April showers have been steadily paving the way for a showstopping spring! Just look outside to see the Daffodils, California Poppies, Forsythia on the hillsides, and Lupine covering the fields. The annual parade of wildflowers has begun, and so has Siskiyou’s spring magic, when the sun finally comes out and we can all shake off winter. So grab a friend and get out to experience the magic first-hand. Here are just a few experiences around Siskiyou we can’t wait to have this year!
Siskiyou Science Festival
Science or Magic? That is the question this year with the annual Siskiyou Science Festival that will take place this year throughout Siskiyou County between May 13th and 19th. Tours and Presentations will happen all week long, from Magic of Science Performances in Yreka and Weed, to explorations of geology, fermentation and plant sciences at places like Scott River Ranch and Denny Bar Co. in Fort Jones and Etna. The heart of the festival will happen around downtown Mount Shasta, with several events planned at the family-friendly Sisson Museum, an-all day street fair on May 18th and guided excursions through Sisson Meadow, Castle Crags and Spring Hill. Registration for the tours is free but required as some tour sizes are limited.
Take A Magical Spring Drive
The Klamath River is a wild and scenic river that dramatically cuts its way through a canyon, with absolutely magical scenery in the spring. For a meandering drive that lets you take it all in, follow the river’s path along Highway 96 between Yreka and Happy Camp. From Yreka, take the scenic Hwy 263 to Hwy 96 where the Shasta River joins Klamath River then continue west on Hwy 96 to Happy Camp. For an extra dose of spring magic, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. Local lore claims that Bigfoot roams this dramatic landscape. For other scenic drive ideas in Siskiyou, visit here.
Explore a Magical Mountain
Soaring 14,180 feet into the Northern California sky, Mount Shasta is an imposing force with the power to create its own weather – aka the magical lenticular clouds that famously circle its peak. It has long been a destination for mystics, healers, gurus, shamans and curious people from all over the world, and is considered the Earth’s Root Chakra, which means it magnifies the energy associated with the base chakra in the body. For those who feel it, its energy has been compared to a geyser with a great uprush of life energy, or prana. But there are many ways to explore its magic this spring, whether on foot, with a guide, or from a car. For some more inspiration about where to go, where to stay and what to see, visit here.
Visit Faery Falls
Take the easy mile or so hike just outside the city of Mount Shasta to experience this magical 50-foot cascade! Located along the historic Ney Springs Canyon Trail, you’ll pass a former resort location along the way that has since been taken over by nature. The Falls themselves provide lots of Instagrammable photo ops. For a complete list of other spring flows or to build a weekend waterfall itinerary in Siskiyou, visit here.
Watch The Magic of Flight
The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in East Siskiyou is a 50,000+-acre refuge, and one of the most biologically productive refuges in the Pacific Flyway. Approximately 80 percent of the flyway’s migrating waterfowl pass through the Klamath Basin during the spring migration, with 50 percent using the refuge. What could be more magical than marveling at flocks of migrating waterfall, or seeing North America’s largest concentration of snow geese?
Find a Magic Crystal
The city of Mount Shasta is, in part, known for its crystal shops (at least 8!), and it’s a magical way to spend a spring afternoon exploring downtown. It’s also said that customers don’t choose their crystals – crystals choose their customers so make sure you open yourself up to the experience. For a first-hand experience, list of crystal shops and tips for a first-timer, visit Tammy’s everyday adventures blog here.
