Whiskeytown Lake
near Redding (Whiskeytown NRA) · near Redding · Shasta Cascade
Kayaking & SUP
At a glance
- Best season
- April-October (early morning best - Redding-area summer heat)
What is here
- Wildlife
- Ospreys, bald eagles, waterfowl in the quiet arms
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Kayaking & SUP detail
- Water types
- alpine-lake
- Exposure
- moderate
- Sup friendly
- Yes
- Wetsuit
- Clear, cool reservoir water; summer air is hot but a swim is refreshing
- Intl tip
- Launch early and stick to the side arms (Brandy Creek, Whiskey Creek) - by afternoon the wind and powerboats own the main lake, and the Redding-area heat is intense. Rent at Oak Bottom Marina or join a ranger-led paddle tour.
The guide
Whiskeytown is a National Recreation Area with unusually clear, blue-green water for a lowland reservoir, and quiet forested in…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Whiskeytown Lake — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 40.636, -122.5865