By Mara Dobyns

   Located just North of Redding in Lakehead, California and only about two miles off of I-5, The Shasta Lake Caverns aren’t too far off the beaten path and can even be used as a fun stop if you’re needing a break to stretch your legs while traveling along I-5.

   For our trip we stayed in Dunsmuir. It’s become a fun new place to explore for us as of recently. If you happen to stay in Dunsmuir too, make sure to check out The Railroad Park Resort, their dining car, and even Yaks On 5 if you’re looking for one of the best burgers out there.

   For me, it’s always exciting when you get to cross a bucket list item off of your bucket list but it’s even better when that item exceeds your expectations. Over spring break is when my family and I had the opportunity to cross off Explore the Shasta Lake Caverns from ours and it was such an incredible and unforgettable experience. 

 It’s an adventure in itself just to get to the caverns. It started off with a boat ride across the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake which was a gem all on its own. In case you didn’t know, Shasta lake is the largest man made lake and the house boating capital of the world. How cool is that?! You’ll get to ride by The Pit River Bridge but you won’t actually get to see the bridge as it’s about 300 feet underwater, however it’s still fun to learn the rich history behind it. We enjoyed the smooth ride across stunningly green water with the wind in our hair and the sun shining all around us. I think my daughter, Vivian and her friend Kylia were slightly awe struck with the whole experience. 

   Next you climb off the boat and into a bus (hopefully you aren’t afraid of heights like me) and up the hill you go to reach the caverns. The road itself is narrow and steep and if you sit by the window I don’t recommend looking down. If you do you’ll be fine but I don’t recommend it, haha. Despite my fear of heights the views were quite scenic and incredibly beautiful. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some wildlife along the way. After your bus ride you’ll find yourself 900 feet above Shasta Lake. You’ll line up and be assigned tour guides and patiently wait to be let in and let me tell you, it’s worth the wait and all the hype.

   Upon entering it took our eyes a while to adjust. Everything is dark, the air feels slightly damp and something, somewhere is dripping. As your eyes adjust you are instructed to climb up and down stairs to see different formations and explore different rooms and enjoy the magic of it all. Thankfully, there’s no crawling or crouching involved. Our tour guides were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and full of fun facts for each section. I thoroughly enjoyed the information and I loved that they knew how to make us all laugh. Their love for their work really enhanced the experience and we learned so much! 

So I bet you’re still wondering what was dripping… It was the cavern itself! It’s true, here’s one of those fun facts for you, caverns can drip for multiple reasons but for this one in particular, it’s caused by water flowing through the limestone walls, dissolving the limestone and creating calcium carbonate. When the water evaporates the calcium carbonate precipitates out of the water and builds up over time to form cave formations. The formations themselves are called dripstone formations and the Shasta cavern includes 38 different types including stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, Jurassic fossils and even tiny cave coral, just to name a few. 

   The caverns themselves were actually formed by flowing water at least 200 million years ago. As the water drained it created the caverns that we see today. J.A. Richardson, an employee at a nearby fish hatchery discovered the caverns in 1878, though the Wintu Tribe probably knew about them long before.  

   This was my first time exploring inside a cavern and I thought it was incredibly informative, unique, and well worth the drive. I hadn’t known what to expect but it was such a beautiful and wonderful surprise. An experience I think all ages would appreciate. I recommend good shoes, a water bottle and possibly a snack. Sabine Rosales, office manager for the Lake Shasta Caverns recommends dressing according to outside weather conditions. She also played a big part in making this trip so special for us. Thank you, Sabine!

After our guided tour we made our way back onto the bus followed by the boat and the stairway up to their gift shop. Vivian and her friend found the softest Shasta Lake hoodies to remember the trip by. While 

my husband quickly discovered the coffee mugs and magnets and I oooohhhh-ed and awe-ed over their jewelry selection trying to decide what to pick. They had so many beautiful options. They also have snacks and drinks available for purchase.

On your way in or out make sure to stop out front and let your littles enjoy their playground which features a treehouse, rock climbing wall, picnic tables and a gemstone sluice box! That’s right, help your littles find and identify gems and fossils while working in the trough. Some gemstones they may find include quartz, peridot, ruby, sapphire, moonstone and even emeralds. 

   They are open Monday-Sunday from 8:00am-4:30pm for daily tours and you can purchase tickets ahead of time on their website here: book.singenuity.com/473/activity

   The tour is about two hours long and ticket prices range from $16 to $42 depending on age.

School field trips are also welcome. Have your school contact the Shasta Lake Caverns for more information.

   For more info on The Shasta Lake Caverns: www.lakeshastacaverns.com

   Looking for more adventure? Book one of their scenic dinner cruises around the lake! Their buffet-style menu has something for everyone and varies depending on the season. They also welcome private parties. Find out more at: www.lakeshastacaverns.com/dinner-cruise