Views of Mount Shasta are inescapable in heading up north from California to Seattle. When we took our Pacific Northwest road trip in 2017, I knew that Mount Shasta was a place I wanted to come back to. Little did I know just how much beauty there is all around in the area aside from just the scenic views of the ice-capped mountain.

First off, upstate California is underrated (for the lack of better word) in comparison to the more popular places to visit in the north like the Yosemite Valley, South Lake Tahoe and San Francisco. On this trip, I had initially planned on exploring Siskiyou County for 4 days however ended making a day detour to visit Crater Lake in Oregon. Siskiyou County borders California from Oregon and the northern-most part of the state. It is a part of the “Cascades”, a range of mountains that spans from north of California to all the way to British Columbia in Canada.

This 4-day vanlife road trip started in Sacramento with visits in Crater Lake National Park in Oregon then back to Siskiyou County visiting waterfalls like McCloud Falls, Hedge Creek Falls, Faery Falls, Mossbrae Falls and McArthur-Burney Falls. We also visited 2 lakes, Lake Siskiyou and Castle Lake and a visit to a museum and fish hatchery.

Day 1 Sacramento to Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

We decided to get an early start to our drive up north leaving right after I got off work at 3 AM and stopping at the rest stop area in Mount Shasta before continuing to Crater Lake National Park. Arriving at around 6 AM in Mount Shasta, we slept until 10 AM and drove another 3 hours to get to Crater Lake National Park. On the way north, you’ll see Mount Shasta peeking through the horizon as it slowly disappears nearing Klammath National Forest with views just as impressive as before. We took the scenic US-97 N showcasing the vast green meadows and Klammath Lake on the left side of the road.

We arrived in Crater Lake National Park at around 1 PM and proceeded right straight to the Visitor Center where you can watch a 30-minute documentary of Crater Lake exploring its history and the likely future. The staff were very informative in giving us directions and list of things-to-do for the little time we had left. I would’ve loved to spend a few days exploring Crater Lake National Park but this was just a quick detour.

Crater Lake was created when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of Mount Mazama (www.nps.gov). It is known to have one of the clearest and bluest water in the world with a record of up to a 100-hundred feet clarity. From the top view point, you can see spots of green moss that are likely bedded at the bottom of the lake floor. The Rim Drive is the best way to explore Crater Lake, it is a 33-mile loop that follows the caldera rim around the lake with tons of hiking and biking paths. We didn’t have a lot of time to explore Crater Lake but drove a portion of the Rim Drive before heading down to find a campsite for the night.

After the short visit to Crater Lake, we had to head back down to find our campsite for the night before daybreak. Using iOverlander, our free campsite is less than an hour away - the Annie Creek Sno-Park. Starved from the day’s travels, we found a spot to cook and ate dinner in but was swarmed with large mosquitoes while our back door was opened. It took a few minutes and many bites to get rid of them. Unable to shake off the mosquito experience from this campsite, we've decided to drive further south to find a better boon docking spot closer to California. And right off US-97 S is a small pocket of respite, the Hagglestein Park.

If you’re ever heading to Crater Lake and on a lookout for an excellent camping spot, add Hagglestein Park to your list. This is a free campsite for up to 14 days, with clean bathrooms, fire rings, picnic table and a pond for fishing. Unlike Annie Creek Sno-Park, there weren’t mosquitoes, thank goodness! It was clean and easily accessible from the freeway. There were a few RV’s and dry campers during our night stay.

Day 2 McCloud Falls, Hedge Creek Falls & Castle Lake

We left our campsite early and drove close to 3 hours back to California. The drive back south was probably even better than heading north. Along US-97 S are some very dramatic photo ops of Mount Shasta.

First stop was the McCloud series of waterfalls! While there is a 4-mile hiking trail that takes you through all 3 of the waterfalls near McCloud River, we opted to drive to each of them not more than 5 minutes from each other. Our first stop was the upper falls, then the middle and the lastly the lower falls. From each parking lot, the lookout for each waterfalls are less than a quarter of a mile hike. There is no entrance fee and the view point to each fall is relatively easy to get to with ample parking spots!

I was determined to make this day a “chasing waterfalls” day but settled to visit 2 falls and a beautiful tucked-away lake. Next stop, Hedge Creek Falls! There’s not an official sign that points toward Hedge Creek Falls but at the corner of Dansmuir Ave and Siskiyou Ave near I5 is a small gravel parking lot. Across it is the entrance to the Hedge Creek Falls trail. There’s a short quarter-mile walk down to the waterfalls. It’s a small but impressive waterfalls where I spent most time soaking in, of the 5 falls that we visited. Behind the falls is a small cave you can explore and a hiking trail.

Both my husband and I dipped in the water multiple times and lounging on a rock by the waterfall! We spent about 2 hours at Hedge Creek Falls then took a quick rinse before heading to Castle Lake for lunch. From here, we drove 30 minutes up west to Castle Lake. This glacial lake is a gem tucked away in the west side of the Shasta Peak. There’s not a lot of parking spaces but during our visit, there weren’t many people either. It’s a small lake with clear melted snow water and incredible views. After lunch, while my husband was taking a nap, I took a magazine and a book to read lakeside. It’s just one of those dreamy, private places best for quiet moments! I also took the chance to pray and meditate!

My husband and I have a different idea of a perfect road trip! Mine is cramming in as much stops to explore while his includes lounging and taking naps! To compromise, our road trip days would include a morning full of visits and an afternoon to stop, wine and lounge! Right after visiting Lake Castle, less than 5 minutes away is one of my most favorite boon docking campsite yet! It’s located on the left side with a gravel road that will take you to multiple camping spots. Some have make-shift fire pits but this is for primitive camping only! There is no running water, no electricity, no bathrooms and no cell signal (for T-Mobile at least). But the view… absolutely stunning!

Day 3 Faery Falls, Mossbrae Falls & Mount Shasta Sisson Museum

About 15 minutes away from Castle Lake is Faery Falls. From our campsite, Faery Falls was just along the route on our way down to Lake Siskiyou so we visited the falls first thing in the morning at around 9 AM. Though the mile hike to the falls is relatively easy, the narrow path that takes you near the waterfall can be tricky! If planning on visiting, make sure to wear proper foot wear. On the trail near the waterfall, there is a narrow and steep area that could be slippery when wet and can slide you down 20-ft to Ney Springs Creek. Along the way are ruins of an abandoned resort as well as views of the Ney Springs Creek. While the waterfall is small, the 50-foot water plunge is quite impressive to watch. We’ve decided not to dip as it is our first stop and we had plans on exploring Mossbrae falls later on.

About 10 minutes from the Faery Falls parking lot is the Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum and the Fish Hatchery. While donations are encouraged, the Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum and Fish Hatchery (in the same location) is FREE to the public. Though small, the museum offered a ton of valuable information mostly on the history of Mt. Shasta. There’s a cool interactive Mt. Shasta 3D map excellent for kids or the kids-at-heart! There are plenty of exhibits ranging from the indian settlements to the on set of the railway system passing through the area and even road trips people used to take with Model T’s. Right beside the museum is a fish hatchery where you can feed the fish. It was fascinating to watch schools of fish swarm for the feed.

It’s always a great idea to have some knowledge of the history of the city you’re exploring, it gives you a more in-depth perspective and I highly recommend a visit to this museum.

A road trip is not a road trip in my books if without a visit to a local bakery. This morning’s choice was a visit to the Oven Bakery in Mount Shasta. We ordered a pour-over coffee and few pastries to fuel us for the day ahead.

Next stop… Mossbrae Falls! First off, Mossbrae Falls is the most beautiful of the ones we explored in Siskiyou County but getting there is tricky! To get to Mossbrae Falls, you have to walk about 1.5 miles through a graveled train tracks - illegaly! It is illegal to walk through a train track (and for a good reason) and you could be fined. Also, the 1.5 mile walk seemed to have lasted longer than it should considering we have to walk slower on gravel. Then there’s also the case of the train passing, which happened to us on our way back. While the train is slow and you can hear it from afar, there are parts of the track that are narrow where you definitely don’t want to be in when the train is coming. To get to Mossbrae Falls, you have to find a parking spot anywhere in Dansmuir Ave and walk down the path on Scarlet Road then turn right on the train tracks. Scarlet Road is a private property labeled Shasta Retreat. Just follow the track all the way until you see the bridge. There is a small path to get to the falls before the bridge. Make sure to wear comfortable foot wear because the walk on the gravel isn’t at all pleasant!

Despite questioning our decision in pushing through considering the circumstances, Mossbrae Falls is worth the visit! These pictures just doesn't do it justice! Plus, Mossbrae falls is wide and have a series of cascades making it hard to photograph in its entirety without the right camera. Needless to say, the dip was so refreshing after the tiring hike prior.

From Mossbrae Falls, we headed back east to visit Lake Siskiyou and make dinner. We’ve decided to go back to our campsite from the night before. It was just too beautiful to pass-up!

Day 4 Lake Siskiyou and McArthur Burney Falls

Our road trip is coming to an end but not without ending it in a big way! Before heading back to Sacramento, we took a quick visit to Lake Siskiyou Beach and the massive McArthur-Burney Falls! For a $1 entrance fee per car, the Lake Siskiyou Beach is well worth the visit! There’s a beach area to spend the day in, day rental use of the waterpark, kayaks, boats, hiking, fishing and many others. For our next visit, I would love to spend an entire day exploring this southwest side of the lake. It also has a spectacular view of Mount Shasta mirrored on the water!

Sadly, our visit of the beautiful Siskiyou County is over! But first… well, pastries stop! We wanted to visit the popular Yaks on the 5 but didn’t have the time for sit-down breakfast so we opted for Seven Suns Coffee and Cafe and had chocolate chai latte with one of the best cinnamon roll I’ve had purely because of the slab of cream cheese frosting on top!

We took one last glance at Mount Shasta! Good bye for now… on to McArhtur-Burney Falls about an hour drive east! This is a bit of an out-of-the-way drive for us going back home to Sacramento but definitely worth the visit!

What a spectacular sight and a great way to end our trip! This 129-foot falls is not the highest or the largest waterfalls in the state, but possibly the most beautiful (www.parks.ca.gov). There is a $10 entrance fee to get in. During our entire road trip, Burney waterfalls has the most visitors we’ve encountered and rightfully so! From the parking lot, there are plenty of vistas of the falls and a paved trail to get down to the bottom.

What an incredible 4-day trip we’ve had exploring Siskiyou County and Crater Lake National Park in Oregon! California is such a beautiful state and I’m lucky to get to call it home! A road trip upstate is filled with many beautiful surprises and made me wonder why it pales in popularity in comparison to Yosemite or Lake Tahoe! There's just as much beauty and things to do upstate! We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and added Siskiyou County on the top road trips to take in California! Cheers!