Lake Almanor was created in 1914 as a hydroelectric facility by the Great Western Power Company. The name "Almanor" originated by combining the names of three sisters, Alice, Martha and Elinore, daughters of Guy C. Earl, Vice President.

The Great Western Power Company later became part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) who, along with the Forest Service, developed Lake Almanor into a beautiful recreation area. The lake rests at an elevation of 4,500 feet, is thirteen miles long and six miles wide, and is approximately 90 feet deep at its deepest point (when the lake is full). The present dam was constructed in 1926-1927, stores 1,308,000 acre feet of water andcovers over 28,000 acres of land.

View Map of the Lake Almanor Recreation Area (53kb)
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Lake Almanor Area Campgrounds & Picnic Areas - The area offers 24 developed campgrounds, and 4 picnic areas in various locations.

McCarthy Point Lookout - A Room with a View - For Rent

Since McCarthy Point is inactive, we are offering the lookout on a rental basis for personal recreation use. The lookout is a two room cabin with a kitchen and bedroom. The “bedroom” is surrounded on three sides by windows, has overhead propane lights, two sleeping platforms (about the size of twin beds) and six old style army cots.

Lake Almanor Recreation Trail - Spectacular views of Lake Almanor, Dyer Mountain and Lassen Volcanic National Park can be found along the entire route of the nine and one-half mile Lake Almanor Recreation Trail. This multiuse trail winds through beautiful stands of stately pine, fir and incense cedar, as well as meadows, a campground, a summer home tract and several lakeshore areas that will invite you to take a swim or try your luck at fishing. The trail is ten feet wide and has a paved surface.

Opportunities abound for summer fun at Lake Almanor. Several good spots for shore fishing can be found along the trail and nearby resorts have boats for rent if you would like to try deeper waters. Some of the best wildlife viewing in the Lake Almanor basin can be found here. Osprey and Bald Eagles are frequently seen from the west shore.

Winter brings a beautiful white mantle of snow to the Lake Almanor basin. The trail is an ideal location for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Almanor All Access Trail - Nine miles of Lake Almanor Views...A community volunteer effort!

Heart Lake National Recreation Trail - Stands of aspen and dogwood lend beautiful contrast to a pine and fir forest. The trail, which follows Martin Creek, offers picturesque views of Lassen Peak and Brokeoff Mountain. The trail runs 3.5 miles from the Martin Creek trailhead to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Spencer Meadows National Recreation Trail - This trail leads hikers through aspen groves, meadow areas, towering incense cedar, and past bubbling springs. The trail runs from highway 36/89 to Lassen Volcanic National Park, where it connects with the park's trail system. The trail is twelve miles in length.

The Ishi Wilderness is located in the southern Cascade foothills, approximately twenty miles east of Red Bluff, California. This area is a unique 41,000 acre, low-elevation wilderness.

The land incised by wind and water, dotted with basaltic outcroppings, caves, and bizarre pillar lava formations. Landscape is up and down country with a series of east-west running ridges framed by rugged river canyons. The sunburnt south slopes carry brush (a mixture of species called chaparral). Pines and oaks live on the moister north-facing slopes, and lusher riparian forests line the river banks. Unique to this area are the pineries, dense islands of ponderosa pine growing on terraces left after rivers cut the canyons.

The Caribou Wilderness is a gentle, rolling, forested plateau with many forest fringed lakes. Reminders of volcanic and glacial origin can be seen throughout these wildlands. Crater peaks, cinder cones and numerous large and small depressions have become beautiful lakes and are scattered throughout

Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association

1699 HWY 273, Anderson, CA 96007 | (P) 530-365-7500

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