Entrance Fee
$15.00
/ Entrance - Per Person
Park Hours (Today)
All Day
Whiskeytown Visitor Center: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Miza AI
Plan your Whiskeytown trip
About the Park
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the resilience of nature in its post-fire recovery. Adventure awaits at every turn—Whiskeytown is calling!
Ready to explore Whiskeytown National Recreation Area?
Take the stress out of planning. Our AI will automatically sequence your stops, find the best hotels, and optimize your driving time in seconds.
What to See & Do
Gold Panning at Whiskeytown NRA
Become a gold miner for a day! Gold pan along Clear Creek at the Clear Creek picnic area. Gold was first discovered in Clear Creek in 1848 by Pierson B. Reading. The news of the discovery brought a wave of gold rush miners to Shasta County, many of whom set up camp in what is now Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. The former community of Whiskeytown got its start as a mining town as settlers worked along Clear Creek and its tributaries.
Hike to Whiskeytown Falls
Whiskeytown Falls is a series of cascades which drop 220 feet as the east fork of Crystal Creek winds down the slope of Shasta Bally. The falls are accessed by the James K. Carr trail, a moderately strenuous 3.4 mile round-trip path which follows old logging routes through shade and sun in a forested area that was only lightly affected by the Carr Fire of 2018.
Paddling on Whiskeytown Lake
Whiskeytown Lake is one of the premier paddle-sport areas in northern California. With almost 40 miles of shoreline there are always new areas to explore. Ranger-led kayak tours are a great way to get an introduction to kayak and paddle boarding with a fun two-hour trip through the history and unique ecosystem of Whiskeytown. These tours run between Memorial Day and Labor Day and reservations through Recreation.gov are required.
Swimming at Whiskeytown Lake
Whiskeytown Lake is a fantastic location to enjoy a refreshing swim on a hot day. This lake has about 37 miles of shoreline. During the summer months surface water temperatures can reach nearly 80°F. There are three main swim beaches with amenities, Brandy Creek Beach, Oak Bottom Beach and East Beach. All three of these locations have the water roped off and closed to boating. This makes them great and safe for all ages.
Visitor Centers
Whiskeytown Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is a great place to start when you arrive in the park. Knowledgeable staff can help you maximize your visit. The Visitor Center is located at the intersection of Kennedy Memorial Drive and Highway 299. You can purchase a variety of Interagency and park-specific entrance passes as well as books, maps, and souvenir items. Exhibits outside the building introduce you to the natural and cultural history of the park. A small native plant garden is located behind the Visitor Center.
Where to Stay
Sheep Camp
Sheep Camp is nestled in the mixed oak/pine/fir woodlands with nearby access to numerous trails and is a great launching point for treks up the 6,199' Shasta Bally, the highest point in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. This campsite is closed during the winter. All sites are in partial shade and feature a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table, lamp pole, fire pit with swing-arm BBQ grill, with a shared ADA accessible vault toilet. Each site has a maximum occupancy of six people and two vehicles.
Peltier Bridge
Sited along Clear Creek, the Peltier Bridge campground offers 9 sites and access to numerous trails. All sites offer a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table, lamp pole, fire pit with swing-arm BBQ grill, and shared access to two ADA-accessible vault toilets.
Horse Camp
Horse Camp is specifically for camping with horses. The open area allow ease of parking for horse trailers. Several trails are accessible from this campground. Both sites are in partial shade and feature bear-proof storage lockers, picnic tables, a lamp pole, fire pit with swing-arm BBQ grill, and a shared ADA accessible vault toilet. Each site has a maximum occupancy of 10 people and 3 vehicles. Potable water available from a spigot most the year. No corrals, tie posts/rails, or water troughs onsite.
Brandy Creek
This two site campground is found just off Brandy Creek Road, with Brandy Creek accessible a short walk away. The Brandy Creek trail, popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders, runs next to the campground. This campsite is closed during the winter. Both sites are in partial shade and feature a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table, lamp pole, fire pit with swing-arm BBQ grill, and an ADA accessible vault toilet. Each site has a maximum occupancy of six people and two vehicles.
Brandy Creek RV
A secluded hilltop RV site close to Brandy Creek Marina and within walking distance of Brandy Creek Beach, the Brandy Creek trail and the Davis Gulch trail. Campground is an asphalt parking lot with 15 parking sites. Only for self-contained units that have their own toilets, such as recreational vehicles, cab-over campers, pop-up tent trailers, and fifth wheels. There is no bathroom and no hookups at this campground. One main water and dump station shared by all campers.
Crystal Creek
The Crystal Creek campground offers two secluded sites along Crystal Creek and is a short drive away from both Crystal Creek falls and the James K. Carr trail to Whiskeytown Falls. This campsite is closed during the winter. A fairly steep dirt road accesses the campsites. Both sites are well shaded and feature a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table, lamp pole, fire pit with swing-arm BBQ grill, with a shared ADA accessible vault toilet. Each site has a maximum occupancy of six people and two vehicles.
Dry Creek Group Campground
Dry Creek Group Campground includes two large campsites. Each site is primitive and may be reserved for groups of up to 50 people (20 people minimum). The campsites are located within oak woodland on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by Whiskeytown Lake. The primitive campground is located near Brandy Creek Marina.
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
Car From Interstate 5, take the Highway 44 West exit toward Downtown Redding and Eureka. From Downtown Redding, follow Highway 299 west toward Eureka for approximately 8 miles to reach the Visitor Center. Plane Commercial air service is available to Redding California located approximately 16 miles from Whiskeytown. Rental vehicles are available.
Park Amenities
Entrance Fees & Passes
Standard Fees
Entrance - Per Person
$15.00Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Good for 7 days. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Entrance - Motorcycle
$20.00Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$25.00Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Good for 7 days at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area only. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Annual & Lifetime Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$55.00Valid at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, and Lava Beds National Monument for twelve months from the date of purchase, for unlimited visits to all four parks. It admits the pass holder and any accompanying persons in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or the pass holder and 3 others when entry is by other means (bicycle and foot). This pass covers entrance fees only and is not refundable and/or transferable.
Operating Hours
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. Certain areas of the park are subject to seasonal and COVID-19 temporary closures or limited hours. Some areas of the park remain closed due to hazardous conditions from the Carr Fire. Please check the park website for current information.
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Live Webcams
Click any camera to open the live feed on the NPS website.
Photos
A woman looking at a cascade.
White houses and white outbuildings.
Two kayakers paddling on Whiskeytown Lake. Clouds above.
Orange flowers with small black circles along a creek.
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Build your Whiskeytown itinerary
Tell Miza your dates, pace, and interests—get a day-by-day plan with hikes, drives, and must-see stops.
Best Time
May-September
Trip Length
1 day
Searching for the best hotel deals near Whiskeytown National Recreation Area...
Planning Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
These common questions go deeper into logistics and planning. For real-time updates on road closures and current conditions, always check the Alerts section above.