Shasta-Trinity National Forest

The largest national forest in California at 2.2 million acres, Shasta-Trinity encompasses the towering volcanic peak of Mount Shasta (14,179 ft), the Trinity Alps Wilderness, and five major reservoirs including Shasta Lake, California's largest reservoir. The forest straddles two major mountain systems -- the southern Cascades and the Klamath Mountains -- creating extraordinary ecological diversity from low-elevation oak woodlands and chaparral to alpine glaciers on Mount Shasta. Five designated wilderness areas protect over 500,000 acres of backcountry, including the Castle Crags Wilderness with dramatic granite spires and the Chanchelulla Wilderness in the remote Coast Range. The Trinity Alps contain glacier-carved lakes, granite peaks exceeding 9,000 feet, and some of the most pristine watersheds remaining in California, while recreation opportunities span year-round from world-class trout and bass fishing to mountaineering on Mount Shasta's glaciers and backcountry skiing. The region's gold rush heritage lives on in historic mining towns scattered throughout the forest, while the Sacramento River headwaters provide critical water supply for California's Central Valley agriculture and urban centers downstream. The forest's diverse wildlife includes black bears, mountain lions, bald eagles, and threatened northern spotted owls, and its rivers support important runs of chinook salmon and steelhead trout.