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CASTLE & |
DISTANCE: 3.0 miles round-trip
HIKING TIME: 1.5 hours
SEASON: May–October
DIFFICULTY: moderate
This moderate trail leads to a spectacular overlook above Castle Lake and then to Heart Lake, plus memorable vistas of snow-capped Mount Shasta. Set in a glacial bowl at 5,450 feet, Castle Lake’s waters are backed by a high rock cliff. Shasta and Wintu Native Americans called Castle Lake “Castle of the Devil,” believing an evil spirit made the echoing noise frequently heard by winter visitors (it’s actually just the movement of ice). The clear lake contains so few nutrients of any kind that it is frequently the subject of scientific studies.
Castle Lake Trail starts on the far side of the lake’s outlet stream, then curves around the lakeshore, ascending through a sparse fir forest. Views get wider as you climb. In less than a mile, you reach a saddle on the ridge above the lake. Proceed uphill to your right on a fainter trail and you’ll soon find little Heart Lake. Retrace your steps to the trailhead.
From Redding, take I-5 north for 65 miles to the town of Mt. Shasta, then take the Central Mt. Shasta exit. Turn left at the stop sign, continue 0.5 mile, and turn left onto S. Old Stage Rd. Drive 0.2 mile and bear right onto W. A. Barr Rd. at the Y junction. Drive 2.1 miles, crossing the dam at Lake Siskiyou. Turn left onto Castle Lake Rd. and drive 7.1 miles to the Castle Lake parking area. The trailhead is at the edge of the parking lot to the left of the lake.
