Shasta Caverns Guide | Lake Shasta | California Travel Tips

Veronica Hill of California Travel Tips tours Lake Shasta Caverns (http://lakeshastacaverns.com) located just north of Redding, CA, off Interstate 5. Open year-round, tours at Shasta Lake Caverns depart every 30 minutes during the summer.

Our underground adventure begins with a narrated Lake Shasta tour , followed by a scenic bus ride 800 feet up to the North Gray Rocks visitor center. After enjoying stunning views of the lake, our guide Dave Mundt opens the cave's doors, and we begin our journey. Although first known to the Wintu Indians, Shasta Caverns was "officially" discovered on November 3, 1878 by J.A. Richardson, an employee at the Baird Fish Hatchery. The caverns opened to the public in 1964, and became a National Natural Landmark in 2012. Lake Shasta Caverns are estimated to be roughly 250 million years old, formed by volcanic activity in the Klamath Mountain range. Inside, you'll find a spectacular world of flowstones, stalagtites, stalagmites and fluted columns. Geologists theorize that limestone caverns are formed when ground water and decayed organic materials make its way through the limestone fissures. As carbonic acid was formed, the soft limestone dissolved and created holes that were eventually filled with calcium carbonate. After several hundred years, calcite formations such as stalactites (which hang from above) and stalagmites (formed on the ground) were formed. Our first stop is the Discovery Room, where Richardson first made his descent more than 20 feet above the cave floor. His inscription, written in carbon on November 3, 1878, is still visible in the cave. Next, Dave leads us into the Crystal Room, which is filled with unique and fantastical formations. In the Underground Classroom, also known as the Basement Room, we get to touch some of the cave's flowstone deposits. Our last stop is the cavernous Thompson Room or Cathedral Room, which is the largest and most impressive in the caverns.

The 2-hour Shasta Lake tour ends with a scenic walk down to the visitor center, where we catch our boat back to the parking lot. If you plan on staying in the area, the caverns offer dinner cruises on Shasta Lake!

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