Herd Peak is an active fire lookout used to spot forest fires. This is a fun & easy drive with a very short walk up about 2-flights of stairs to get to the peak. You can drive within about 200ft of the fire lookout. The view is well worth it, especially if the view of Mt. Shasta is clear (no clouds). Even if it isn’t there’s a number of other peaks, valleys, lakes, towns all visible from this peak.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE:
Mount Shasta from the north side, Black Butte, Mount Eddy range, Weed CA, Lake Shastina, Grass Lake, Grenada Ca, Deer Mountain, Sheep Rock, and a gorgeous view of a valley below you.
THINGS TO KNOW:
- The drive is a little bit under an hour from Mount Shasta, CA
- This is a pretty easy drive, easily allowing a car easily to get up to the top. There is a metal gate, but it’s been left unlocked & open every time I’ve been up there.
- Google & Apple don’t recognize the roads up to the top, so the GPS directions may not be very useful with Smart Phones. Following the map/directions is the best way up.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE???
- See if you can find the 5 Geological Survey Markers.
DIRECTIONS:
- GPS Coordinates: (NOTE: Google & Apple Maps don’t route you the correct directions)
- Herd Peak Lookout: 41.628211, -122.231626
- STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS:
- From Mount Shasta,CA
- Turn right to merge onto I-5 NI-5 N toward toward WeedWeed 8.4 mi
- Take the US-97US-97 exit toward exit toward Central Weed/Klamath Falls 0.2 mi
- Turn right onto US-97 N/S Weed Blvd – 19.7 mi
- Take a left on 45N22 – proceed 2.9 mi
- Take a left on 44N39Y – proceed 3.1 mi
- At the parking area (wide area at end of road) walk to the far edge of the parking lot and take the staircase up to the fire lookout.MAPS:
- From Mount Shasta,CA
- References for map: http://www.fs.fed.us/ivm/
VISUAL DIRECTIONS:
HUNGRY?
When I’m adventuring, I always like to find some food close to the trail. In this case Weed, CA is the closest place to go. Here’s where I eat when I’m driving through the area.
- Coffee/Breakfast: Ellie’s Espresso & Bakery –79 S Weed Blvd # 1, Weed, CA 96094 –(530)938-1041 This is a great little bakery with some killer food. I really love their breakfast sandwiches (Egg/delicious Bacon & your choice of cheese on a croissant). Good coffee too.
- Indian Food: Glassy Junction Restaurant – 1846 Shastina Dr, Weed, CA 96094 – (530) 938-1500
- The whole area around it looks like a truck stop, but don’t let this fool you. This little restaurant is a gem. I’d call it one of the best Indian restaurants in the north state. I love the Masala Chicken.
- American/Asian BBQ: Asian American BBQ – 10 N Weed Blvd, Weed, CA 96094 – (530) 938-9967 . This place is a little hole in the wall restaurant with good bbq, PHO (Vietnamese), & Thai food.
- Brewery: Weed Brewing -360 College Ave, Weed, CA 96094 – (530) 938-2394 . This is a cool brewery that used to be an old dairy. The beer is pretty good too, especially after some nice adventuring. It’s a little off the map so you’ll most likely just see locals here. – http://www.weedales.com
Engineering a Better Adventure 