| Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
| Location | Shasta County &Trinity County,California, United States |
| Nearest city | Redding, California |
| Coordinates | 40°37′31″N122°33′34″W / 40.62528°N 122.55944°W /40.62528; -122.55944 |
| Area | 203,587 acres (82,389 ha) |
| Established | November 8, 1965 |
| Visitors | 1,505,134 (Whiskeytown only) (in 2022)[1] |
| Governing body | National Park Service,United States Forest Service |
| Website | Whiskeytown National Recreation Area |

TheWhiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area is a United StatesNational Recreation Area in northernCalifornia.[2] The recreation area was authorized in 1965 by theUnited States Congress. Recreational activities available includeswimming,fishing,boating,camping, andhiking.
The Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area (WST-NRA) has a total of 246,087 acres (99,588 ha) of land, which is divided into the Shasta, Trinity, and Whiskeytown Units. TheShasta–Trinity National Forest surrounds the Shasta and Trinity units, so they are managed by theUnited States Forest Service.[2] TheNational Park Service manages the Whiskeytown unit.[3]
Each of the units encompasses a largereservoir (man-made lake) and its surrounding natural features,habitats, and terrain. The WST-NRA has interesting wildlife viewing opportunities, including over sixty pairs ofosprey, thirty pairs of nestingbald eagles, other resident and migrating birds, and deer and bear populations.
Plant communities includeRiparian,Interior chaparral,Blue oak grasslands,Mixed oak woodlands, andKnobcone pine,Ponderosa pine, ormixed evergreen forests.[4]

Of the eighteen National Recreation Areas under Forest Service management in the U.S., the Shasta–Trinity Units are somewhat unusual, being made up of three large reservoir lakes set in scenic and protected foothill locales with diverse recreation opportunities. The Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area section of the Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area, has 203,587 acres (82,389 ha) managed by theShasta–Trinity National Forest. It includes Shasta, Trinity, and Lewiston Lakes and their surrounding natural areas.[2]
The Trinity Unit, centered onTrinity Lake andLewiston Lake, has four subunits: the Lewiston Lake, Trinity Dam, Stuart Fork, and North Lake Units. They offer many opportunities for recreation, including trout fishing in Lewiston Lake, scenic driving on the Trinity HeritageNational Scenic Byway, picnicking, camping, and hiking/riding on the multi-use trail system.[2]
The Trinity Dam Unit hasTrinity Lake reservoir, that when full has 145 miles (233 km) of shoreline, contains 17,000 acres (6,900 ha), and holds 2,500,000acre-feet (3,100 Gl) of water.Trinity Dam is one of the highest earth filled dams in the world.

The Shasta Unit, centered onShasta Lake, has fourtributary arms;Sacramento River,Pit River, Squaw Creek, andMcCloud River. Each has distinctive scenic beauty and attracts outdoor recreation visitors. There are numerous facilities for water sports and boating, including privatemarinas. Public recreation facilities and amenities within the Shasta Unit include boat ramps, campgrounds, shoreline picnic areas, and hiking/equestrian/mountain biking trails.[2]
Shasta Lake is the largestreservoir in California. When full, the lake has 370 miles (600 km) of shoreline, which exceeds that ofSan Francisco Bay. The reservoir contains 30,000 acres (12,000 ha), and holds 4,550,000 acre-feet (5,610 Gl) of water. Shasta Lake is formed byShasta Dam, which is the second largest (after Grand Coulee Dam) and second tallest (after Hoover Dam) concrete dam in the United States.
The Whiskeytown Unit of the Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area is 42,500 acres (17,200 ha) in size, centered onWhiskeytown Lake of 3,200 acres (1,300 ha).
It also includes 39,000 acres (16,000 ha) surrounding the reservoir. The backcountry, with mountain creeks and waterfalls, is accessible via 70 miles (110 km) of multi-usehiking,equestrian, and/ormountain biking) trails.[3]