15 Things to Do in Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County, in Northern California, encompasses everything from the town of Dunsmuir all the way up to the Oregon border. Attractions ranging from hikes and waterfalls to restaurants and trains can be explored along this stretch of Highway 5. While I have not done all that there is to do there, I have seen a lot, and here are 15 of my favorite spots.

1. Mount Shasta

Mt. Shasta is one of the most popular attractions in Siskiyou County, and it’s one of the tallest mountains in the state of California. If you’re an advanced mountaineer you can climb it, but it is very difficult, so for most people they’ll just view it from afar.

There are lots of great places to view this mountain when you’re in the area, especially if the weather’s clear. Some of my favorites are along Highway 97, which has a “road leading to the mountain” type shot, or from Lake Siskiyou, where you can get some of those cool reflection shots of the mountain. Pretty much anywhere around the Mt. Shasta area you can see the mountain really well.

2. Lava Beds National Monument

Lava Beds National Monument is a collection of over 800 lava tubes, over 20 of which you can explore yourself. It’s a large park, and each cave is unique. Here are a few of my favorites.

Skull Cave has a massive opening in it, which is fun for pictures, and as you go in deeper, it gets really dark. My second favorite is the Golden Dome, which has some unique yellow tones throughout the ceiling. My third favorite is Sunshine Cave, which has a few cave-ins that let the sun in, and it’s a cool place to explore.

Read about more spots in Lava Tubes National Monument here.

3. Hedge Creek Falls

Hedge Creek Falls is located in the town of Dunsmuir, and it’s a short 5-minute hike to get to an awesome waterfall. It’s one of the few waterfalls that you can walk down to and actually walk behind to go to the other side of the falls. Plus, it’s an excellent place for photography, and it’s not even usually that busy.

Read more about Yaks on the 5 here.

7. Historic Yreka

Yreka is one of the largest towns in Siskiyou County and has a lot of historic Gold Rush-era buildings and businesses. One of my favorite stops there is Zephyr Books & Coffee, which is a fun coffee shop right on the main downtown street. There’s also some great restaurants, a barbershop, an old hotel, and antique stores – lots of fun things to walk around and see.

Then, when you exit the town, be sure to stop at the Yreka Dragon, which is located about 4 miles up on Highway 5, right on the side of the road. There’s a little pullout there, and you can walk out and take some pictures of it. It’s a popular roadside attraction in the Yreka area.

8. Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery

Mt. Shasta Fish Hatchery opened in 1888 and is the oldest trout fish hatchery west of the Mississippi. The hatchery is open to the public daily, and you can grab some fish food, feed the fish, and walk around. It’s a great place to spend about 30 minutes, especially if you have children because the fish are super excited to eat the food.

Read more about the Mt Shasta Fish Hatchery.

9. Living Memorial Sculpture Garden

Living Memorial Sculpture Garden, located about 12 miles east of the town of Weed on Highway 97, is dedicated to all veterans who have served in any of our country’s wars. The sculptures were created to honor everyone from the nurses that served during the wars, the POWs, and those that were missing in action. One of my favorite sculptures was called Coming Home, and it showed the embrace of two people celebrating being reunited after a war. It’s a great area to spend 30-45 minutes just looking around at the sculptures.

Read more about the Living Memorial Sculpture Garden here.

10. Denny Bar Co. Distillery & California Heritage Farms

Denny Bar Co. Distillery is located about 45 minutes off the highway in the small town of Etna. It’s a modern restaurant that you would not expect to find in such a small town. It has an eclectic menu with fun options such as pizza and some of the best avocado toast I have ever had. Often on the weekends, you can take a tour of their distillery and try their gin and vodka. All of this is located in a 100-year-old bank building that has been extraordinarily well preserved. It is easily worth the 45-minute drive off the freeway to get there.

On the way back to the highway, be sure to stop at California Heritage Farms in Fort Jones. They sell regional goods and fresh fruit (June – October), plus during the summer, you can pick your own berries from their patch!

11. Lake Siskiyou

Lake Siskiyou is a large body of water on the west side of Mt. Shasta that’s a favorite summer destination, but that’s excellent year round for photography. They have a trail that goes around the entire lake. I love pulling off and walking along the shores, trying to capture magnificent views of Mt. Shasta reflecting in the water. During the summer, you can also get out on the water and do some kayaking. It’s a great spot to have so close to the town of Mt. Shasta.

12. Faery Falls

Faery Falls is a 1.5 mile roundtrip hike to a beautiful 40 foot waterfall. Along the walk, you’ll pass by ruins of an old health resort, and you follow the creek pretty much the entire time. As you get closer to the falls, you’ll see a short spur that’ll take you down to the base of the waterfall to take some great pictures. It’s an excellent hike in Siskiyou County, but make sure you get directions online to the trailhead, as it can be kind of hard to find.