well off the beathen path

One great thing about Redding California is its proximity to awesome Northern California forests. Another is the big Sacramento River flowing right through the middle of town.   UPDATE: 2022 Updating this original 2007 blog post because of all the recent wildfires that have drastically affected the North State. Shasta Lake is due north & beyond that lies gigantic Mount Shasta. The Delta Fire & Hirz Fire have both burnt acres of terrain along Interstate 5 and many region may still be closed to camping and hiking. The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) crosses this forest, north of the Shasta Lake/Reservoir. To the east is Lassen Volcanic National Park and half the park was burnt by the massive Dixie Fire. Both communities of Mineral and Mill Creek were spared and the forest is still intact. 2021 DIXIE FIRE - https://totalescape.blogspot.com/2021/12/dixie-fire-2021.html The first place you will see along Highway 299 after historic old town Shasta is Whiskeytown.  The whole Whiskey

2018 Carr Fire Whiskeytown 229,651 Acres burned 1604 buildings destroyed 8 deaths Shasta County Trinity County Centerville, CA French Gulch, CA Igo, CA Keswick, CA Kett, CA Lewiston, CA Matheson, CA Old Shasta, CA West Redding, CA CA SR 299 - Hwy 299 (Eureka Way) French Gulch County Park Keswick Reservoir Rainbow Lake Shasta State Historic Park Spring Creek Reservoir Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Whiskeytown Lake Boulder Creek Brandy Creek Cannonball Creek Clear Creek Cottonwood Creek Crystal Creek Dodge Creek Indian Creek Mill Creek Papoose Creek Spring Creek Squaw Creek Whiskey Creek Whiskeytown NRA in 2002 Areas affected by thus wildfire: Barleyfield Peak Blue Mountain Buckhorn Bally Buckhorn Summit Bully Choop  Carr Powerhouse Chappie OHV Deadwood Highland Ridge Hoadley Peaks Iron Mountain Joes Peak Kanaka Peak Mad Mule Mountain Merry Mountain Mikes Peak Monarch Mountain Oak Bottom Marina Paradise Peak Shasta Bally Shirttail Peak Shoemaker Bally Shoemaker Gulch South Fork Mo