Redding, CA · 96002
Top 10 Outdoor Spots near Redding, CA
- 1
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Volcanoes, hydrothermal areas, lakes and alpine trails.
~65 min from 96001
Know before you go: Park open year-round, but Hwy 89 through the park closes to cars in the snow season (typically mid-Nov to late spring/early summer); winter access is to Manzanita Lake and the southwest entrance for snowshoeing. Drive time is to Manzanita Lake.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- 2

Photo: Agreene12, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
129-ft spring-fed Burney Falls flows year-round.
~89 min from 96001
Know before you go: Day-use reservations were required on summer weekends in 2026.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 3
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Clear mountain lake with beaches, paddling and waterfall hikes; a national park unit minutes from town.
~12 min from 96001
Know before you go: Drive time is to the visitor center; Brandy Creek Beach is about 30 min. Entrance pass required.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 4
Mt. Shasta (Everitt Memorial Hwy / Bunny Flat)
Drive up the 14,179-ft volcano to Bunny Flat (6,950 ft) for hikes, snow play and views.
~91 min from 96001
Know before you go: Road is plowed to Bunny Flat year-round, but the gate above Bunny Flat closes in the snow season, and storms can close the road lower.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 5
Shasta Lake (Bridge Bay / Bailey Cove)
California's largest reservoir: houseboats, boating, swimming and lakeside trails.
~21 min from 96001
- Summer
- Fall
- Spring
- 6
Sundial Bridge
Santiago Calatrava's glass-decked pedestrian bridge over the Sacramento River; free.
~4 min from 96001
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 7
Castle Crags State Park
Granite spires above I-5 with hikes and Sacramento River access.
~61 min from 96001
Know before you go: Vehicle day-use fee. Just over 1 hour.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 8
Sacramento River Trail
Paved riverside loop through the heart of Redding, linking the Sundial Bridge and Diestelhorst Bridge.
~4 min from 96001
Know before you go: Summer afternoons are often very hot; go early.
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- 9
Subway Cave (lava tube)
A walk-through lava tube near Old Station: about 1,300 ft of cave on a 1/3-mile trail.
~81 min from 96001
Know before you go: Closed in winter; USFS lists April-October, opening about late April after snowmelt. No lights inside; bring a flashlight.
- Summer
- Fall
- Spring
- 10
Shasta Dam
One of the largest concrete dams in the US, with views of Mt. Shasta and Shasta Lake.
~28 min from 96001
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
How we ranked this list
Editorial ranking of the Redding area's best outdoor places overall, weighing scenery and uniqueness most, then variety of things to do, family-friendliness, cost and drive time. Drive time is a factor, not a cutoff.
Drive times: one-way OSRM estimates (no traffic) from 1733 Market St, Redding 96001. Season chips filter out places that are closed or not recommended that season; they do not re-rank. Check official sites for current conditions.
Rankings are editorial; no business paid for placement.

