shasta area)
- Black Butte Trail (Mt. Shasta area)
For complete information on hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, please visit the Pacific Crest Trail Association website.
Bears
Every visitor to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest needs to be aware of the potential for bear encounters. There are some very specific do's and don't when visiting bear country and most of them have to do with how WE handle ourselves. Be Bear Aware!
Ticks
When hiking trails on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, please be aware that there are ticks in the area and do a thorough tick check after your hike.
There is an excellent website managed by the Center for Disease Control online California Department of Public Health - Vector-Borne Disease Section.