Pacific Northwest Vacations | Shasta Central California Travel Guide

Central California and Southern Cascadia

As you approach the southernmost extent of the Cascades, the volcanic activity really heats up with the largest plug dome volcano in the world at Lassen National Park. With a landscape preserved as Native Americans originally knew it, this mountain of fire and water is active with boiling mud pots, stinking fumaroles and churning hot springs. When you're ready to cool off, the sprawling Lake Shasta offers excellent water recreation as it winds through the slopes below the perfect cone of Mt. Shasta.

Sitting lower in the foothills, the sunny town of Redding is an excellent jump off point to explore the surrounding natural beauty. With the completion of the iconic “Sundial Bridge,” the Sacramento River Trail now links a network of paths along the river at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in case you feel like venturing out by bike. But whether you feel like catching a show at the historic Cascades Theater or just soaking up the sun on your houseboat, you'll be glad you stopped at Shasta.