Sara Acridge, District Ranger - The Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is comprised of 246,087 acres divided into three units: Whiskeytown (42,500 acres), Shasta and Trinity (203,587 acres). Each of these areas encompasses a large man-made lake and its surrounding terrain. This National Recreation Area Management Unit is a Mecca for outdoor activities including camping, fishing, swimming, paddling, boating, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, off-roading and hunting.
 
There are only 18 NRA's under Forest Service management designated in the United States, and this NRA is somewhat unique because it is made up of four lakes with very distinct recreation opportunities. Of the 246,087 acres that make up the NRA, 203,587 acres are managed by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The Forest Service manages Shasta, Trinity and Lewiston Lakes. The National Park Service manages Whiskeytown Lake.  These sites with their large reservoirs and mountainous terrain support a large variety of recreation opportunities. Hikers, bikers, swimmers, boaters, anglers and campers will enjoy the facilities this area has to offer.

 

Management Guide for the Shasta and Trinity Units of the NRA
 

Trinity Unit (Trinity & Lewiston Lakes)

Image showing the cover of the Trinity Lake Unit mapThe Trinity area with its four subunits: Lewiston Lake, Trinity Dam, Stuart Fork, and North Lake areas and has endless opportunities for recreation from great trout fishing in Lewiston Lake, to scenic driving along Trinity Heritage National Scenic Byway, to picturesque picnicking. Camping and trail use are among the top pastimes.

Recreation Map and Recreation Information (.pdf files)

Shasta Unit (Shasta Lake)

Image showing the cover of the Shasta Lake Unit mapShasta Lake has four distinctive arms; Sacramento, McCloud, Pit and a small sub-arm north of the Pit.  Each is a wonderland of scenic beauty and phenomenal outdoorhttps://origin-fs.fs.usda.gov/detail/stnf/passes-permits/?cid=fseprd535891 recreation that attracts enormous crowds to its striking landscape. As with the case of Trinity and Whiskeytown, water-sport enthusiasts find plenty of private and public accommodations to meet their needs. Marinas, boat ramps, campgrounds, shoreline picnic areas, and superb multi-use trails exist.

Recreation Map and Recreation Information (.pdf files)

Key Points

Shasta Lake is the largest man-made reservoir in California. When full, the lake has 370 miles of shoreline, which exceeds that of San Francisco Bay. Shasta Lake contains 30,000 surface acres and holds 4,550,000 acre-feet of water. Shasta Lake lies behind Shasta Dam, which is the second largest (after Grand Coulee Dam) and second tallest concrete dam (after Hoover Dam) in the United States.

Trinity Lake, when full, has 145 miles of shoreline, contains 17,000 surface acres and holds 2,500,000 acre-feet of water. Trinity Lake Dam is one of the highest earth filled dams in the world.

The NRA has outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities including 30 pairs of nesting bald eagles, over 60 pairs of osprey and abundant deer and bear populations. Both lakes provide world class fishing and hunting opportunities. Shasta Lake is well known for its bass fishing tournaments.