Should I give Lassen and Shasta a miss this time?

I am visiting the SW USA for three weeks in August. The plan at the moment is to hire car after 3 days in SF on the morning of 1st August and drive up to Mount Shasta and stay there, just to see it.

Then the next day driving down H89 through Lassen Volcanic Park back to Red Bluff then down to Calistoga for the evening before hading south. This was planned before I knew how much there was to see and I am tied into this time frame.

Lassen and Shasta look very beautiful and while we are not that into hiking I do like seeing amazing scenery.

My question is this: would I be better off staying for longer in SF and/or Napa Valley or are Lassen and Shasta really worth this two days of a lot of driving? The websites I have looked at (many) do not really give you an impression of how striking these places are if you are not staying and hiking a bit.

Thanks for your help

Mike

Should I give Lassen and Shasta a miss this time?

Shasta and Lassen are great, but that%26#39;d be a little rough with your timeframe. I assume you%26#39;re already planning on seeing Yosemite? Much closer to SF, and much more stunning, especially for the non-hiker.

A quick jaunt from SF would be Muir Woods, at the base of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin. Definitely a great drive, and you could incorporate a drive out to Stinson Beach or Muir Beach.

Should I give Lassen and Shasta a miss this time?

Thanks for your advice. Yes, we are staying at Yosemite, Sequoia, Death Valley, Grand Canyon and lots of other scenic places. Part of me feels like I want to see Northern California but part of me thinks that I am not going to do it any justice at all and I would be better coming back in the future. I just don%26#39;t know how long that might be.

The issue then comes to what to do for 2 full days....

San Francisco and London are similar being cities; while the great outdoors in California is definitely diverse and beautiful.

I would skip Shasta - its a big mountain, but its not worth driving that far too. You just keep on seeing the similar sight for a long time. Mt. Lassen National Park is more beautiful area to drive to.

The photos on the National Park web of Mt. Lassen will give you a good idea of what some of the scenery will be like.

I would suggest driving through Lassen National Park on day one. Redding is about 3 1/2 hours from San Francisco and Mt. Lassen is about another 90 minutes. If you leave by 8:00 you will be up there by early afternoon.

Stay the evening in Burney.

http://www.burneychamber.com/

THen you can decide if you loop back to Highway 5 or drive back through Mt. Lassen the next day and onto Calistoga.

The distance from Burney to Calistoga is:

229 miles or about 4 to 4 1/2 hours drive.

That way you can still see part of the Mt. Lassen Area.

Shasta is pretty much the same scene all the way...and while its nice....I don%26#39;t think it is a must see for the short time you have in the states.

This way you have lots of sight-seeing time....and if you%26#39;re fine with driving....its a nice 2 day excursion.

Thanks for the advice,

I think I will go up to Lassen but not as far as Mount Shasta. This will make for a little less driving

Cheers,

Mike

Mike if you drive through Lassen %26amp; that%26#39;s really the only way to do it, then head west to Interstate 5 you will see Shasta to your right (North) for a long time. It%26#39;s a shame that you do not have time for Burney Falls North of Lassen as it is one of the most beautiful in California. Problem with California is there is much to see. I have lived here for over 25 years %26amp; still finding new places to go.

It certainly is a big beautiful place. I need to have a lot more patience and not try to see everything in one or two visits.

I liked your comment about patience...some of us were born here and still finding new things to see and do. You sound like you%26#39;ll have a wonderful time....do take lots of pictures and after the trip, let us know how it went. We%26#39;d love to hear about your trip!

I agree with Mini regarding skipping Shasta. Though it is truly an awesome sight to see as you are driving up to it, once there you cannot do a lot in terms of hiking on the mountain. If you do follow Mini%26#39;s recommendation, I would make a couple of suggestions -

- If you stay in Redding, be prepared for heat. In August, it is often 105+ F in the daytime. However, while there you should definitely see the Calatreva designed Sundial Bridge(early in the morning is best to beat the heat).

- When driving through Lassen, there a couple of don%26#39;t miss spots. Take the hike at Bumpass Hell. It is about a mile and a half and the thermal features are surreal. It reminds me of Yellowstone National Park. Also, stop along the road at the lakes just after Bumpass Hell. They are beautiful and pristine.

Thanks a lot for the advice. I will do the hike at Bumpass, sounds good. Will post a report when back - it will be a monster though!

Mike

I have been to Lassen years ago and it is definitely worth the trip. I am now planning another trip at the end of August to take my grandchildren and we booked a hotel ';Lassen Mineral Lodge'; 9 miles from the South entrance of the park. The price was good {$95 per night with a queen and 2 single beds and a kitchenette} and the pictures on the net were nice but since I have never been there I cannot give it a recommend yet. But if you need a place then the phone number to book is 530-595-4422 and the web site is www.minerallodge.com I have been to Burney Falls and I agree it is really beautiful. My sister lives in Hat Creek so I have a nice place to visit before I make the tour of the park. We usually drive the east side of the mountain, drop down through Reno to get to Susanville then off to Hat Creek. I usually book a hotel in Bridgeport, a very quaint rustic small town, which is a place I highly recommend before dropping down through Reno.