Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
4.5
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Mountainous recreation area offers visitors outdoor activities such as hiking and boating, in addition to the many historical sites related to the California Gold Rush of 1849.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
86 reviews
Excellent
56
Very good
22
Average
5
Poor
1
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2
Paul Smith Palliser
Peru345 contributions
Jul 2022
While driving from Redding to Eureka me managed to take some time and stop at the Visitor Center. Here you can see a large portion of the lake and burned out surroundings. The place is recovering nicely and everybody that's near should stop by and take in the beauty.
Written February 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dane H
Goodyear, AZ53 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
We arrived after their normal closing hours but they stayed open until we arrived. I required a wheelchair ADA campsite and they placed me in an excellent location and the bathroom was a short distance away. The campsite was clean and we had a good nights sleep after our tent was set up. I would camp here again.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tailsoftravel
N. CA80 contributions
Mar 2013 • Family
Crystal Creek Falls located off of 299W just past Whiskeytown Lake. Look for signs to Crystal Creek Road. There will be signs. When you turn off the road onto dirt and then it has a paved parking area with restroom. The trail is paved all the way to the falls (approx 6 'wide, Wheelchair Accessible). At the falls there are two picnic tables and a bar-b-que. The paved trail ends at the falls, just a slight incline at one point. Perfect for anyone to take this short trip to the falls. Please go to http://www.nps.gov/whis/index.htm
Written March 16, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
theorniesarefun
Oregon19 contributions
Sep 2014 • Couples
Gross. Just gross.
The surrounding area is beautiful, but the campground itself is nasty. The hosts, clearly do not clean. They are busy riding around on the walkways in their quads, but are too busy to clean up from previous campers. Broken tent poles, tweezers, garbage, wires, ect. We set up camp and the longer we stayed the more grossed out we got..... we picked up the tent and walked it to the handicapped accessible site. It was clean, level, and didn't have garbage strewn about in the bushes.
Seriously.... park hosts, what are you doing?
The surrounding area is beautiful, but the campground itself is nasty. The hosts, clearly do not clean. They are busy riding around on the walkways in their quads, but are too busy to clean up from previous campers. Broken tent poles, tweezers, garbage, wires, ect. We set up camp and the longer we stayed the more grossed out we got..... we picked up the tent and walked it to the handicapped accessible site. It was clean, level, and didn't have garbage strewn about in the bushes.
Seriously.... park hosts, what are you doing?
Written September 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Firecap13
San Francisco, CA79 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
Whiskeytown Lake (National Recreation Area) is my favorite lake in the Northern California. This lake sits at about 2500 feet in elevation approximately 15 minutes west of Redding. Highway 299 runs through the middle of the Park. Whiskeytown Lake is part of the National Park Service, and the park itself includes many trails around the lake and a large mountain called Shasta Bally. Some of the things that I love about the Lake: It is patrolled by the National Park Service Police, and they don't put up with a lot of bull. The park is clean, well staffed, and they have lifeguards at the swimming area at Brandy Creek Beach. This is a great Kayaking Lake for many reasons. The water is clear, the scenery is beautiful, the wildlife is incredible, and the quiet peaceful coves are awesome. I like that they don't allow Jet Ski's or Personal Watercraft on the lake, and that most boaters are families with kids or responsible folks. By far this lake has the best water visibility of any of the local lakes, you can see the bottom in 15 - 20 feet of water. Not as clear blue as Lake Tahoe, and not as green and muddy as Shasta, this lake has its own personality. The fishing is good, with a selection of: Bass, Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Bluegill, and catfish. The wildlife is abundant and I have personally seen: Black Bear, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Deer, Rattlesnakes, King Snakes, Raccoons, Squirrels. This lake is good for camping and picnics also. $5 for day use and no launch fees, you really can't beat it.
Written August 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JC-OMCA
Berkeley, California155 contributions
Apr 2014 • Solo
I stopped here during a solo exploration of the area while my husband had meetings in Redding. At the Whiskeytown Lake overlook before the Visitor Center opened, I was reading the information kiosk when a ranger saw my knee scooter, and suggested a couple of places I'd be able to access. One was the Kennedy Memorial, which was interesting in light of our very different sensibilities about dams and reservoirs in 2014. Another was the lovely Crystal Falls trail, a short drive from the highway. Featuring a smooth, newly paved 1/3 mile trail, it allows easy access to a pretty waterfall and some picnic tables on the lip of a gorge. Kudos to the park service for providing this access--and to the ranger who pointed me in that direction.
Written April 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YurXmasWish
Red Bluff, CA1 contribution
Jul 2011
The title to this review pretty much sums it up. The camping sites at Oak Bottom were ridculously close. The swim beach was awesome. The restrooms with flushable toilets another plus. But the fact that we had to listen to other people's crappy music and watch the methheads tweek on chopping down tree's for firewood (even though the flyers say to leave the vegiatation alone) and listen to The Clampettes yell constantly all day long at their 8 unruly children, was enough to send us home packing early. We (My boyfriend and I) got a free three day weekend alone with out our own 3 children so we opted to go camping. We couldn't even have a conversation with each other because we couldn't hear each other over every one else. We stayed at site H8...never will we stay there again. The C and D camp sites were the best.
Written July 18, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fortunehunter667
Riverside, California17 contributions
May 2015 • Business
Right now because of the drought it has severe low water levels. But it is still a great place to go and enjoy peace and quiet and beautiful views.
Written May 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tiffany_Felicienne
Redding, CA6 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
Whiskeytown Lake which is only 7 miles west of Redding California has multiple waterfall hikes and is a super blue, pristine lake with much less traffic than nearby Shasta Lake which is more popular with out-of-towners. The visitor center for Whiskeytown Lake is on a hillside overlooking the lake with an expansive view. Turn left as if to enter the visitor center parking lot and continue on the road a few more miles of curvy road until you find Brandy Creek Beach. There are kayak and lake board rentals here, tables, barbeque pits, flush toilets and showers, snack bar (open on summer weekends) a life guard on duty and tons of shade near enough the main swimming area for every type of beach goer to either sunbathe or hide in the shade.
Wildlife is abundant. Just this week we saw deer, squirrels and geese coming right up to our Picnic table. We love to take the kayaks out here and explore coves and watch osprey fishing. You may also see an occasional bald eagle.
A couple of cons:
No dogs allowed.
Must closely supervise food due to bear activity in the area, but don't worry, on a busy summer day the bears will stay clear.
Wildlife is abundant. Just this week we saw deer, squirrels and geese coming right up to our Picnic table. We love to take the kayaks out here and explore coves and watch osprey fishing. You may also see an occasional bald eagle.
A couple of cons:
No dogs allowed.
Must closely supervise food due to bear activity in the area, but don't worry, on a busy summer day the bears will stay clear.
Written July 28, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen J
Anderson, CA3 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
We stopped by Brandy Creek at the end of the long July 4th weekend. The water was stagnant and warm where we decided to make camp on the east side of the swimming area. The algae bloom should have been an indicator things might be amiss with the water quality. Against our better judgement we took a dip. The second night after our visit three members of my family developed an intestinal bacterial infection and conjunctivitis. LESSON LEARNED. Great beach and all. However, give some thought to the time you are visiting. Pay attention to the indicators - can't see the bottom and floaters. Best times to visit are early weekend or during the week. Stay away from the east side of the swimming area (where all the nasty stuff circulates out to cook) and nearer to the Brandy Creek inflow since the fresh water pushes out the nasty stuff.
Written July 14, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarilynWisconsin
Hubertus, WI65 contributions
What portions of the Whiskeytown Lake area would you recommend for a visit? So sad with the Carr Fire impact ... hoping there are portions of the park that are not devasted.
mdtravelers78
Orland Park, IL326 contributions
During our visit the whole area was closed. Trees were burned and roads were closed. No visitors were allowed in the area. Check with the National Park Service for details on the reopening.
Pat C
Redding, CA
What kind of camping is there?
How hard is the walk to the water falls.
When is there open swiming in Brandy Creek?
Rebekajean
The Woodlands, TX1,025 contributions
Camping depends on what you have...big rig, trailer, tent, camper-van? There are several campgrounds all catering to different styles. Didn't walk to the waterfall and the water level was very low due to the drought. Check with the visitors center, phone number available on their web site, for all the info you could possible need.
Pat C
Redding, CA
What kind of camping is there?
How hard is the walk to the water falls.
When is there open swiming in Brandy Creek?
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