We had first discovered Castle Crags by accident the way we have discovered many things – exploring Google Maps. We were looking at what there was to do in the Mt. Shasta region of northern California, looking for alternatives to Lassen Volcanic National Park – the areas we were most interested most were closed due to weather. We came across the name Castle Crags, and our interest was piqued. Once we looked at the pictures, we were immediately entranced. We had no idea when we would actually get up there though – however, a somewhat impromptu weekend trip provided us with the perfect opportunity to see Castle Crags State Park and to hike to Castle Dome.

Castle Crags State Park – Hike to Castle Dome

Our trip to Redding was initially focused on doing a waterfall tour, with no intention of going to Castle Crags. We had discussed the idea, but dismissed it and were more leaning towards going to Lassen if we weren’t going to stick to our initial plan of going to Whiskey Town.

However, late in the day Saturday, as we were looking for our final waterfall in Castella – which we did not find – we turned a corner in the small town and suddenly we could see the rise of the crags. The site of the rock formations and inspiring spires immediately instilled a desire in me to climb them. The closest feeling I could describe looking upon them is the feeling you get inside of Yosemite National Park.

Briana was feeling a little conflicted on whether she actually wanted to do the hike or not, but she admitted the original plan of going to Whiskey Town wasn’t necessary anymore because we had just seen so many amazing waterfalls already. Once we were back in Redding, I did a little research into the park to see if it was actually something we could do. My findings were that it would certainly be difficult, but it was well within our ability. We would simply see how we were feeling in the morning and go with our gut.

Getting to the Trail Head

We woke up early the next morning – though not as early as we had the previous day – and checked out of our Airbnb. While we would have liked to sleep in, as we were still pretty tired from our previous day’s waterfall loop, we knew that we needed an early start since we would be driving back to San Jose after our hike. We stopped off for a quick coffee from Starbucks (yay gift cards!) and then began the drive up I-5 towards the park. The drive isn’t too far, only taking about 45 minutes at a leisurely pace and offers pretty stunning views of the Shasta Reservoir, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and of course – Mt. Shasta.

We pulled into the park around 10 am and paid the $8 parking fee. A park ranger greeted us and took our information, provided maps, and gave us directions on where the trailhead was. We were a little surprised at how personally invested the rangers seemed in each visitor – usually, they pretty much leave you to your own business – but I suspect it is because Castle Crags is pretty deep in the wilderness and it is for safety reasons. Regardless, they directed us up the road to the trailhead. It would have been rather difficult to find on our own because the trailhead is at the end of a rather long road that rises about 1000 feet from the park entrance.

The parking lot is not large, with roughly twenty parking spots at the trailhead, but we did not have any trouble getting a spot. There is a decent bathroom facility and there are bear-proof trash bins at the trailhead as well. Although it shouldn’t be expected, there are definitely bears in the park, and it would be advised to toss your trash rather than leave it in your car and find a bear has broken in upon your return.

Up Up and Up

There are many hikes through Castle Crags, including a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail – however, the crown jewel and the trail I wanted to take was the hike to Castle Dome. While strenuous, I knew that the views upon reaching the dome would be well worth it.

The beginning was pleasant enough, as we casually walked through a moderately dense forest of cedar, pine, and the rare redwood. We were even greeted by a friendly squirrel who seemed to guide us along the path for a short distance until we came to where the path splits and we needed to make our turn.

The path immediately shifted upwards, and it almost never relented with its upward direction. We plodded along, continuing up through the forest for over an hour and a half. This part of the trail did not have a lot of variety to look at in comparison to what was to come, but it was still pleasant. The trees provided ample shade and protection from sun, which we would later discover would disappear completely.

The path was wide and easy to walk, consisting primarily of soft pine needle and dirt. But as we got closer to the top, the ground steadily became rockier. For the most part, though, it was easy, aside from the incessant upward trajectory.

We had been getting the occasional glimpse of the surrounding vistas through the trees, but the thick forest hid most of it for the first half of the hike up. But finally, after nearly an hour and a half, we broke through the forest and found stunning views of our destination. Briana was a little dismayed that we still had a fair amount left to walk, but could not deny that the views were pretty great.

It was here that the trail leveled off for a short bit. There is a turn off for Indian Springs that we had thought about taking, but decided to leave it for the end if we still had the energy on the way down. And just as quickly as we had burst from the forest, we re-entered the forest and the trail started heading upwards again.

Scrambling on Rocks

By this point, the hike to Castle Dome had become much rockier and more difficult. We needed more breaks than we had needed previously and the elevation was beginning to make itself noticed. The trail began at just below 4000 feet and I knew it would terminate around 6000 feet, so I figured that we had ascended at least 1000 feet by this point.

More and more, the trail transitioned from a smooth path to a staircase of rocks to a complete scramble up steep rock faces and craggy switch-backs. We also were beginning to break through the tree line and the sun was beating down on us. But each time we rounded a corner, the vistas became grander.

We could get great views of the crags, and their hidden faces. Depending on the time of day, the shadows on the rocks would show faces in the mountains. It was believed by the local Shasta people that the spirits would come and take the souls of humans to live in the mountains upon their death. The mountains here are considered sacred to the local tribes, and as you climb them, you can really understand why.

The trail seemed to go on forever, but we finally came to the final push. Here, there were no trees, just low shrubs and soft and slippery soil as we neared the end of the trail. It would be just a little bit further until we finally came to a comfortable dome upon which we settled down and took our rest.

Castle Dome

Although we technically could have gone further, we had completed our hike to Castle Dome. The top of the trail abruptly ends and you are free to explore the mountaintop to your discretion. We decided to sit down to eat and drink the snacks we brought along, as well as take in the amazing views all around.

We remained at Castle Dome for about an hour before we began to head down. During this time, I made the point to do a little more exploring. Briana was tired, so she elected to stay on our little dome and just relax. Meanwhile, I took the camera and proceeded on up. There was a rock mount that I wanted to get to the top of to get a 360 view of the park.

The climb wasn’t too difficult, but it was indeed a climb to the top along sheer drop-offs. But once at the top, the view was completely worth it. I could see the iconic crags to one side, the castle dome beside me, and the Mt. Shasta in the distance. I only stayed up here for a short bit though, because we were pressed for time, and were already behind schedule. There are a few things here that I would have done differently if we had had the time:

• Spend more time – at the top. Due to time constraints, we were only able to explore for a short amount of time. However, as we saw from other visitors, you can climb to the top of Castle Dome – even scale it if you have the skills and equipment – or just explore the vast mountaintop. You could easily spend hours at the top having fun. We went on mother’s day and there were tons of kids and families climbing higher up along the very narrow cliffs.
• Bring a picnic – to enjoy at the top. Although we had a few snacks that we ate, we really would have liked to have had a true lunch. The views are stunning, and if your back can take it, it would be worth hauling up the extra weight. 
• Wear sunscreen – to avoid the inevitable sunburn. Briana had thought of this on our way into the park, but we didn’t have any with us. Our burns weren’t that bad but had we spent more time at the top, we easily could have gotten very badly burned. In the height of summer, especially at these altitudes, you should definitely carry some.

A Long Way Down

At this point, the day was turning into mid-afternoon and we knew we needed to get back so we could begin our long drive back to San Jose. So we gathered our items and proceeded to head back down the way we came. While we would have liked the trail to be a loop, it was just an out-and-back.

This at least meant that we knew what to expect. The walk down took us roughly half the time it took to get up, but that didn’t make it much easier. In fact, the rock scrambles near the top were much more difficult as we were more likely to slip.

But steadily, we descended the 2000 feet back down towards the car. By the time we reached the fork in the trail for Indian Springs, we both were not feeling the 0.2 extra miles to get there. We were that tired.

Thankfully, the trail at this point reverted back to the forest, which meant that we were able to get a reprieve from the sun and the trail was easier to walk. With just another mile or so to go, we continued on until we finally arrived – exhausted – back to the car to begin our long drive home. We hiked 6.2 miles with a gain of 2000 feet and a total change of 4000 feet on our hike to Castle Dome.

What Else Can You Do?

Castle Crags offers far more to do than just the hike to Castle Dome. There are 28 miles of hiking trails, some of which are even ADA compliant. The Sacramento River flows through the park and is accessible at various points. This provides a great opportunity for those who want to go fishing or relax by the river. As well, there are 76 developed campsites that you can stay at.

• Address – 6 miles south of Dunsmuir / 48 miles north of Redding on I-5; exit 724. 20022 Castle Creek Road, Castella, CA 96017
• Park Hours – Year round/sunrise – sunset

Prepare For Your Hike

While hiking is easily one of our favorite activities, and it is accessible for most people to do in one form or another – it can also surprise you with difficulties along the way. As such, you’ll want to prepare to ensure that you have fun and stay safe. No one wants to get sprain an ankle, get a sunburn, or run out of drinking water while on the trail – especially when you’re deep in the wilderness like we were here at Castle Crags. So we’ve got a few recommendations to make your trip a bit easier.

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• Water Bottles – Collapsible Water Bottles – These are some of our favorite items to bring with us. They’re really light-weight and you can also roll them up so you can store them away easily. If there is one item that is most important to bring with you, it is water.
• Hiking Clothes – It can be really tempting to just throw on your regular day clothes and march out into the woods, and I won’t lie, we’ve done this more often than not. But more and more, we’re finding that put some thought into what you wear on the trail can really improve your experience. For him | For her
• Headlamps – Getting caught in the jungle at dark can be frightening, or downright deadly. On this trail, you definitely do not want to be stuck in the dark and you want your hands to be free, so we recommend these. Foxelli Headlamp Flashlight
• Trekking Poles – We were rather unprepared for this hike, and we arrived without anything to aid us in our climb up the rough terrain. Briana grabbed a fallen branch for a hiking stick, but I chose to go without anything. The result was a slow climb, very tired legs, and a cut on my palm from when I fell. Had we brought trekking poles, everything would have been easier. These are great because they can support a lot of weight, and when not in use they can collapse down for easier carrying.  Trekking Poles
• First-aid Kit – You really need to be prepared for anything when hiking, which means you need to be prepared for injury. We don’t often get hurt, but we have. You never know what could happen so you should always carry a basic first aid kit to be able to patch up whatever may happen. First-Aid Kit

Castle Crags State Park – Hike to Castle Dome