Volcanoes and Redwoods

An hour west of Redding Airport, the town of Weaverville was founded on '49ers Gold Rush dreams. Its main street looks much like it did in the mid-1800s, but now shops sell backpacks and fishing rods instead of picks and shovels. Take a guided tour of the 1874 Joss House, a Taoist temple built by Chinese miners who hoped to get rich by finding Trinity River gold. Now a state historic park, the temple is filled with elaborate carved-wood furnishings and a 3,000-year-old Chinese altar. Stop into the neighboring Jake Jackson Memorial Museum, which contains a complete blacksmith shop, stamp mill replica, stagecoach barn, and wrought-iron weapons used in the 1854 Tong War between two Chinese tongs (tribes). Finish out your visit to Weaverville with a red ale or triple IPA from Trinity County Brewing Company.

The bayside town of Arcata is often shrouded in mist, but even under gray skies, Arcata Plaza buzzes with activity. The grassy central square is where Humboldt State University students, ranchers, and digital nomads pause for chit-chat on their way to lunch dates and shopping errands. The plaza has everything a visitor needs, too: To fuel your morning, sip a Super Shroom Mocha with some local vibes at Northtown Coffee. For one-of-a-kind shopping, pop into Jacoby’s Storehouse, an 1857 mercantile building that’s filled with small boutiques. At meal time, choose from three sushi bars near the plaza: Sushi Spot, Nori, and Tomo. Arcata has plenty of outdoor recreation, too: Take a hike in the redwoods at Arcata Community Forest or a birdwatching stroll at Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.

There’s a rainbow of colors in Eureka’s 150 Victorian buildings. This historic lumber-mill town is rich in Queen Anne–style gingerbread architecture, including such flamboyant buildings as the 1889 stunner The Pinc (formerly known as the Pink Lady)—now a hotel where you can spend the night—and the ornate Carson Mansion, owned by a private club. There’s even more color in downtown’s murals; view a cluster of them on Opera Alley in Old Town Eureka. While there, see wooden folk-art sculptures made by Romano Gabriel at 315 Second Street and pop into the stately 1911 bank building that houses the Clarke Historical Museum. On the south side of US 101, tour the Morris Graves Museum of Art, filled with works by Humboldt County artists. Art is almost everywhere you look in this town, but Eureka is first and foremost a bayfront harbor. Take a floating tour on the 1909 wooden cruiser Madaket, then dine on local oysters and handcrafted cheeses at Humboldt Bay Provisions.

Find big-tree awe in Garberville, the southern gateway to Redwood Country. Start with a drive along the 32-mile Avenue of the Giants, stopping at every pullout to crane your neck at the big trees. Visit master craftsman Bernie Korbly and browse his redwood-burl bowls, clocks, vases, and tables made from sustainably sourced, salvaged logs. Walk trails alongside the Eel River and under the redwood canopy at Richardson Grove State Park. Step inside the One Log House, built in 1946 from a 2,100-year-old redwood. Inside the massive log is a room, 7 feet by 32 feet, which was mounted on wheels for a tour across the United States. Book a tour at Julia Morgan’s Redwood Grove Estate, an Arts and Crafts masterpiece that Morgan designed in 1926. Garberville will lure you to stay, so spend the night at the Benbow Historic Inn, just like Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy used to do.

You can drive through Lassen Volcanic National Park in less than a day, but you’ll want much more time. Every curve on Lassen Park Highway demands a photo stop, and every trailhead beckons you to hike—this bubbling, boiling, geothermally active landscape provides a fascinating glimpse at one of the earth’s most powerful forces. For the biggest wow-factor, go see the hydrothermal spectacle at Bumpass Hell—16 acres of boiling springs, hissing steam vents, noisy fumaroles, and bubbling mud pots. Or hike to the summit of Lassen Peak, which was the most recently erupted volcano in the contiguous United States until Mount St. Helens blew its top in 1980. Lassen Volcanic National Park has plenty of easier trails, too: Trek to Kings Creek Falls, hike to Terrace or Shadow Lakes for swimming opportunities, or admire the wildflowers at Paradise Meadow.

Once a lumber town, McCloud has reinvented itself while keeping close to its heritage. The McCloud River Mercantile Co., built in 1897 as the lumber company store, now houses a hotel, two restaurants, and—in a nod to history—a mercantile selling kitchen gifts, old-timey candy, and apothecary goods. Chat with the locals over craft beer at Siskiyou Brew Works, tucked inside an early 1900s dairy barn. At the yellow-and-white McCloud Hotel, the original 1916 registration desk still welcomes guests to its 16 sumptuous rooms. Set at the foot of Mt. Shasta, the town of McCloud is also a perfect base camp for outdoor activities: Visit the McCloud River’s three waterfalls, hike or bike the Great Shasta Rail Trail, or do a little flyfishing at Squaw Creek or McCloud River Preserve.

You could spend a full day in Mt. Shasta City shopping for crystals and having your aura analyzed, but you’d miss out on everything else this mountain town offers. Make time to visit the Mt. Shasta Sisson Museum and learn more about Mt. Shasta’s legendary mysticism and the geologic marvels of the 14,179-foot volcano. Take a three-mile hike on Spring Hill Trail for a gentle workout and great views of Mt. Shasta and Black Butte. At lunchtime, nab a lamb burger at Pipeline Craft Taps & Kitchen or ahi tacos at Crave. On warm evenings, linger over a farm-to-table meal in the umbrella-dotted garden at Lily’s. And for that perfect Mt. Shasta City souvenir, browse the half-dozen crystal shops in town to find a rock that speaks to you.

For many visitors, coming to Mt. Shasta is a pilgrimage. The sleeping volcano has long been recognized as a spiritually powerful place. See if you feel its healing energy as you drive Everitt Memorial Highway up the mountain's slopes to the Old Ski Bowl, where the road ends at 7,840 feet in elevation (more than 5,000 feet below the summit). Most of the year, Shasta’s hulking, 14,179-foot volcanic cone is capped with glistening ice and snow, creating great photo opportunities at almost every turn in the road. But the best way to explore Mt. Shasta is on foot. Start with the easy hike from Bunny Flat to the Sierra Club Alpine Lodge (also called the Shasta Alpine Hut). The lovely stone building, built by the Sierra Club in 1922, is backed by a stunning vista of Avalanche Gulch, a popular climbers’ route to Shasta’s summit. Say hello to the lodge caretaker, who will invite you inside to view the exhibits on climbing Mt. Shasta.

The Sacramento River flows right through this Northern California hub city, and Redding makes the most of it. Biking and walking trails edge the river, and the 710-foot-long Sundial Bridge makes a stunning statement as it unites the north and south banks. The glass-decked suspension bridge, which is open only to pedestrians and bikes, not cars, is one of the world's largest functioning sundials. A stone’s throw away is Turtle Bay Exploration Park, an eco-museum and arboretum with a seasonal butterfly garden. A mile southwest of the park and bridge is Redding’s revitalized downtown, which hums with hotspots old and new: Taste the brew at Theory Coffee, shop at Gather Downtown, dine at Vintage Public House, or catch a show at the 1935 Cascade Theatre.