I would not consider putting Pluto's cave on your bucket list, but if you are in the area it is a…read morecool place to check out. It is not really a place you want to take the kids, more like a place for people with no children that want to experience a spooky experience. The caves are definitely filled with human negative energy. We did not stay long, we just checked them out from a distance, but did not go actually in to the deeper section. This is more like for a group of 3 or more.

We had a paranormal experience here. We'll never forget it!!! The caves are unfortunately…read morevandalized with graffiti. Other than that it is an interesting place!

I've been to where lava flows were before but never have I walked/climbed through where lava tubes…read moreactually are before. This was definitely an experience if you haven't done it! $15.00-25.00 to bring your horse, bicycle, motorcycle cycle, car or RV into the park. Doesn't matter how warm outside as the caves are cool to freezing with ice depending on which cave and how far down it goes. Headlamps/flashlights are needed but headlamps easiest so you can use both your hands. The fantastic Park Rangers will not only give you expert advice on what caves are best suited for you but the history about this amazing park. Skull Cave before you get to the visitors center was my first cave. After descending the short rock staircase then a rock floor then to a metal landing and down the metal staircase lower and lower into the cold dark earth. At the bottom is a Skull, bones and ice. The hand rails were freezing. Wish I would have brought my gloves. The visitors center can help with what caves are where and offer helmets, flashlights and other needs via borrow, rent or buy. Closed shoes, knee pads, etc for tight caves recommended. The others I tried weren't near that cold but still really incredible in different ways. To see all the melting of rock and burn scars through these tubes is spectacular. Our earth is alive and so amazing. There are some bathrooms at some of the sites but not all so take advantage. Also, make sure to wear clothing you've never worn in other caves. Transfer of biologicals is real and could very negatively effect the bats in here. An awe experience and I highly recommend it. Some spaces also might be a bit small in case you're claustrophobic. Many are not tight but pitch black. Better than any Halloween haunted house with the creep jumping out at you. A park experience not to miss!

One of the most underrated national parks in the country. You owe it to yourself to visit Lava…read more Beds National Monument at least once in your life! There are many lava tubes that are for all difficulties and they are all mostly along the road loop around the park or a short trail walk away. Some are easy to walk through upright all the way to those you have to crawl through requiring gear. Certain tubes can be closed seasonally to protect the bats that both migrate and hibernate there, so be sure to check with the park before you go if there is a specific one you would like to visit. The campgrounds are first come first serve except for the large group sites that can be reserved online, and the restrooms are decently kept with water refill stations outside. Overall a great experience, would highly recommend!

A really nice visit with gorgeous views of the mountains to start off. Waited in gift shop for our…read moretrip to the boat to go across the lake to go up to caverns. You can walk down stairs or take the ramps to get to boats. Nice easy ride across lake where your docked and take a bus up to lodge before entering the caves. If you are not able to climb a lot stairs, don't try the caverns. There are lots of stairs with narrow pathways. Sorry. Beautiful caverns with lots of history about how they were found and even some original paths in and ladders from founder. The light show at the end was fun. Worth the history, boat and bus ride up. Plus, Elsie, a boat from WWII Normandy sits in the harbor and is still used to boat stuff around and even has old bullet wounds to show. Reasonably priced adult ticket is $47.84 and can be purchased online or at the cute little gift shop. This is for at least 2 hours and if your a smaller group, lots of 1 on 1 with your guide for questions answered and they are very knowledgeable.

I had a wonderful time at the caverns. This is a must see if in the Redding/Shasta area…read more I purchased my tickets online. It was easy and quick process. You can also purchase tickets from the gift shop. The entire trip was smooth and super fun. It started with a ferry ride to the other side of the lake. There was a bus waiting for us. We loaded the bus, drove up to the caves, and met our guide. We met Jenna, tour guide, and began our tour. She was funny and very informative throughout the entire tour. The caves were fantastic to see. BEWARE: there are lots of stairs in the caves that you must climb and descend. There were loads of rock formations to see in the caves. The lighting system made it easier to each one. I especially liked the light show at the end.

Mount Shasta is an incredibly beautiful mountain and volcano. If your driving between Seattle and…read moreLos Angeles you can't miss it from the highway. There are probably a couple different cities that you can enjoy Mount Shasta from but my favorite city is Weed. They have hotels and gift shops and is a cute little town with everything you need. There are two exits for Weed off the highway. One exit is the 'old town' part that is more cute and the other exit is the newer part. I think staying a night here is a perfect thing to do as the scenery is so pleasant. It really is a destination. So often to see natural beauty like this you have to sacrifice comforts of city living. Not with Mount Shasta - its a town that has it all and is just steps away from a little nature walk with an incredible backdrop. It is a real sight to see when you have this regular old Shell Gas station or even Grocery Outlet where the backdrop is the volcano. I don't think you can ever get tired of the harmony here of man made combined with nature.

Incredible volcano and mountain…read more Really recommend spending some time around the nature in this area, even if you won't be committing a summit climb. I went up this past weekend with the attempt to summit Shasta and had a really nice time. The town of Mt. Shasta has a few restaurants and some decent accomodations for sleeping (slept in Loge with our group which was great)... As for the hike, we went up and started at Bunny Flats and camped at Helen Lake for the night and then going for the summit via the Avalanche Gulch route. It was a beautiful and trying hike...definitely be familiar with the risks and have the proper skills to manage them if attempting. All in all; Mount Shasta is majestic and magical. Spend some time here!

The water is hypothermia inducingly cold, the walk is treacherous and the falls aren't that…read moreexciting. You can take the long route which requires a lot more walking near the train tracks or attempt the river crossing which could end with you swept miles downriver or drowned. At any moment they could let water out of the down to send a surge down the Sacramento River and send you off through rocks and rapids below the falls. The trains come through fast and around blind corners and the roar of the river masks the sound of the train. It is a dangerous hike and people have died there. I don't recommend it for day trippers or casual tourists. Advanced hiking skills required and extra attention to safety and strong swimmers only. Even in mid August the water is high and freezing and the river crossing is very slippery and dangerous. If you know what you are doing and manage the trek there and back you will have seen one of the areas smaller but pretty waterfalls. There is talk of building a trail with a pedestrian bridge to the falls so once that is done it will likely be overrun with day trippers. I recommend going now but be careful.

A must visit in Dunsmuir! Live the cascading waterfall so majestic , calm and mesmerizing ! It's…read moreour second time here and definitely be more visit in the future ! We had the whole waterfall to ourselves

This is a great place for a photo op of Mt. Shasta, may it be you are coming or going. There is…read moregreat information about the history of the Mountain as well as benches if you just want to stop and take a minute to enjoy the beauty. I have stopped here on countless occasions when traveling between Oregon & California

A little pit stop off southbound highway 97. Totally worth the stop. I can only imagine how much…read moremore grand and beautiful it would have been if the top was not covered. Definitely want to come back and explore it in the Spring or Summer.

This is an amazing landmark and art piece that's on the grounds of the Sheraton Redding Hotel at…read morethe Sundial Bridge. It's basically an old aggregate plant that took stones from the Sacramento River and used a miles-long conveyor belt to send them to be used in the construction of the Shasta Dam. It's a very cool piece of history that easily flies under the radar.

"Jefferson is the state that never was and never will be but that has lived in men's minds for a…read morehundred years." So quoth one resident from the region encompassing part of Southern Oregon and Northern California that locals call the State of Jefferson. If you have ever had occasion to traverse this largely unspoiled, sparsely populated, Heaven-sent, beautiful geographical region, you will understand why residents proudly and defiantly describe themselves as the 51st state in the Union. The history of a movement to secede from the rest of the United States is well-documented on the Web in State of Jefferson websites, Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Jefferson), and has made its way into the collective consciousness of the local population enough to garner recognition by media outlets in the area. For instance, the region's NPR affiliates are referred to as Jefferson Public Radio (http://www.ijpr.org) and The Pioneer Press, an area newspaper published in Fort Jones, California, stakes its claim as "The official newspaper of the State of Jefferson". The sheer beauty and remoteness of parts of this hypothetical state, exemplified by the view of the snow-covered mountaintop of the extinct volcano Mt. Shasta, are enough to convince most skeptics that the State of Jefferson is its own special place that deserves a name of its own and is worth visiting at least once in one's lifetime.

Over the rich history of the United States, various successionist movements have come and gone (or…read morenot). In fact a few of my Texas friend actively look forward to the day when the Lone Star State goes it's own way, but only after they get their first In-N-Out Burger franchise. Up here in the far reaches of Northern California is the State of Jefferson, with Yreka as its Capital. It's a beautiful drive and somewhere along I-5, there's actually a sign on top of a barn that announces your arrival. There is no border patrol, unless you count the Ag Inspection Station at Hornbrook. The State of Jefferson was a dream, that Northern California and Southern Oregon shared, to succeed in creating a new state. The concept of the State of Jefferson started 1852 when a bill was introduced in the California State Legislature meeting at Vallejo. This bill died in committee and the proposal was never acted upon. After Oregon was incorporated as a state in 1859, miners in the area refused allegiance to either state government and declined to pay taxes. During the Civil War some settlers were interested in creating a northern haven for slavery, but fortunately this failed. By 1941 the dream was sparked again when certain counties in California and Oregon decided that they were not being fairly represented by Sacramento and Salem. This was a region that earned a living off the lumber, fishing, and other harvesting businesses in the area and they felt the government was not distributing infrastructure funding equally to the area. In particular, poor road quality and lack of bridges made it difficult to earn a living in this remote area. They wanted to break away and from their own state to improve their lifestyles by governing themselves with their own laws. And the Jefferson State of Mind lives on today.....

A small walk uphill directly off the 1-5 exit 6/mt Ashland exit. Private property sign. Lots of…read morehuman feces and litter but cool once you get up there and walk around.

This is one of those little places every local should experience- and if you're just passing…read morethrough it's right off the I-5- it's a little walk that would be good for stretching your legs- letting your dog out etc- and it's really interesting to see the train tunnel through the mountain up close- I love all the old buildings they are covered with graffiti but that somehow makes them look even more awesome against the forest backdrop- they are really amazing to check out- great short hiking trail with an interesting ending and lots of historical significance- just beautiful- a must see and a great experience *sidenote- rumored to be haunted because as the site of the last "great" train robbery in the west- 4 were killed- it was also rumored that the dynamite the robbers used to open the safe also burnt up the cash so started their curse