Mount Shasta Ski Park
Winter
Family-owned and family-friendly downhill skiing with terrain for all levels. A less crowded, more affordable alternative to the Lake Tahoe resorts and a good place to learn to ski. There is also a tubing park.
Area guide
Lakes, waterfalls, ski slopes and small-town dining, most of it a short drive from the Ranch. Lake Siskiyou is about a mile away.
Things to do
Mount Shasta offers a lifetime's worth of activities: cycling and mountain biking, world-class fishing, boating, kayaking, paddle-boarding and swimming in dozens of nearby lakes, camping, hiking and backpacking, mountaineering and rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding and sledding, ice skating, bird watching, caving, horseback riding, scenic and spiritual tours, and two nine-hole and two eighteen-hole golf courses. Climb the 14,179-foot summit of Mt. Shasta, or just relax in the splendor of its view.
Outdoors
Mount Shasta Nordic Center
Winter
About 25 km of groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails through tall pine forests and open meadows, with views of Mt. Shasta and a warming hut. Rentals and lessons are available.
Tri-Forest Snowmobile Trails
Winter
260 miles of signed winter trails for skiers, snowshoers, dog sledders and snowmobilers.
Mount Shasta Resort golf course
18-hole golf course with a driving range, restaurant and bar.
- 1000 Siskiyou Lake Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-3030
Family fun
Snowman's Hill
Winter
A free hill for snow play and sledding, on the way to the Ski Park and the Nordic Center. Famous for its ski jump in the 1930s. No facilities, so bring a lunch. Great for younger children.
Siskiyou Ice Rink
November to February
Ice skating sessions, lessons, skate camps, youth and adult hockey and special events, right in town. Open November through February.
WebsiteAnnual events
McCloud Mushroom Festival
Memorial Day weekend
Live music, wine tasting, mushroom vendors, cooking demonstrations, workshops and more in McCloud.
Fourth of July Parade & Fireworks
July 4
The annual parade along Mt. Shasta Blvd., followed by a spectacular fireworks show at Lake Siskiyou.
Shasta Summit Century
Mid July
A bike ride through the streets and mountains of Mt. Shasta, with routes for racers and casual riders.
McCloud Lumberjack Fiesta
End of July
Competitions, games, kids' activities, street vendors and more in McCloud.
Mt. Shasta Tinman Triathlon
Early September
Take on the triathlon yourself or come to watch.
Mt. Shasta Blackberry Festival
Early September
A Rotary fundraiser with blackberry pie, games and music.
Classic Car Show
September
Hundreds of classic cars on display.
McCloud Apple Festival
October
Pie baking competition, live music, a pumpkin patch, wagon rides and more.
Tours
Mountain guides
Shasta Mountain Guides
Mountain guiding on Mt. Shasta.
- 105 East Lake St., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-3117
Retreats
Gear, shops and visitor info
Headwaters Outdoor School
Teaches the primitive skills people have used throughout time to live in kinship with the Earth.
The Fifth Season
Outfitter for climbers, skiers, hikers, backpackers and cyclists since 1977: equipment, rentals, guides and permits.
- 300 N Mount Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-3606
Ramshaw's Ace Hardware
Hardware store with a limited selection of sports and camping gear.
- 328 N Mount Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-3482
Ted Fay Fly Shop
A full-service fly shop with everything you need to fish the Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers.
Places to visit
You probably already have some ideas for what to do while you are here, but a couple of extra ideas can't hurt.
- The Mountain: Everitt Memorial Hwy., Bunny Flat and Panther Meadows
- The Fish Hatchery and the Mount Shasta Sisson Museum, 1 N. Old Stage Rd., Mt. Shasta
- Rock and gem shops (several in Mt. Shasta)
- Jewelry and clothing stores in Mt. Shasta and McCloud
- McCloud Mercantile, Main St., McCloud
- Waterfalls: Hedge Creek, Faery Falls, McCloud Falls (Upper, Middle and Lower), Burney and Mossbrae
- Lakes: Lake Siskiyou (don't miss the bridge), Castle Lake, Heart Lake, Cliff Lake and Toad Lake
Drive up Mt. Shasta (Everitt Memorial Highway)
Drive the slopes of the 14,179-foot dormant volcano, with vista points over the Sacramento River canyon and glimpses of Mt. Lassen. Bunny Flat, 11 miles from town, is the main access point for hikers and climbers in summer and for snow play in winter. The road ends about 14 miles up at Old Ski Bowl Vista and Panther Meadow. Take Lake Street east from town.
Lake Siskiyou
About a mile from the Ranch, south on W.A. Barr Rd. A trail runs almost all the way around the lake, about 7 miles round trip when the seasonal bridges across the delta are in, with almost no elevation gain. Don't miss the footbridge. The Fourth of July fireworks are held here.
- About 1 mile from the Ranch
Larry Wehmeyer Environmental Area
Year round
A 10-acre forest area about a 3-minute walk from the Ranch's kitchen door, with wetlands, a pond, bridges over streams, benches and quiet trails. Dog friendly and an easy walk for families, summer or winter. From its south gate you can walk on to Lake Siskiyou, about a mile away.
Castle Lake
A clear alpine lake in a granite bowl, about 12 miles southwest of Mount Shasta. A moderate hike leads up to Heart Lake and an easy one follows the south side of the lake; fish and swim along the way. In winter, cross-country ski, ice fish, or ice skate when the ice is clear of snow. Cross Box Canyon Dam and take Castle Lake Rd. for 7 miles.
McCloud River Falls (Lower, Middle and Upper)
Three waterfalls within about a mile of each other, linked by a partially wheelchair-accessible trail about 1.5 miles each way. Middle Falls spreads over a lava cliff into a large pool where people swim in summer. Restrooms at Lower and Middle Falls. Take Highway 89 through McCloud and about 5 miles beyond.
Headwaters of the Sacramento River (Mt. Shasta City Park)
At the north end of town, Big Spring gushes icy clear water from a lava tube deep within Mt. Shasta, the start of the Sacramento River. The park has trails with native plants, picnic tables, barbecues, playgrounds and restrooms, all free. Take N. Mt. Shasta Blvd. to Nixon Rd.
Box Canyon Dam
A stunning view of the 200-foot-deep Sacramento River canyon and Lake Siskiyou. Watch for eagles and osprey over the cliffs. Reached via W.A. Barr Rd.; park on either side of the dam and use caution near the roadway.
Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery
The oldest operating hatchery in the West, with open ponds of rainbow and brown trout raised to stock local waters. Spawning can be viewed on selected Tuesdays in fall and winter. Free admission. 1 N. Old Stage Rd., about half a mile west of the Central I-5 exit.
- 1 N. Old Stage Rd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-2215
Mount Shasta Sisson Museum
Museum at 1 N. Old Stage Rd., the same address as the fish hatchery.
- 1 N. Old Stage Rd., Mt. Shasta
Where to eat
There are lots of restaurants here in Mt. Shasta and a few more in McCloud. Here is a short list to get you started.
Bistro 107
Recommended by the Ranch. Gourmet burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads, with rotating craft beers on tap.
- 107 Chestnut St., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 918-5353
Seven Suns Coffee & Cafe
Great coffee, soup, salad, sandwiches and more.
- 1011 S Mount Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-9701
Sage (McCloud Hotel)
A hidden gem at the McCloud Hotel in McCloud.
- 408 Main Street, McCloud
- (530) 859-8111
Highland House Restaurant
The restaurant at the Mount Shasta Resort golf course.
- 1000 Siskiyou Lake Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-3030
Lalo's
Family-style Mexican food and seafood.
- 520 N Mount Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-5123
Mike & Tony's
Homemade Italian family-style dinners.
- 501 S Mount Shasta Blvd., Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-4792
The Harvest
Restaurant on South Mt. Shasta Blvd.
- 1121 S Mt Shasta Blvd., Unit A, Mt. Shasta
- (530) 926-2813
Listings are suggestions from the innkeepers. Hours and seasons change, so check with each place before you go.