Upper Sacramento River
Between Redding and Mount Shasta · near Dunsmuir / Mount Shasta City · Shasta Cascade
Rivers & Whitewater
At a glance
- Season
- April–May, sometimes June · Rain/snowmelt-dependent — book early
Permits and booking
- Permit
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Rain- and snowmelt-fed; short spring season. Self-guided possible for experienced boaters at moderate flows.
What is here
- Activities
- guided-rafting · kayaking · self-guided
Worth knowing
- Minimum age
- Family-friendly at moderate flows (outfitter-dependent, often 7–10+)
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Guides, rentals and operators
- Operators
- River Dancers · Living Waters Recreation
- Outfitters
- Six Rivers Rafting
Rivers & Whitewater detail
- Nickname
- 35 Rapids in 14 Miles
- Class min
- II
- Class max
- III+
- Trip options
- Full day (14 miles, 35+ rapids) · Spring/early summer only
- Key rapids
- The busy first half · Pool-drop lower half
- Intl tip
- This corner pairs with Mount Shasta's swimming (McCloud Falls, swimming guide), the Lake Shasta Caverns (caving guide), and Redding's mountain biking (MTB guide). Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta City are charming base towns; the Railroad Park Resort (sleep in a caboose) is a local classic.
The guide
The Upper Sacramento, halfway between Redding and Mount Shasta, is the perfect adventurous-family run — it packs over 35 rapids…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Upper Sacramento River — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 40.899, -122.362