Once a railroad hub, Dunsmuir is now an artsy village perched on the Upper Sacramento River lined with murals, galleries and the far north’s best cuisine. Boasting an astounding number of swimming holes, and two lovely waterfalls–Hedge Creek Falls is an easy five-minute hike from town, and the dramatic Mossbrae Falls, only 50 feet high, but 150 feet wide, cascade...

California’s best spot to peep birds (75% of the Pacific Flyway species touch down here). Birders, stop in the visitor’s center to get a feel for which avian species you’ll likely spot, and where they hide. Eagles, swans, geese, falcons, owls and more nest here year round. This wildlife preserve, operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, consists...

To really get off the beaten path, motor to the land where bald eagles nest atop pine, fir, and incense cedar, fall brings a Technicolor display of seasonal change; and in summer, the 52 miles of shoreline begs you to jump in the lake. The main community, at the northern tip of the lake, is Chester, which houses a startling...

There are more lava tubes in this park (435!) than anywhere else in North America. Geology aficionados will appreciate the cinder cones, spatter cones, stratovolcanoes, and tubes. Start in the visitor center to see which tubes and caves are open for exploration, and if you happen to visit in winter, the frigid tour of the Crystal Ice Cave will blow...

The curtain of water dropping a half-mile into a river might your breath away as it did Theodore Roosevelt’s when he deemed these falls the “eighth wonder of the world.” One hundred million gallons of water travels from the above river down verdant lava rock into two gushing falls that steal the show. Walk the Falls Loop trail (just over...

Tourists are primarily concerned with the big sites this far north, so that many never get to fully explore the rich forests that cut through the middle of the North State. To explore this area, many people opt to stay in Weaverville, a small town along CA299 that has plenty of services for travelers. Hikers should get a free permit...