Castle Crags

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=454 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Crags Castle Crags is a dramatic and well-known rock formation in Northern California. Elevations range from 2,000 feet (610 m) along the Sacramento River near the base of the crags, to over 6,500 feet (2,000 m) at the summit of the tallest crag. Located just west of Interstate 5, between the towns of Castella and Dunsmuir, Castle Crags is today a popular tourist stop along the highway. The formation and surrounding habitats are protected by Castle Crags State Park, located on both sides of Interstate 5 at them, and by Castle Crags Wilderness Area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Castle Crags State Park Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. T he lofty spires and granite dome of Castle Crags rise to more than 6,500 feet. The grandeur of the crags has been revered as California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (530) 235-2684. This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.™ Castle Crags State Park 20022 Castle Creek Road Castella, CA 96017 (530) 235-2684 © 2014 California State Parks an extraordinary place for millennia. M ajestic Castle Crags have inspired enduring myths and legends since prehistoric times. More than 170 million years old, these granite formations in the Castle Crags Wilderness border the northwestern edge of Castle Crags State Park. Located at the north end of Sacramento Valley off Interstate 5, the park has average high temperatures above 90° in the summer, dipping to the low 20s in winter. park history Native People The forested area of Castle Crags State Park was used by several native groups. Ancestral home to the Okwanuchu Shasta people, the conspicuous crags were also revered by the indigenous Californians surrounding them — including the Wintu, Achumawi and Modoc people. The Okwanuchu Shasta believed that spirits took human forms to live in rocks, cliffs and mountaintops such as the crags. The Okwanuchu Shasta territory covered about 700 square miles of forested mountains from the headwaters of the Sacramento River to the McCloud River and from Mount Shasta to Pollard Flat. The abundant local riverine and terrestrial resources ensured their success as hunters and gatherers. Plentiful salmon and other fish in what is now the Sacramento River and its tributaries could be eaten fresh or dried and stored for winter months. Harvested nuts from oaks and pines provided year-round sustenance, and bulbs, roots, greens, berries and grasses were gathered seasonally. Strong trading ties with their neighbors yielded obsidian from the Achumawi to the east and abalone and dentalia shells from their western coastal neighbors, the Karok, Yurok and Hupa. Beginning in the late 1820s, the territories and lifeways of all native groups were changed by the arrival of European and American explorers and fur trappers. A malaria epidemic brought by European fur trappers wiped out much of the Okwanuchu Shasta populace by 1833. With the 1848 gold discoveries at the Trinity River and Sutter’s Mill, sojourners from around the world flocked to California, invading the original homelands and disturbing the life-sustaining resources of the native people. This invasion also led to displacement of indigenous people. More than two-thirds of the native California Indian people died as a result of the conquest with its violence and contagious diseases — among them, many Okwanuchu Shasta, Wintu and Modoc people from this area. By the 1920s, surviving Okwanuchu Shasta were taken to other areas as slaves or put on reservations. Some were removed as far north as the Umatilla Reservation in northeastern Oregon. Today, the Okwanuchu Shasta and Wintu descendants work toward restored federal recognition and preservation of their customs and culture. The Battle of Castle Crags A false rumor of a “Lost Cabin Mine” brought hordes of gold seekers here in 1853. Poet Joaquin Miller, who had married a Wintu and lived among the native people, wrote, “The gold-diggers had so muddied and soiled the waters the season before that the annual run of salmon had failed, the Indians had for the first time in centuries no stores of dried salmon, and they were starving to death by hundreds.” The miners’ debris choked the waterways — primary source of sustenance for the indigenous people. Whites subsequently attacked hungry Modocs for stealing flour, triggering the Battle of Castle Crags in 1855. The site, between Castle Lake and a formation now known as Battle Rock (in the northwestern crags formation), became California Historical Landmark No. 116 in 1984. A plaque near the park entrance commemorates the conflict between Modocs, Wintu, Okwanuchu Shasta, and white settlers. Discouraged by the untrue mine rumor, gold searchers eventually left. Other mineral, timber and lumber industries moved into this heavily forested area. During the late 1800s, Bailey’s Castle Rock Springs Hotel attracted visitors, and the Castle Rock Springs mineral water bottling plant op

Castle Crags State Park 20022 Castle Creek Road • Castella, CA 96017 • (530) 235-2684 Named for 6,000-foot, glacier-polished crags, Castle Crags State Park offers swimming and fishing in the Sacramento River, hiking in the back country, and a view of Mount Shasta. There are 76 developed campsites and six environmental campsites. The park features 28 miles of hiking trails, including a 2.7 mile access trail to Castle Crags Wilderness, part of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The Pacific Crest Trail also passes through the park. OCCUPANCY: Eight people are allowed per family campsite. VEHICLE PARKING: Campsites are designed to accommodate one or two vehicles. Additional vehicles must be parked near the ranger station (call for information on the extra vehicle charge). For parking purposes, trailers are considered vehicles. CHECK-OUT TIME is NOON. Please vacate your site by that time. PETS must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and under your immediate control at all times. They are not permitted in buildings or on trails (except the campground trail). Pets must be confined to a vehicle or tent at night. FIRES AND FIREWOOD: Please be cautious when building fires — wildfire danger is especially high during the summer. Fires are allowed only in established fire rings or camp stoves. Do not build ground fires outside the fire rings or leave campfires unattended. Do not gather firewood in the park — the nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem. You may purchase firewood at the entrance station. SPEED LIMIT: The maximum speed limit is 15 mph. When pedestrians, bicyclists and children are present, even 15 mph might be too fast. Use good judgement. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers. NOISE: Radios, voices and other soundproducing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day or night. Engine-driven generators or other devices are not to be operated between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. GAMES: Horseshoes and similar games are not allowed in the campgrounds. BEAR WARNING: Bears may come into the campground at any time of the day or night. Campers must lock all food in the bear-proof locker. Do not keep food in your tent or sleeping area, in exposed ice chests, or on storage shelves. Place all garbage in cans immediately — do not allow it to accumulate. Improper food storage could result in a citation with a maximum fine of $1,000 (Section 4323(b) California Code of Regulations). Discover the many states of California.TM CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249. Castle Crags State Park Your Site #__________ LEGEND Accessible Feature Gas Station Vista Point Upper Loop Po Parking Little Loop Post Office 24 Ranger Station 23 22 PCT 25 Camp Restrooms Showers Supplies 19 20 Viewpoint 62 61 41 42 39 40 29 30 32 33 34 26 28 31 35 36 64 37 il Lower Loop 4 3 2 5 Bo H 17 ra il 7 8 9 10 F ad la Trailer & R.V. turnaround Pedestrian Underpass il 5 12 11 ro a nt ge Ro Exit S Ro und T l C r e ek gro A ad C R A M E O NT R RI VE R 5 6 4 3 te Cas t l e mp Cas C l ai Tr a Entrance Station Riv Tra er No R.V.s or Trailers beyond this point 13 1 6 15 16 14 63 38 18 b’s a tT ra (Map not to scale) 27 21 Vista Picnic Area No Overnight Parking at view point No Parking 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. 50 51 52 48 53 54 47 55 49 45 57 46 56 59 44 60 58 43 int Locked Gate India n Natur Creek e Loo p il Tr a Campfire Center rs ive ide Roa 2 7 8 12 10 11 Riverside Campground To River Trail 9 Day-Use Area 1 d For emergencies call 9-1-1 To So da Cr eek © 2002 California State Parks (Rev. 2014)