California Road Trips Guide - 2023 - 58

ITINERARIES
Manzanita Lake
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itinerary
TOP STOPS
STARTS: REDDING REGIONAL AIRPORT
659 MILES * 7 DAYS
Volcanoes and
Redwoods
TIME STANDS STILL IN THE GOLDEN STATE'S FAR NORTH
If your life's pace doesn't let you sink
deeply into your thoughts, California's
northern reaches offer the slowdown
you deserve. Time leans toward
the unhurried when you hike up a
prehistoric volcano or wander among
redwoods. Ease up on the gas and set
your mental cruise control to " linger " as
you drive this loop to ancient wonders.
Deplane at compact Redding Airport,
then hit the lobby for local-favorite
Theory Coffee. Pick up your rental car
and prep for a twisty drive west along the
rugged Trinity River canyon. Extend the
three-hour journey with leg-stretching
breaks to watch the river rafters, poke
around historic Weaverville, and ponder
Bigfoot's existence at Willow Creek's
history museum.
Reach the coast at Arcata, a college
town that's often shrouded in mist,
then curve around its namesake bay to
artsy Eureka, where colorful Victorians
house boutiques and gift shops. Heading
south, you'll enter a redwood-induced
trance as you cruise along the 29-mile
Avenue of the Giants. Stop the car at the
Drury Chaney Grove for a walk through
cathedral-like stands, then push on to
58 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
Garberville to spend the night at the
Benbow Historic Inn, just like Clark
Gable and Spencer Tracy used to do.
Backtrack through the redwood
leviathans, then zigzag east on curvy
Highway 36 to Lassen Volcanic National
Park's bubbling, geothermally active
landscape. Every curve on Lassen Park
Highway demands a photo stop. Brake
for Sulphur Works' steaming fumaroles,
Lassen Peak's austere volcanic cone,
Manzanita Lake's tranquil shoreline, and
any hiking trail that calls your name.
North of the park, make your way
to Mount Shasta, a volcano that's even
larger and older than Lassen Peak.
Get acquainted with
this 14,179-foot-high
monolith by hiking
from Bunny Flat to the
Sierra Club Alpine Lodge
or wandering Panther
Meadows' flower-strewn
N
b
path. Stay overnight in
Mt. Shasta City to shop
for crystals and have your
aura read, then meander
back to Redding-but
take your sweet time.
Blue Lake
Redding c
d
Lake
Shasta
Caverns
Station a
Old
a Tunnel of awe
Carry a flashlight and wear a
jacket to walk through
Subway Cave's pitch-black,
46-degree lava tube.
b Beer, ale, seltzer
Yurok-owned and womenled
Mad River Brewing
Company is one of the first
tribal-owned breweries in
the U.S.
c Showstopper
The grand neon marquee of
the 1935 Cascade Theatre
anchors Redding's
revitalized downtown. Dine
at Vintage Public House,
then catch a show.
d Magical labyrinth
It's a quick boat ride to
access Lake Shasta
Caverns, a series of natural
limestone caves you can
explore on a 45-to-60minute
guided tour.
AREA OF
DETAIL
MARTIN SASSE/LAIF/REDUX
http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
California Road Trips Guide - 2023

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