Overview
Shasta Lake is a city in Shasta County in the Shasta Cascades region of California.
2 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Shasta Lake
Shasta Lake
This lake is fairly crowded, and for good reason. It has many inlets, including the North Sacramento River, the McCloud River, the Pit River, and some creeks. The one outlet is the Lower Sacramento River, which makes tha…
Shasta Dam
This is the second largest dam in the U.S. (and the dam with the world's greatest overflow spillway), and provides electricity to the majority of the North Central Valley, and flood protection to the whole Central Valley…
Bridge Bay Resort
For those seeking something more tourist oriented, a complex consisting of a marina, a restaurant, a motel, and a general store.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 100°F; winter lows dip to about 37°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Dec and Jan. (climate data from nearby Redding)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- RDD Redding Municipal Airport, Redding — 12 mi away. Directions
- ACV California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport, Arcata/Eureka — 93 mi away. Directions
- SMF Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento — 143 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Shasta Lake, Shasta Dam
- Afternoon Bridge Bay Resort
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
- There is an express route from the RABA (Redding Area Bus Authority) downtown terminal in Redding, 777 Cypress Ave., Phone: +1 530 225-4170, Phone (express routes information only): +1 530 241-2877, Phone (express routes information only, toll-free): +1-800-803-7222, Email: [mailto:rabastaff@ci.redding.ca.us].
- If you don't want to take a bus, drive. California State Route 151 goes north from Redding to here.
Get around
Interstate 5 is a major route that takes you to Shasta Lake. Lake Boulevard takes you to Shasta Dam.
See
See Shasta Lake
This lake is fairly crowded, and for good reason. It has many inlets, including the North Sacramento River, the McCloud River, the Pit River, and some creeks. The one outlet is the Lower Sacramento River, which makes that river to the south of the lake so huge (in width). It is best to go in the fall.
See Shasta Dam
This is the second largest dam in the U.S. (and the dam with the world's greatest overflow spillway), and provides electricity to the majority of the North Central Valley, and flood protection to the whole Central Valley. It is worth visiting just to enjoy the view from the top, but is not for acrophobes.
Do
Shasta Lake is the center of activity for this place. All kinds of watersports go on here, including a lot of houseboating.
Buy
There are no major shopping areas in Shasta Lake City.
Sleep
Nearby
Redding
City / town · 44 listings · 7 mi away
Shasta
City / town · 2 listings · 8 mi away
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Park · 1 listings · 11 mi away
Palo Cedro
City / town · 3 listings · 11 mi away
French Gulch
City / town · 2 listings · 14 mi away
Lakehead
City / town · 11 listings · 16 mi away
Anderson
City / town · 11 listings · 16 mi away
Cottonwood
City / town · 7 listings · 21 mi away
My experience
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