About 8 miles west of downtown on Highway 299, Whiskeytown is a National Recreation Area built around a reservoir in a pine-and-oak-covered valley. The water is clear and cold — fed by mountain streams — and the swimming beaches are far less crowded than those at Shasta Lake. Kayaking and paddleboarding are popular on the reservoir. The park also has excellent hiking, including the trail to Brandy Creek Falls, a series of waterfalls only a mile and a half from the trailhead.
Whiskeytown Lake
Clear reservoir with swimming, kayaking, and waterfall hikes.