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Castella - Burstarse Falls

Castle Creek Road
Castella, California 96017
Shasta County
Website
Phone: 530-235-2684

There is so much to do in Castle Crags State Park which is why it's such an amazing place to visit.  One of our favorites, and we have many, is the hike up to Burstarse Falls.
The hike starts off with a somewhat intense, but very manageable, half mile climb.  The good news; this is the hardest part of the hike.  
It's at about this point the you'll see a 'y' in the trail.  Go left on the Pacific Crest Trail.  Depending on the time of year, you'll cross 4 creeks, one of which is Burstarse Creek.  At Burstarse Creek, you'll see a small  cascasding waterfall.   From this point, you'll see what looks like a questionable trail that heads off to the right; take it.  This trail will lead you up above those falls, to the 25 foot, more impressive Lower Burstarse Falls.  Many people stop here thiking it's Burstarse Falls.
 Keep heading up the trail (you'll have to cross the creek once or twice once the path on either side becomes to steep to climb).  A short distance later, the 50-foot Burstarse Falls will come into view.  
Park info: 
Catle Crags State Park, named for its 6,000-feet tall glacier-polished crags, offers swimming and fishing in the Sacramento River and camping near its banks.
There is phenominal hiking both within the park's boundaries (28 miles worth) as well as in the back country; both of which offer astounding views of Mount Shasta.  The Pacific Crest Trail also passes through the park. 
Even for just an afternoon, the park is a great place to visit and have a picnic, take a leisurely nature walk or just relax in the woods.  
There are also interpretive exhibits and plenty of wildlife to be seen. 

How to get there:
The park is located 50 minutes north of Redding and 6 miles south of Dunsmuir, right off of I-5.  You'll see signs on the highway for where to turn.  Once you get onto Castle Crags Road, the entrance to the park will be on your right; pass it up and keep going.  About 3.3 miles down the road, you'll see an open area on the right that will also have a PCT marker.  The trailhead is here.  Check out the map for more specific directions. 
Camping information:
There are 76 developed campsites at the park and it's pretty awesome.   Check out our Camping section for more info about camping at Castle Crags State Park. 
More information:
Spanish explorers use to refer to the crags as; "Castle del Diablo" ~ Castle of the Devil.  Dogs are not allowed on any of the park's trails.  For more info, visit the Park's Website
*Rattlesnake sightings are fairly common.  Ask the visitor center for more information of protecting yourself. 
Other things to do in the area:
Just north, in Dunsmuir, take a hike to the incredible Mossbrae Falls and/or visit the Dunsmuir Museum.  Lake Siskiyou and Castle Lake in Mt. Shasta are great places to spend some time and just east of Mt. Shasta are the popular McCloud Waterfalls

*Info and pics provided by Monica Beck, a verified NorCalPulse.com contributor.  Follow Monica on Instagram for some gorgeous pics and be sure to check out her website; www.soulandsummitphotography.com
Click on the photo to enlarge them.




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