Whiskeytown Lake Trails Reopen, Including Whiskeytown Falls

Oh joyous day, the many beautiful trails in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area have reopened for 2009 now that the major danger of slides has passed. The timing couldn’t be better — the flowers are bursting and streamflow and waterfalls are peaking. So now is a great time to hike the many paths around and near Whiskeytown Lake, including Whiskeytown Falls. (Read about past trail closures here and also get info about the Crystal Creek Falls hike.)

Here’s the press release from the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area:

The National Park Service is re-opening all trails, including the trail to Whiskeytown Falls for the summer season beginning Friday April 10^th. The National Park Service has been monitoring the trails and the area burned during last summer’s wildfires all winter. While no one can determine for certain that mudslides and debris flows will not occur, after careful analysis of conditions on the ground and weather forecast data, it has been determined that the risk is minimal and that closure is no longer warranted.

Over the winter, the National Park Service had to close many trails and roads that were impacted by last summer’s wildfires. Over 6,244 acres burned on the rugged slopes of Shasta Bally in highly erosive soils. The potential for large scale mudslides and debris flows was high during and after rain events and snow melt.

Whiskeytown Falls is accessed by taking the Crystal Creek Road exit off State Highway 299 and driving 3.5 miles up to the James Carr Trailhead parking lot. The walk to the falls is 1.7 miles uphill and is considered steep. For further information please contact the Whiskeytown Visitor Center at (530) 246-1225 or visit the Whiskeytown website at www.nps.gov/whis.