Following on from the previous article, we will be introducing trails in the Shasta area of the Water City. This time we will also introduce trails dotted with beautiful lakes.
This trail is open to the lake in the summer. Every lake is truly beautiful and is a great place to cool down and relax. Walk thoroughly and dive straight to the lake on hot days! This is a hiking trail where you can enjoy the great outdoors with your whole body.
This time, we will be focusing on intermediate to advanced students. There is a difference in elevation and the steep slope continues in the second half, but the view from the summit is definitely worth visiting.
The trails also have many spectacular view points, so you can swim in the lake along the way, or enjoy birdwatching or nature trips.
table of contents
Recommended trails around Shasta (for intermediate and advanced users), Mount Eddy Trail Hiking Guide
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- For intermediate and above
- Season June to October
- Trailhead elevation: Approx. 1918m
- Mt. Eddy Elevation: Approx. 2751m
- Round trip: Approx. 19.952km (12.47mile)
- Elevation difference: Approximately 778.46 m (2,554 ft)
- Course time: 5 to 6 hours round trip (including breaks)
Good things to carry on hiking
- Drinks (Abundant in the summer, about 3 liters)
- Cold weather clothing that can adjust the temperature (wind can be cold on some days.)
- hat
- sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Snacks and more for eating while hiking
- If you have a regular medicine, first aid such as medicine or band-aid
- Swimsuits (You can swim in the lake in the summer. There is no place to change clothes, but bring them if you need them.)
- Other normal hiking equipment
How to get to Mount Shasta (by car)
- It takes about 5 hours to drive north on I-5 from San Francisco. Approximately 245 miles (392km) in a straight line
- It's 3 hours from Sacramento. Also drive north on I-5
- Airports near Shasta are about 1 to 1.5 hours (on I-5) by car from Reading or Medford Airport.
Trailhead
Address: Forest Rte 42N17, Mt Shasta, CA 96067 or Deadfall Meadow Trailhead (Put this into your GPS to arrive at the trailhead)
There is a parking lot at the trailhead and a bathroom. The photo shows a weekday in early September, and we arrived at the parking lot at 10am, but there was only one car parked so there was room for the parking lot.
Hiking departure
The flat trail continues, followed by a trail with lots of trees.
At this time of year, forest fires had just started all over California, so I was worried that the scenery would be smoked, but in the morning I was able to see the surrounding scenery quite clearly. Of course, he was Hazy compared to usual, but the sky was still as blue as ever.
About an hour after departure, you will see a fork that leads to Dead Fall Lake.
You will also be able to see several lakes on this trail, and you can swim, but the main lake becomes Deadfall Lake, divided into three lakes: Lower, Middle and Upper.
The first thing we went to was Lower Deadfall Lake, which is one of the map above (it is about 6.5km from the departure).
It's a very small, cute lake. The water is very clear and the perfect place for a break.
If you want to swim, you can swim.
However, the lake is still on, so I left here and headed for Middle Deadfall Lake.
There is a path from Lowered Fall Lake and you will also be able to reach Middle Dead Fall Lake in about 5 minutes.
Middle Deadfall Lake is the second place on the map.
This is the largest lake of the trail this time. The wind was a little strong and the lake was ruffled, but no one except me had hikers yet, so the weather was so nice that I left my luggage and swam! It's the best.
This is exactly what the bounty of nature is. It really refreshes the Shasta energy seeps through your entire body.
After a dip, go back to the trail and continue. One of my favorites is that swimming in the lake makes me feel like I'm relieved from fatigue all at once.
Return to the main trail. The slope continues from Middle Deadfall Lake here.
Gradually, the trees become mottled, and you can see that the forest limit line is close. And as you go further, you will find another lake (third on the map).
This lake is also a small and calm place.
Then, you will move on from here and the main one that will appear immediately is Upper Deadfall Lake (Map 4).
Mount Eddie is also visible in the back, and it is a very beautiful lake surrounded by mountains.
I feel that Upper Deadfall Lake is the most beautiful place on this trail, including its location and atmosphere. You can also go around the lake, so it's a good idea to find a place you like and take a break. Of course you can also swim.
I want to stay at the foot of the lake forever...it's such a pleasant place that I'm sorry to say it, but Mount Toeddy stands in front of me, looking at the finish line, and heads all the way to that summit! With this in mind, we will continue further.
The slope continues from here. This is the last sprint. There are spectacular view points in places, and you can enjoy the view as a rest.
As the altitude increases, the landscape expands, and you can see smoke coming from everywhere due to wildfires.
At the end there was a steep zigzag slope, and once you climbed it... we arrived at the summit about three hours after departure.
The smoke made the surrounding mountains look like a sea of clouds. It's a satisfying hiking route, but the combination of the spectacular view from the summit and the lake along the way is amazing, and it's my personal favorite place.
Take a good rest here and head back down the same path, but on hot days, be sure to try and enter the lake. It's really heartwarming and soothing.
This time it took a total of 5 hours and 40 minutes, including all the breaks. This is a Shasta hiking route recommended for those who want to walk steadily.
Notes regarding the spread of COVID-19
As of January 2021, various countries are likely to experience a variety of situations, including entry restrictions due to the strengthening of quarantine systems, restrictions on admission to national parks, and restrictions on travel within the country. These conditions may change without notice, so when traveling, be sure to obtain local information such as embassies and consulates of each country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas safety website (infectious disease risk information) and national park websites, and check the information about the transfer location, the countries where you plan to travel, and the area around the destinations you plan to visit before making any effort to plan and take reasonable steps.
Kato Sayaka
