Castle Lake

Castle Lake in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest is a glacial lake with picturesque views of Mt. Shasta. In the middle of the lake, researchers float a platform in the middle of the lake to study the lake's environment. This is a great destination to swim to. 

Nearby Hike:
Heart Lake is a great 2-mile roundtrip hike starting from the Castle Lake parking lot. 

Season:
Castle Lake Road and the parking lot are typically open by Memorial Day and are open until the fall when it starts snowing. 

Note:
UC Davis and University of Nevada, Reno have a research station on the west shore of the lake to monitor climate changes and its effects on the lake's ecosystem.