Get Out and Get Hiking!
The North State hosts a wide variety of trails suitable for day hikers of all abilities, from toddlers to gung-ho adults. I should know. I’m the author of the new book Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions (Mountaineers Books, 2018), which covers trails from Redding to Yreka, and from the Trinity Alps to Mount Shasta to Lassen Volcanic National Park. I want to get you and your family out there hiking!
A good day hike takes you and the kids to a beautiful area where you can enjoy nature, get exercise, and just “be” together away from the usual distractions of home and daily life.
How do you choose a good day hike? Pick the right combination of length, difficulty, terrain, driving distance, and appeal. Always check the weather report and call the agency in charge if you have any concerns about trail conditions or trailhead access.
Hike 1. Arboretum Loop Trail, Redding
Start at the Sundial Bridge beside Turtle Bay Museum. The near level 1.5-mile paved Arboretum Loop Trail begins on the far side and travels through open oak woodlands and near streams and has several informational signs. Also, explore adjacent McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and visit Turtle Bay Museum, which always has exhibits of great interest to the kiddos.
Directions: From I-5, take Exit 678 if going north, 678B if going south, and follow Highway 44 West. Take Exit 1, go right, and then quickly right again into the large parking area.
Hike 2. Tower House Historic District, Whiskeytown Lake
This area is rich in pioneer history dating from the 1850s gold mining days. A level one-mile walk guides you past the stately Camden House to the gravesite of Levi Tower and then loops along the Camden Water Ditch just above a level expanse once used for growing crops and raising livestock. Want more adventure? Follow the Mill Creek Trail upstream to quickly reach the El Dorado Mine. The path then climbs another 2.2 miles near the creek.
Directions: Take Highway 299 west from Redding to the Visitor Center, where you can pay the entrance fee ($20/week, $40/year) and get the brochure with map. Continue west another 7.7 miles to the Tower House Historic District.
Hike 3. Indian Creek Nature Trail, Castle Crags State Park
Walk a gently climbing and descending one-mile loop through forest and learn about human and natural history. Get details of 19th-century mining and timber operations, identify common plants and gaze at the granite domes and spires of Castle Crags towering high above.
Directions: Take I-5 Exit 724 in Castella south of Dunsmuir and follow signs to Castle Crags State Park. The trail begins from the main parking area beside the entrance station; be sure to pay the $8 fee.
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