Welcome to Hike Mt. Shasta, the (soon to be) complete guide for hiking the Mount Shasta region!
Click here to learn more about Mount Shasta’s geography.
Use the interactive map to explore trails in the Mount Shasta area! More trail descriptions are in preparation now!
Green points – Mount Shasta trails
Red points – Trinity Divide trails
Orange points – Scott Mountains trails
Brown points – Shasta Valley trails
Light green points – Cascade Crest trails
Gray points – Castle Crags trails
Burgundy points – Mount Shasta City Area trails
Light blue points – Sacramento River trails
Dark blue points – McCloud River trails
Hike Mt. Shasta 
Best site ever!! I live in Dorris and I’ve been looking for a good, short, local hike to introduce my 7 & 9 year old boys to backpacking and wanted an exciting destination. I wasn’t having very much luck before I found your site. I appreciate you including a couple of hike up this way. It looks like I need to plan a trip out to Porcupine Lake soon and a day trip to Hart Lake ASAP. Thanks so much.
Run across any hot springs?? Hate having to drive so far to go to them.
I’m curious what the current condition of Horse Camp Trail is. I’m thinking of doing it this weekend connecting to Green Butte as you suggest. Would I be able to handle the hike without snowshoes? Thanks!
Man, I am just not sure right now. The weather has been pretty stormy and I have not even seen the mountain for a week or so because of the clouds. I would reckon that there is going to be some fresh snow up there, but I just can’t be certain. I would come prepared at this point.
Love the website …I’ll check it out in depth more this week. I have not been there yet. Need to plan a trip this summer. Thanks for the like on my site….when I grow up, I want it to look as good as yours ;^)
Thanks much! I hope you enjoy it up here. Tahoe is pretty tough to beat…but we are proud of our mountain!
I’ll give you plenty of a “heads-up”. Maybe I can enlist you to give me a tour of some of your favorite parts of Mt. Shasta area.
You doing ok up there with the fires? Been worried about you guys
This is really good place for hiking. Mount shasha is always a dream to scale. a lot of information is provided here in site and also place route is explained in maps.
Hey Bubba, I really enjoyed meeting you this weekend. Sorry we didn’t get to talk longer. The site looks great, I can’t wait to start exploring.
Thanks Elias! Drop me a line any time. Maybe we can hit the trail sometime, or take the kids out or something! I hope the site is helpful (though it is going to get an upopular revamp at some point in the near future)!
Drop me line anytime
hey Bubba its me again :). so im going backpacking to shasta alone either this weekend or next, any tips on where i can hike and set up camp ?? and anytips on where the vortex points are on the mountain??
I am not the guy to ask about the vortices but I would say that any place out in our natural cathedral is a good place for contemplation. However, that said, I think South Gate Meadow is particularly awesome and looking into Mud Creek Canyon is like gazing into the heart of the mountain. As far as camping, there is dispersed camping almost everywhere up here. Panther Meadow is a great campground, if you can get in, and Bunny Flat is convenient too. I really like camping near Castle Lake and along the Sacramento River, above Lake Siskiyou. However that last is at times over run with “travellers” and they are not friendly to the land over there. If you need more suggestions, shoot me an email and I will help however I can!
Hi,
What do you mean by travellers? Anything I should be concerned with?
Travelers is a polite term for the homeless kids that camp out in that area. Less kind terms are Crusties or Dirtbags. Many of them have coopted that latter term. They shouldn’t be much danger, though I think they can be unpleasant neighbors if some end up camping nearby.
Ahhh. I totally understand. Thank you for the advice.
Since you responded, if you can help, I have a question.
I am looking to hike the summit for my first time. I would like to find a non technical route I can hike with only crampons at most. I would like a route, even if it’s a longer route, that is one of the most greenest or prettiest route with a water source, if that’s even possible. I have done some research but haven’t found any that fit that. For what I am looking for, what routes do you recommend.
I do understand the terrain and I am not expected the Sierras, I know it’s more volcanic at Shasta.
Thank you in advance!
I miss you a buttload. More than Dr.T and the Women suck.
I love your site. It makes me excited about every hike you describe. Moved here, live at Lake Shastina, about a year ago. Visited Mt. Shasta area for 20 years. Have done many hikes in the area. Have a visitor coming and would like the actual current directions to get to Mossbrae Falls. You have that available or should I get that elsewhere? I seem to only find older information. I wish I could have taken that super train ride !! Karla Chandler
Hi Bubba,
First, your site is awesome, which makes me want to hike Shasta all the more. I have completed the Northeast 111 (New England and ADKs 4000 footers). One of my goals is to hike out West and Shasta seems to be calling my name. I bought Steve Lewis’ Mt. Shasta, which has been very helpful, but your site really brings it to life. So bottom line – Before I hit 60 (currently 58), I want to hike this impressive mountain. I have all the gear for winter hiking that I’ve used in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I run at least 3 to 4 miles a day, lift 2 to 3 days a week, and hike whenever I get a chance. I have read that the best time to hike is June through October, and I understand there are permit fees, etc. I read that Clear Creek and Avalanche Gulch are most suitable for those who are novice to the area. My plan would be to hike day 1 to Helen Lake or Horse Camp. So for now I am in the planning phase, and just want to make sure I do everything the right way. As I get closer to the date (probably next year) I am sure I will have very specific questions. My main concern at this early stage is whether there are vacancies at Helen Lake or Horse Camp? How far ahead of time do I need to set a reservation. I would like to stay in the area at least a week to get a window of a few acceptable, clear days. Thanks for this wonderful site.
Steve in Maine (home of Mt. Katahdin)
Very impressive map!
Very informative way of presenting your topic!
We’re heading to the area for the month of July and really want to do the Deadfall Lakes hike. We did it last August (a drought year) and wonder if this year in July we’ll hit snow. Any idea what the trail is like now? Thanks!
Wow, this is an amazing site. I love the thoroughness and detail. I have put Mt. Shasta on the list. Thanks for liking my recent hiking post.
What a great site! Incredible information, thanks!
Suggestions please…I’m bring 8 people I work with to the area June 9. Would like to showcase the area and see some sights. Previous hikes were to Faery Falls. This time we are planning on going to McCloud middle falls. Would like a suggestion for a hike of 1-2 hours. After, we will want to have a meal, perhaps in McCloud. His is the first visit to McCloud for these people.
THANK YOU so much for this list!! I’ve taken my family on several hikes so far, and am slowly checking off the trails, one by one.
We’re looking for about a 40-50 mile loop trail near Shasta. There are fiur if us… Any suggestions?
Great to meet you yesterday, Bubba, with my brother Keith. I went back to Yellow Butte today with my hiking buddy and she loved the trail! We walked along some of the other trails in the area and she is looking forward to returning with her husband. I look forward to exploring more of the areas listed on your site.
Sorry I missed this message Suzan! It was very nice to meet you too. I am really glad you enjoyed hiking on Yellow Butte. Later in spring, when it opens back up to hikers, you really ought to check out the Shasta Valley Wildlife Refuge. It is really pretty, has awesome views of Mount Shasta and is a lot closer to Ashland!
Bubba;
I’m the Scribe for the Siskiyou Wanderers. I would love to have you join us some time: check out our schedule at http://www.siskiyouwanderers.com. I was thinking it would be an opportune time for you to add the Sisson Southern Trail to HikeMtShasta.com. Contact me and I can forward info and links that I have. AllTrails.com added it last fall after I hiked it. (I am leaving my personal email below but can also be reached at swandersscribe@gmail.com) or 530.926.4430 John Thomson
I am a professional forester who manages timberland in the vicinity of Black Butte. Your description of the Black Butte Trail seems to imply that plantations along the road to the trailhead were the result of logging operations when in actuality virtually of the plantations along that road were conversions of brush fields to trees where no trees were removed. Please contact me and I could help make your trail description more accurate.
Hello (from Paris – France)
I like coming to discover landscapes in countries well away from home
Thank you for this beautiful walk
Bubba, it was good to meet you at church today. Checked out some of the feedback here. I have to agree with you about Shasta Valley Wildlife Area. I love the wild life out there, especially when the ducklings are hatching.
Hi im coming at August will like to go up the smith
Can u please let me know how mich is for agaid for that
Will be from the 8/11-8/14
Thank u
Ayelet
Hi Bubba, thanks for all the great posts. Wondering if you could help with directions on accessing diller canyon.
Bram
Would you be able to share with me some specific details on how to get to the hole in the ground? Thanks
I don’t post directions for places like this in comments. Email me if you are still interested.
Where can I find all I need th o know on ALL Shasta hikes? Interested in ones for adults and ones that I can bring my children. I’m a novice hiker, they are beginners.
Pictures…..worth a thousand words…or one “ inspiring”,
I’m wondering what hike would be accessible in late March?
At this point it is hard to say. It depends on how much snow we get over the next couple of months. Possibly Burstarse Falls. McCloud River trails are likely to be available too but if there is a ton of snow, then not, since they don’t plow that road. It’s really tough to tell. If you want to ask again in 6 weeks or so, I can give you a better idea.
Does anybody know of any caves aside from Pluto cave that are near Mt Shasta and are walkable?