Circle of Discovery

The historic Rim Drive includes 33-miles (53-km) of lake views, panoramic vistas, forests and meadows. The contours of the road were designed to compliment the natural landscape, and disappear from view as you look across the lake from any point.

Each year, increasing numbers of cyclists come to Crater Lake National Park to ride around the lake on the physically demanding, 33 mile (53 km) Rim Drive. Steep hills at high elevation may encourage even the most fit riders to pause at many of the road's thirty overlooks and pull-outs. The payoff however is spectacular scenery, viewed at a pace that few visitors choose to take enough time for.

The 30-mile park highway connects the northwest (Manzanita Lake) and southwest entrances of the park. This scenic route passes through dense forest, winds around alpine lakes and meadow, crests at 8,512 feet near Lassen Peak Trailhead, and descends steep volcanic slopes into the southwest area. Designated turnouts and parking areas provide opportunities to enjoy the highway highlights.

A half-mile, self-led, interpretive loop explores the rich diversity of plant and animal life in the Manzanita Lake Area.

This steamy spot is accessible via a short walk along Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway. Sulphur Works is the easiest to access of the park's seven hydrothermal areas.

A ten mile drive through the heart of the redwoods. You have to exit HWY 101 to see the big redwoods.

An easy walk through beautiful old-growth redwood forests in the northern part of the parks. Limited parking, RV's and trailers not permitted.

An iconic redwood grove in the southern end of the parks that is easy to walk. RVs and trailers are not advised on the narrow mountain road leading to this trailhead.

Whiskeytown Falls is a series of cascades which drop 220 feet as the east fork of Crystal Creek winds down the slope of Shasta Bally.  The falls are accessed by the James K. Carr trail, a moderately strenuous 3.4 mile round-trip path which follows old logging routes through shade and sun in a forested area that was only lightly affected by the Carr Fire of 2018.

Become a gold miner for a day! Gold pan along Clear Creek at the Clear Creek picnic area. Gold was first discovered in Clear Creek in 1848 by Pierson B. Reading. The news of the discovery brought a wave of gold rush miners to Shasta County, many of whom set up camp in what is now Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. The former community of Whiskeytown got its start as a mining town as settlers worked along Clear Creek and its tributaries.