Castle Crags State Park

Saw the Crags on the way to a different hike, which ended up being inaccessible due to snow, so we turned around and did this one. GET THERE EARLY! We had to park at the bottom, and hiked up Bob’s Hat trail to meet the Crag Trail. This adds two miles to the trip and another 750’ to the hike over all. It’s not that bad as it is mostly an old service road. I do recommend All Trails or some sort of map to make sure to make the right turns, but it is marked so don’t worry if you do not.

The hike is an amazing trail, and I would not say it is hard, but challenging. The last mile and a half is rocky and larger step up but we did meet an amazing family from Texas who was carrying their baby in a Bjorn. Glad to see folks getting the little ones out early!

Overall, what a great day! There is so much to explore up here and the views are breathtaking. Enjoy!

Words really can't explain this place. It is one of the most incredible views Northern California has to offer! To see the peak of these ancient volcanic monuments with Mt. Shasta on the horizon is truly breathtaking...

We got lucky and got a tent campsite right next to the river and privacy, it was beautiful. All the sites are a little close together so, mind your own. The sites had a table, fire pit and a lock box to store food or ect from wild life. The restrooms, trash cans and recycling bins were in a convenient yet safe distance from the campsite. The showers and restrooms were very clean and most of the crew members were very pleasant and welcoming. The trails are pretty moderate for hiking. Beware there is poison oak in a lot of places. Overall the park was definitely a nice weekend getaway. We'll definitely return to this area.

We were there for the memorial long weekend.
Had an Awesomeee time!!! Great experiences…
First day it was raining and we thought how could we camp if its raining?? But luckily it stopped. They had campfire program in the evening where they introduced some of the wildlife(Raven, Turtle, Turtoise and O’Possum) kids were so excited!!

Second day we went the castle crags dome trail(4.3 miles) hike. It was a difficult and a bit struggle but wow what a great place on top!! Once on the top, never really wanna go down.
Mount Shasta looks so fantanstic and amazing from there its like looking straight into the eye of a lover😍.
Take a lot of water and a lot of determination because it is just 4 miles but really takes courage to make it to the top if you are not a pro hiker.

Well worth the $8 entrance fee! There are beautiful views of the craggy mountains from the Vista Point, which you can drive up to. We loved the Flume/PCH hike - lots of picturesque creeks to cross, and very varied forest terrain to walk through.

This is a really cool state park. The entrance fee was $8 for the day. The vista point parking lot fills up quick in the morning so if that’s your goal, I would go early.

It is possible to hike to the vista point from the flume trailhead, but it’s about ~8 miles to the vista, not including getting back to the flume trailhead/ parking lot. Also it’s at least a 1000 ft elevation gain overall. If you’re looking for a long day on the trail though, that is a great option.

I parked in the lot next to the entrance which is by the flume trailhead. I hiked that to the PCT then jumped on the PCT to bob’s hat trail. From there I got onto crags trailhead and hiked down toward root creek trail. From root creek I hiked to the vista point parking lot and from there hiked to the viewpoint. This took me about 3 hours.

From there you can either back track to bob’s hat trail via rook creek trail and take bob’s hat to the parking lot, or you can walk down the road from the vista point parking lot ( I don’t recommend) or you can continue on the vista point trail and follow signs for the campground. The trail should take you to the amphitheater. Walk toward the PCT campsites and you should see the Milt Kenny trailhead. This trail will take you to a service road. After you walk the service road for about a quarter mile you will reach a sign that says “to park ranger station” this is the last leg of the trip. This will take you back to the park entrance and the parking lot by the flume trailhead.

This loop took me about 5 hours including breaks.

The trail is mainly dirt/ rocks. You have to cross a few streams as well and there are some trees down. Nothing too technical. No scrambles.

The Majestic Castle Crags granite formation are more than 170 million years old and are located in the Castle Crags State park.

The Crags stand out from all the surrounding mountains because of their unique formation. You can clearly see the unique formation stand out from the surrounding mountains in one of the photos I uploaded from the top of Mount Eddy.

From the Vista Point parking lot, there is a short 1/4 mile hike to the Vista Point which I highly recommend because it gives you a great view of the Crags.

And of course, at the top, there is a lookout point to Mount Shasta.

This is a 2 3/4 mile hike one-way, with an elevation gain of 2200 feet. I averaged 21:21 per mile.

The hike to the Crags and Castle Dome is rated strenuous because of the sharp elevation gain at the end of the hike. My personal rating is moderate.

The trail also passes crosses the famous 2,650 mile Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) which starts on the Mexican border and ends at the Canadian border. This typically takes 5 months to complete. This one is probably rated a strenuous+ 😂

Oh, bring bug spray (someone said a face net will work better)! When I went there were little flies buzzing around my face all the time, so I used my hat like a horse's tail swatting them the best I could. I thought maybe it was the aroma from me because my AirBnB had such nice bathroom products, but others on the trail were complaining, too 😄

Just lovely. We didn't plan our overnight stay as we had randomly decided to check it out, we had been dispersed camping the night before, but MAN, we were thrilled with the campgrounds!! No one blasting music, the kids were all playing (bummer we didn't have ours, they would have had a Freakin blast), everyone was respectful of quiet hours. Patrols drove by frequently, making sure everyone was just chillin' out. We didn't make any trails, aside from the short trip to Vista Point, which was beautiful.

We definitely will be back!! And with our Littles!!

We had a great hard trail hike up to Cathedral Crags. 4 hours and pretty much all up hill. Last mile up is very difficult. Great views up there!

One of my favorite hiking spot in the Shasta County. Started from the Soda Spring Road where the PCT spot. The trial is shaded until you get to the crag base. Easy and moderate incline for you if you like hiking. Nice view of Mt Shasta and the Rocks formation. Highly recommends if you can stop by and hike.

Beautiful, serene and easy to access. We stopped by for lunch on our way back to camp at Lake Shasta. The signage from I5 was easy to follow. The ranger at the desk was very friendly. We drove to the Vista point parking, walked the short trail to the top. The veiw was breath taking. Campgrounds looked very receptive. We will be back

Place is like a little hidden gem. Very few people awesome place to stop and have a picnic plus cool off in the creek. Highly recommend checking it out…

Such a wonderful place to visit and camp! Campgrounds are big and kept up beautifully. Very clean bathrooms and showers are only
.50 cents. Many hiking trails throughout the park. The river is close by, shallow and has a fun suspension bridge. Castle dome trail is the best to take if you're trying to get to the crags. I can't wait to go back with my family and stay even longer!

Gorgeous scenery and nearly deserted trail. Strenuous, rocky climb to start but levels or after about 1km. The climb from lower to upper Burstarse Falls is slightly technical - steep, narrow and rocky partly over loose scree - and not for the inexperienced or hikers with unsure footing (or footwear). The result is well worth the effort, though!

I camped here for two days and I love it! The hike up to Castle Dome was much harder than I was expecting. It is rated moderate but I would say difficult. The entire trail is uphill and it's about 4 miles up. Bring plenty of water. There are gorgeous views on this hike and the campsite is so comfortable with very friendly and helpful rangers!

Fantastic value for the $7 entry. Wind through the forest till you reach the carport. A short easy walk brings you to the Vista point and a commanding view of the crags

Only $8 to get in. Very nice staff. Very clean, beautiful, wonderful short hikes with a great set of bathrooms.

This is a really nice campground with great facilities. The Crag Trail is worth the elevation and awesome in fall when temps are milder. The Dome is a splendid viewpoint and awesome geology. I have been here many times and always enjoy it.

Oh my what an amazing place to backpack, camp, climb, scramble. Stunning beauty and one of the most gorgeous places I've ever slept on the ground.

Beautiful park and campground. You can drive to the top vista point and then take a quick and easy hike to the overlook. Beautiful views of the Crags and Mt.Shasta. There are also areas to picnic and other trails to hike that get you closer to the Crags. Worth a stop!