Root Creek Falls
Enjoy the trails of Castle Crags State Park while you can – it is one of the California State Parks slated to close. Castle Crags has a number of spring waterfall hikes that boast wildflowers and great views of the granite of the Crags.
The Castle Crags were formed in much the same manner as nearby Mt. Shasta and the other peaks of the Cascade Range-by volcanic activity some 200 million years ago. For the last million years, the Crags have been subjected to the forces of wind, rain, ice and even some small glaciers, which have shaped the granite into its distinctive shapes. Rising beside the spikey peaks is a round one, Castle Dome, which many mountaineers liken to Yosemite’s Half Dome.
Hikes you shouldn’t miss:
Castle Dome and Indian Springs
Indian Springs and Flume Trail
The River Trail
Burstarse Falls
Photo courtesy of Steve Lewis, author of Climbing Mt. Shasta
The Burstarse Falls hike is a spring classic here in Siskiyou County. There are many reasons: first, it’s one of the earliest trails to melt out, secondly the trail is quite pleasant, and the Falls are beautiful. Burstarse Falls is located in Castle Crags State Park, south of Dunsmuir, and the trail gets plenty of sun on the 6.4 mile roundtrip hike. May is the time to see the falls flowing like this – much later than May and the stream slows down a lot.
You can access the trail from the State Park, or drive a bit farther back on Castle Creek Road to the Dog Trail trailhead. From there you make a short, steep uphill climb to join the Pacific Crest Trail (turn left onto the PCT) then enjoy the mostly flat hike to the lower falls. You’ll have to scramble to get above the trail to the upper falls seen here. Come prepared with good hiking shoes, food and water, something in case it cools off and a camera.
The folks at Mt. Shasta Trail Association have a good description of this hike, and you can talk with the staff at Castle Crags State Park. Keep in mind that if you enter from the SP you can’t bring your dog, but if you enter from the Dog Trail, which is outside of the park, then you can.
This is a great half day outing – or longer if you hang out and hike around the falls. It’s a spring favorite of locals and not to be missed if you’re visiting the area in May.
Squaw Valley Creek Trail photo by John Soares
If you’re visiting the Mt. Shasta area in early July this year and want to go hiking, you’ll need to do some research and plan to stay low. With such a big snow year the upper elevation trails are still snow-bound, so you’ll want to find trails at lower elevations or else go post holing through the snow (not so fun). The Mt. Shasta Trail Association has wonderful descriptions of area trails. So this July, you’ll want to look at trails in the McCloud and Castle Crags areas.
The photo to the right, posted by hiking book author John Soares, is of the Squaw Valley Creek trail outside of McCloud, where the Mt. Shasta Trial Association assisted in work to complete the trial. Also in that area you’ll find the McCloud River Trail, which takes you past waterfalls and through beautiful forest. If you really want to get out in the wilderness, the McCloud River Preserve Trail is way out in the woods where you’ll walk along the gorgeous river. On my hike out there we saw butterflies and tiger lilies in bloom and took a dip in the chill, crystal clear waters of the McCloud.
To the south, the Castle Crags area offers many trails, some in the state park and others outside of it. The Burstarse Falls trail is quite popular and the falls may still have quite a bit of water in early July. Indian Creek and Flume Trials offer a nice hike through the woods and connect with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) for more mileage. You’ll find thorough information about these trails both on the Mt. Shasta Trail Association website and on John Soares’ Northern California Hiking Trails blog.
If you’re interested in hiking sections of the PCT you’ll want to check in with the Forest Service (Mt. Shasta Ranger Station: 530.925.4511 or McCloud Ranger Station: 530.964.2184) for trail conditions. Aside from heavy snow, there has also been some tree fall due to heavy storms and some of the trails still have significant debris down on them. Castle Lake and the trail to Heart Lake still have snow on them in early July to the degree that you’ll want to take snowshoes if you want to attempt to get to Heart Lake. All of these things are true for the trails on Mt. Shasta as well.
If you’re thinking about backpacking trips, the Shasta Trinity National Forest just released a 13-page report on snow and debris conditions in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. You can find the report and trip descriptions on Northern California Hiking Trials.
We went hiking Thursday at Castle Crags State Park - and man, was it gorgeous (in a very early spring kind of way). What gets me fired up is that the shooting stars bloom so early down there. We hiked the Flume Trail, which is actually outside of the main body of the Park, where there are some specific areas/soils where these flowers grow. The dogwood trees were just starting to bloom too, what a bonus!
Hiking in the Crags is great – there are so many different views and types of vegetation. The Flume Trail starts low – fairly close to Castle Creek – and climbs up to meet the Pacific Crest Trail on the south-facing side of the Park. Flume Creek and the Dog Trail both lead to the PCT and all of these trails have spring runoff that creates small waterfalls this time of year. Mostly these are running through small canyons gorged through granite, so it’s really pretty, and quite rugged. Often times the granite gets covered in curtains of moss, and with what looks like elephant ear coming up (tall pink flowers right now) and ferns getting their fill of spring moisture, these narrow little canyons look nearly tropical. Then you’re back on the trail and walking through dry pine/manzanita forests, then it’s through a ghostly oak forest where leaves are barely thinking of making an appearance, then back to a sweet little drainage. It makes for good hiking.
The PCT is home to the area’s mostly popular spring waterfall, Burstarse Falls. If you go, heed the name – Burstarse refers to falling on your butt on the water-slick granite. Really. It’s a ways out from the Dog Trail trailhead – over a hour of hiking believe (so pack a picnic, yum). When we were there on Thursday there was a 20 minute delay on the road to the trail head, and being impatient to get outdoors, we didn’t wait and opted for the Flume Trail. The road delay should be cleared up in a few days, I would think, so you should still be able to get out to Burstarse when it’s running high. We did get to enjoy the verdant canyon and falls made by Dump Creek (photos included).
Some of the trails in the main body of the Park are well known for the orchids that bloom around this time of year, so if you visit, ask the ranger about these beauties. You’ll find some orchids and wildflowers on the Rook Creek Trail, and good views of the Crags from the Dome Trail and Indian Springs Trail. There’s still snow up high, so if you’re planning on heading into the actual Crags (the rocks themselves), then check in at the office. You can also hike the short loop from the office (Indian Springs) for a quick outdoor outing. If you find yourself hungry and without fixins in your pack, stop at Ammirati’s – right by the park entrance – where they’ve got lots of snacks and ENORMOUS burritos (my favorite is Sofa Dad).
If you’re heading north on I-5 this Park is really a great place to stop. It’s just off the freeway, the hiking is great and the view of the Crags can satisify your yearnings for Yosemite (it’s got a similar look to it) for now. You’ll also catch stunning views of Mount Shasta as you drive north towards the towns of Dunsmuir and Mt. Shasta.
Alright, that’s enough reading. Now get outside and enjoy the spring whereever you are!
Check out the recent post from hiking guru John Soares about the Siskiyou Wanderers April schedule. The Wanderers is an informal group of locals who schedule hikes year round – so they know where to go as we’re all waiting for the snow to melt to expose the higher trails. Visitors can join the Wanderers – just give them a call ahead of time (you’ll find contact info on their website). April’s hikes will take you all over Siskiyou County – from Lovers’ Leap in the Scott Valley to Black Mountain outside of Montague to the Carter Mountain ski/snowshoe planned for April 2nd.
You’ll also find lovely spring hiking at Castle Crags State Park. Right now the spring run off is creating numerous small, seasonal waterfalls that can only be enjoyed this time of year. You can access the Pacific Crest Trail from in the Park, or from farther up Castle Creek Road at the Dog Trail (so named because you can take your dogs there, whereas they are not allowed in the Park). From the Dog Trail you climb up to the PCT. Head northbound when you hit the PCT (that’s left if you’ve lost your bearings) and hike for an hour or so to see Burstarse Falls – a local favorite. Plan to bring a picnic lunch to savor at the falls before hiking back out. It’s a bit early, but keep your eye out for emerging wildflowers – the Crags is known for its orchids. For a complete description of the Burstarse Falls hike, go to the Mt. Shasta Trail Association’s site. You’ll also find detailed descriptions of other hikes in Castle Crags State Park.
Dunsmuir, Hiking/Backpacking, Recreation | Visit Siskiyou May 22, 2011 | 
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