Paddling in Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area spans three separate units across Shasta and Trinity counties in northern California, each centered on a large reservoir.

The Whiskeytown unit, managed by the National Park Service eight miles west of Redding, is where most paddling happens. The Shasta and Trinity units fall under the U. S. Forest Service and the surrounding Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Whiskeytown Lake is the paddling anchor of the NPS unit.

The reservoir is known for exceptional water clarity — visibility exceeding 30 feet in places — and its 36 miles of forested shoreline give kayakers and SUP paddlers room to explore coves and quieter stretches well away from motorized boat traffic.

Launch ramps at Oak Bottom, Brandy Creek Marina, and Whiskey Creek are the main put-ins for paddlers bringing their own boats.

The concessioner, Whiskeytown Marinas LLC, rents kayaks, SUPs, and pedalboats from Oak Bottom year-round and from Brandy Creek Marina seasonally, so you don't need to haul gear to get on the water.

The NPS runs ranger-led kayak tours and paddleboard programs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Friday through Monday, with all equipment provided. Reservations are required and made through Recreation. gov.

These programs are genuinely popular — book early if that's your plan. A few rules apply regardless of how you get on the water. Every boat, including kayaks and paddleboards, must carry a lifejacket for each person aboard. Paddlers under 16 must wear one.

An entrance pass is required to enter the park; purchase it at the visitor center or online before you arrive. Commercial guided paddling trips require a Commercial Use Authorization from the park. The lake rewards unhurried paddling.

The clarity that makes it a scuba destination also means you can watch the bottom drop away beneath your hull as you cross from a shallow cove into open water — a small, reliable pleasure that doesn't require a guided tour or a rental reservation to find.