About Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the resilience of nature in its post-fire recovery. Adventure awaits at every turn—Whiskeytown is calling!
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Whiskeytown NRA is in a Mediterranean climate, which means hot, dry summers followed by cool, wet winters. Summer temperatures often reach the upper 90's to lower 100 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as the occasional thunderstorm. Winter brings snow to the upper elevations (only occasionally down to the lake level of…
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: California. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Entrance Fees
Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Good for 7 days. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Good for 7 days at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area only. For more information visit https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74295.
Operating Hours
The park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. Certain areas of the park are subject to seasonal and COVID-19 temporary closures or limited hours. Some areas of the park remain closed due to hazardous conditions from the Carr Fire. Please check the park website for current information.
Activities
Current Alerts
To protect park infrastructure and visitors during this hot, dry period of year, wood and charcoal/briquette burning is temporarily banned. Propane grills are still okay. Thank you for recreating responsibly in your national recreation area.
Hey Boaters, please clean, drain, and dry your vessel completely before setting out on Whiskeytown Lake. Thank you for doing your part to keep the Golden Mussel, an aquatic invasive species, out of the reservoir. Learn more about preventative measures.
Getting There
Car From Interstate 5, take the Highway 44 West exit toward Downtown Redding and Eureka. From Downtown Redding, follow Highway 299 west toward Eureka for approximately 8 miles to reach the Visitor Center. Plane Commercial air service is available to Redding California located approximately 16 miles from Whiskeytown. Rental vehicles are available.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Entrance Passes
Valid at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, and Lava Beds National Monument for twelve months from the date of purchase, for unlimited visits to all four parks. It admits the pass holder and any accompanying persons in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or the pass holder and 3 others when entry is by other means (bicycle and foot). This pass covers entrance fees only and is not refundable and/or transferable.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
Gold Panning at Whiskeytown NRA
Become a gold miner for a day! Gold pan along Clear Creek at the Clear Creek picnic area. Gold was…
Hike to Whiskeytown Falls
Whiskeytown Falls is a series of cascades which drop 220 feet as the east fork of Crystal Creek winds down…
Paddling on Whiskeytown Lake
Whiskeytown Lake is one of the premier paddle-sport areas in northern California. With almost 40 miles of shoreline there are…
Swimming at Whiskeytown Lake
Whiskeytown Lake is a fantastic location to enjoy a refreshing swim on a hot day. This lake has about 37…
Visitor Centers
Whiskeytown Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is a great place to start when you arrive in the park. Knowledgeable staff can help you maximize your visit. The Visitor…
Campgrounds
Brandy Creek
This two site campground is found just off Brandy Creek Road, with Brandy Creek accessible a short walk away. The Brandy Creek trail, popular with…
Brandy Creek RV
A secluded hilltop RV site close to Brandy Creek Marina and within walking distance of Brandy Creek Beach, the Brandy Creek trail and the Davis…
Horse Camp
Horse Camp is specifically for camping with horses. The open area allow ease of parking for horse trailers. Several trails are accessible from this campground.…
Crystal Creek
The Crystal Creek campground offers two secluded sites along Crystal Creek and is a short drive away from both Crystal Creek falls and the James…
Peltier Bridge
Sited along Clear Creek, the Peltier Bridge campground offers 9 sites and access to numerous trails. All sites offer a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table,…
Sheep Camp
Sheep Camp is nestled in the mixed oak/pine/fir woodlands with nearby access to numerous trails and is a great launching point for treks up the…
Dry Creek Group Campground
Dry Creek Group Campground includes two large campsites. Each site is primitive and may be reserved for groups of up to 50 people (20 people…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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