Swimming and Paddling Lake Siskiyou in Northern California

Looking for more fun things to do near Mount Shasta?
Go swimming at Lower Falls on the McCloud River, hike to Middle and Upper Falls,
and camp next door at Fowlers Campground.

SWIM

Lake Siskiyou is known for its sparkling blue water. Although its brilliance was sadly muted due to smokey skies during our visit, it was still lovely. Clarity is high, except when swimmers stir up the sandy bottom, and the water is generally free of weeds and debris.

The water temperature is perfect for swimming — pleasantly cool, but not cold (at least not near the shore). I could relax comfortably in the water without feeling the least bit chilly. The kids felt immediately at home, and swam happily for hours.

We made our home base near the Spini Meadows trailhead, which is well removed from the crowds around Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort. It provides easy access to a small, shallow inlet that’s perfect for very young children, as well as a larger arm of the lake that passes under the Wagon Creek Bridge. Since there isn’t a boat launch nearby, motorboat traffic is infrequent, which is great news for swimmers and paddlers alike. We were there on a Friday afternoon, however, and I expect weekends are busier.

PADDLE

Lake Siskiyou is a great place to paddle! You can spend hours exploring this large body of water, or stick with the small coves close to shore. There is no boat launch at the Spini Meadows trailhead, but it’s easy to access the water on foot to launch a kayak or paddle board. Be aware that you may have to transport your gear down a short but steep bank to reach the water, especially when the water level is low. If you prefer a boat ramp, there is one available at Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort.

During our visit, we enjoyed paddling out underneath the Wagon Creek Bridge, a short, easy trip from our launching point at Spini Meadows. The water here was calm, with few motorboats stirring it up. On the main part of the lake, conditions may be choppier. Of course, this will vary greatly depending on the weather and how busy the lake is.

If you don’t have your own kayak or paddle board, during the summer season you can rent one from Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort. The resort also rents party barges and fishing boats. We didn’t see many party boats on the water while we were there, but I expect traffic is higher on weekends.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Parking is free at the day use lot for the Spini Meadows trailhead near Wagon Creek Bridge. Park here for easy access to both the water and the Lake Siskiyou Loop Trail.
• A vault toilet is available at the parking lot.
• There isn’t much of a beach here, but when the water level is low (as it was during our visit), you’ll find pebbly sand along the water’s edge. The pebbles can be sharp, so I recommend sandals or water shoes.
• The trees along the shore are a great place to hang a hammock roll out a picnic blanket in the shade.
• Dogs on leash are welcome. As expected, some people let their dogs loose to swim in the water. I don’t know if this is technically allowed, but please use good judgement and make sure your dog is under control at all times.
• An important word about forest fires: like many places in California, the Shasta-Trinity region is a hot spot for forest fires. During our visit, smoke from nearby fires clouded the sky, and the grey became more pronounced as the afternoon wore on. It wasn’t ideal, but we still had a great time. If there are forest fires in the area, that may lead to closures or poor air quality.

HIGHLIGHTS

Lake Siskiyou’s clear, relatively warm (at least by Pacific Northwest standards) water is a treat for swimmers and paddlers alike. Or maybe you prefer to relax on shore in a hammock — that’s good, too! This is a place to enjoy some vacation time on the water, however you like it. I loved the area near the Spini Meadows trailhead; it wasn’t too crowded and offered a sheltered space for the kids to play. Plus, the view of Mount Shasta over the Wagon Creek Bridge from the water was fantastic! Hikers will find even more amazing views along the Lake Siskiyou Loop Trail.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

This should go without saying, but the kids loved Lake Siskiyou. Having other kids there to play with made it even more fun. It was a delight to swim in water that wasn’t too cold, and to pile onto a paddle board for a kids-only trek across the water. When they tired of swimming, a game of tag on shore was the perfect alternative. The boys’ only regret is that Lake Siskiyou is so far from home — they’d return in a heartbeat!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

We visited just one small section of Lake Siskiyou, but you can easily spend days here, especially if you choose to camp at Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort. We chose to stay at Fowlers Campground, located half an hour east of Lake Siskiyou on the McCloud River. Fowlers provides easy access to the beautiful Lower Falls swimming hole and a lovely short hike to Middle and Upper Falls.

Lake Siskiyou is close to the charming town of Mount Shasta, which offers numerous restaurants and hotels. If you only have time for one meal in Mount Shasta, head to Yaks Shack for incredible burgers (including veggie burgers) and more. We also enjoyed Mexican food at Casa Ramos.

During our stay at Fowlers Campground near Mount Shasta, we had one main priority on the agenda: relax. OK, so I did plan to hike to Middle and Upper Falls on the McCloud River, and go someplace where we could swim and enjoy an easy paddle in the kayak, but that was about it. Enjoy some time on the water, take a short hike, and appreciate the beauty of California’s Cascades. When our campground neighbors invited us to join them for an afternoon at nearby Lake Siskiyou, that fit right in with my plan.

Our friendly campground neighbors visit Lake Siskiyou every summer and had local friends with inside knowledge. On my own, I doubt I would have thought to drive out to Spini Meadows. We parked at the dusty trailhead and headed out onto a tiny peninsula on the east side of the lake. I caught my first glimpse of the water, and was awestruck. This spot was perfect!

We eagerly changed into our swimsuits, lugged our gear to the lake, and staked out a spot. Even though it was well past noon, the boys were too excited for lunch, and instead made a beeline for the water, where they joined their campground buddies. On the north side of the peninsula, a small, shallow area was an ideal swimming spot for youngsters. To the south, one arm of Lake Siskiyou provided a protected area for open water swimming and paddling.

Our older son, J, was soon swimming across the water with his new campground friend, while five-year-old T played near the shore. When Michael and I decided to take the kayak out for a spin, he joined us for a ride. It wasn’t long, however, before he was ready to jump out rejoin the rest of the kids.

Our campground neighbors graciously agreed to keep an eye on the kids, giving Michael and I the chance to paddle on our own. First on the agenda (not that there was much of an agenda): kayaking out to Wagon Creek Bridge. This was our first time paddling our new Aquaglide kayak with just the two of us in the boat, and we fairly flew across the water! After enjoying a peek past the bridge, we turned back, heading out into the main part of Lake Siskiyou for a final view of Mount Shasta before returning to shore.

Back on shore, we visited with the other adults, lounging lazily in the lake. Meanwhile, the kids decided to take one of the paddle boards out. Soon, five children were all sitting on one paddle board. The lone girl in the group, who also happened to be the oldest (and surely the most mature) took charge of the paddle. Incredibly, they made it all the way across the arm of Lake Siskiyou without anyone falling off.

On the return trip, however, the boys began to bail one by one. By the time they returned, all four were in the water. We can only imagine the relief our fearless girl paddler must have felt to finally have the board to herself!

The kids eventually returned to land, where they busied themselves with games of tag, followed by more play in the shallow inlet. T, feeling hungry at last, took a sandwich break.

Michael, on the other hand, was ready for a nap, or at least some quality time in the hammock. This is an ideal place to hang a hammock, and Michael was more than happy to take advantage of it. My only regret was that we left our other hammock back at the campsite, and Michael was not about to give up his spot!

As dinner time approached, everyone in our group began the task of packing up. We joined our campground friends for an outdoor meal at Casa Ramos in Mount Shasta before heading back to our campsite at Fowlers. Our trip was drawing to a close, and tomorrow we were headed for the Willamette Valley. As fate would have it, a fun, relaxing afternoon on Lake Siskiyou was the perfect farewell.