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Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge Hike

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Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge lie above Castle Lake and beyond the turnoff to Heart Lake. They make a great hike, and you may have the trail all to yourself.

Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge

Stephanie and I (and our twelve-year-old golden retriever Molly) were blessed with a perfect late September day for hiking on Saturday. So we began at Castle Lake near Mount Shasta, where Molly went swimming after sticks. (I count that as a bath; Stephanie doesn’t.)

Our destination: Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge. I hadn’t visited these places recently, and I’d heard the path was a bit overgrown. We did have a bit of vegetation against our legs on the drop down to Little Castle Lake, but it was no big deal.

Little Castle Lake

Little Castle Lake in Castle Crags Wilderness near Mount Shasta. (Photo by John Soares)
Little Castle Lake in Castle Crags Wilderness near Mount Shasta. (Photo by John Soares)

Mount Bradley Ridge

Things didn’t improve just past Little Castle Lake. However, several rock piles got us through the initial confusing area, and from then on it was smooth sailing, though a bit of manzanita and huckleberry oak intruded on the path.

The highlight was Mount Bradley Ridge. What a view of the north side of Castle Crags, crowned by Castle Spire, the prominent horn that dominates Castle Crags Wilderness. Steph and Molly and I tarried here, taking in the precipitous granite cliffs in the Crags and the first hints of autumn color in the shrubs.

Castle Crags Wilderness viewed from Mount Bradley Ridge. (Photo by John Soares)
Castle Crags Wilderness viewed from Mount Bradley Ridge. (Photo by John Soares)

You can do this hike until the first major snow comes, likely some time in November. The trail leaves from the east (left) side of Castle Lake near Mount Shasta and runs about 2 miles to Mount Bradley Ridge. Follow the main trail all the way, especially when you reach a saddle at .6 mile; you’ll stay straight as two or three side-paths head right toward Heart Lake.

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Related Posts:

My books Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions, Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks, and 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California include all the best hikes in Northern California.

Click the covers to see the books on Amazon

Day Hiking Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions. Includes trails in other regions of Northern California: Castle Crags, Russian Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness, Lava Beds National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Lassen National Forest, and the Redding area.

100 Classic Hikes in Northern California covers the best hiking trails in the Trinity Alps, Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Sierra Nevada, the redwood coast, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Includes numerous day hikes along with major backpacking trips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  2. John Soares says

    I’ve visited Little Castle Lake several times and I’ve never seen anybody fishing. The lake is quite shallow; I’ve spent a fair amount of time sitting and viewing the water and I haven’t seen a single fish.

    Reply

  3. DAn says

    Mr The Trout Underground,
    I’ve been ice fishing on Castle Lake a couple times. The trout bite like mad in the winter.

    Peace,
    –Dan

    Reply

  5. Catrina Graham says

    John thank you for all the information. I got very lucky and stumbled across your site. I will look forward to checking in routinely to see what is new.

    Reply

  6. Catrina Graham says

    Hi John I recently walked Cinder Cone Nature Trail in Lassen National Park. I decided to walk past the cone itself and continued on for additional 2.3 through volcanic sand and extreme heat. Finally came to a beautiful lake, I think it was lower 100 lakes. Please let me know if that is correct. Anyway, wanted to let readers know that the walk is very dangerous. If planning to walk that trail it should be done either early morning, and return at dusk. This location is perfect for over-night camping. Please advise any adventurers that planning is needed for this trail due to extreme conditions.
    Sincerely,
    Catrina Graham

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. San Francisco Chronicle’s Tom Stienstra Loves My Heart Lake | Northern California Hiking Trails Blog says:

    […] See what Castle Lake looks like by viewing my Monday blog post. And see what Stephanie and I discovered on a September hike to nearby Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge. […]

    Reply

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Hiking Redwood National & State Parks

Hike peaceful redwood groves and rugged coastline: more info.

Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps

Day Hiking Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions. Includes trails in other regions of Northern California: Castle Crags, Russian Wilderness, Marble Mountain Wilderness, Lava Beds National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Lassen National Forest, and the Redding area.

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