whiskeytown national recreation area

Whiskeytown Lake is a great destination spot in Northern California. It is awesome in the summer and fall when looking for a great place to hike, picnic, canoe... The ranger station has useful information but - you will be luckier if you are there without a crowd so you can ask the ranger questions...But whatever season Whiskeytown is a beautiful sight!! Looking for camping? They've got it. Looking for hiking trails? They've got it. Want scenery? This is the place :-)

Went to the Kennedy memorial, visited the historical buildings, did some gold panning with the kids in a river and hiked to Whiskeytown falls, El Dorado Mine and the Divide Nature Trail. Could have done more as well. There slogan is more than just a lake and they got that right. Full day of fun with the kids. The rangers were great too.

We loved the view on the lake from up here (see photo). We also met a ranger at this view point, who told us a bit of the lake and its history. Definitely worth including a visit to Whiskeytown Lake when visiting Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area!

We started off at the visitors center and spoke with the Ranger, stopped at several of the turn-outs to enjoy the view, stopped at the beach area to watch the geese and ducks, checked out the RV campsite and it was very well kept, drove down to the marina and watched a large group of woodpeckers in the trees, drove through the area and back out to the main road. A very enjoyable day, being senior pass holders there was no cost and we plan to come back and stay at the RV park next year.

Gross. Just gross.The surrounding area is beautiful, but the campground itself is nasty. The hosts, clearly do not clean. They are busy riding around on the walkways in their quads, but are too busy to clean up from previous campers. Broken tent poles, tweezers, garbage, wires, ect. We set up camp and the longer we stayed the more grossed out we got..... we picked up the tent and walked it to the handicapped accessible site. It was clean, level, and didn't have garbage strewn about in the bushes.Seriously.... park hosts, what are you doing?

Our whole family ended up here after doing Lake Shasta Caverns tour. My son (Myles) & nieces (Maranda & Kiara) loved this beach. There are lifeguards, which is definitely a big plus. Lots of shade & picnic tables, but it was a busy Labor Day weekend, so the beach was packed. We would definitely come back next time we're up Redding.

We were looking for a place near Redding, California for our kids to go swimming in a lake. This was the perfect location. Brandy Creek Swim Area located on the Whiskeytown Lake is about 10 miles from Redding.It has two parking lots for easy access to a swim beach. It includes a shallow area that is perfect for kids to swim in. The area includes shade, picnic benches, small (expensive) snack shack, small store to buy swim toys and small rafts, kayak rental, and a set of bathrooms. The smart move is to come with your own swim toys and food to save a few bucks.The swim area also has a lifeguard in the summer. Not sure the operational dates for the lifeguard, but they were staffed at the end of August when we went. Kids loved it. I don't think the kid area gets more than 6 feet deep and stays about 4 feet for a long ways. The depth of the swim area gradually increase and did not appear to have any sharp drop offs where we were. There was lots of sand on the shore and on the lake bottom. We stayed, swimming in the lake most of the day I believe the cost for a day use parking pass was $5 and we obtained it at the main office / store where you turn to head to Brandy Creek.

Not only is this place just plain beautiful, but it has THE name for tee shirts. Please ms. Entrepreneur, bring us some good stuff!

Although the totality of our visit to this National Recreation site was a single hike to the secluded waterfalls, about a 1.7 mile trip, along with soaking up the fantastic natural beauty of the lake and the general area, I'd endorse a visit here with assurance that nearly any hike or activity you do will be outstanding. Do it.

I stopped here during a solo exploration of the area while my husband had meetings in Redding. At the Whiskeytown Lake overlook before the Visitor Center opened, I was reading the information kiosk when a ranger saw my knee scooter, and suggested a couple of places I'd be able to access. One was the Kennedy Memorial, which was interesting in light of our very different sensibilities about dams and reservoirs in 2014. Another was the lovely Crystal Falls trail, a short drive from the highway. Featuring a smooth, newly paved 1/3 mile trail, it allows easy access to a pretty waterfall and some picnic tables on the lip of a gorge. Kudos to the park service for providing this access--and to the ranger who pointed me in that direction.

Some of my friends and I spent an evening camping out on the beach at Whiskeytown. The lake and surrounding mountains are beautiful and like a haven in the surrounding heat. In beginning September the temperature was at 100 in Redding. Also since there is not that much going on in the town of Redding it's nice to have a close getaway.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is a great place to get away from it all, from anywhere between a day or a week. There are several different outdoor activities to satisfy a wide variety of interests if you are with a group of people. Of course, there is the lake, on which you can enjoy water sports, or just sit and enjoy the view. Plenty of hiking trails to enjoy, as well; several of which lead to scenic waterfalls. Forests and woodlands are majestic and beautiful, and help to keep the temperatures relatively cool during the summer.

We drove up to Whiskeytown Lake and it was beautiful!!! We didn't have a long time to stay so we did a bit of walking about and visitied the ranger station. Just lovely!! We will be back for sure.

There is hiking all throughout the area, Brady Creek beach is a great place to spend the day... And there are free kayaking tours offered by a park ranger DAILY! Definitely worth a day if you are in the area!

Whiskeytown Lake (National Recreation Area) is my favorite lake in the Northern California. This lake sits at about 2500 feet in elevation approximately 15 minutes west of Redding. Highway 299 runs through the middle of the Park. Whiskeytown Lake is part of the National Park Service, and the park itself includes many trails around the lake and a large mountain called Shasta Bally. Some of the things that I love about the Lake: It is patrolled by the National Park Service Police, and they don't put up with a lot of bull. The park is clean, well staffed, and they have lifeguards at the swimming area at Brandy Creek Beach. This is a great Kayaking Lake for many reasons. The water is clear, the scenery is beautiful, the wildlife is incredible, and the quiet peaceful coves are awesome. I like that they don't allow Jet Ski's or Personal Watercraft on the lake, and that most boaters are families with kids or responsible folks. By far this lake has the best water visibility of any of the local lakes, you can see the bottom in 15 - 20 feet of water. Not as clear blue as Lake Tahoe, and not as green and muddy as Shasta, this lake has its own personality. The fishing is good, with a selection of: Bass, Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Bluegill, and catfish. The wildlife is abundant and I have personally seen: Black Bear, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Deer, Rattlesnakes, King Snakes, Raccoons, Squirrels. This lake is good for camping and picnics also. $5 for day use and no launch fees, you really can't beat it.