California · Shasta County
Shasta Lake
Lakehead · Mountain Gate · Redding
Loading live conditions for Shasta Lake…
Make a day of it
Plan your visit to Shasta Lake
Things to doTours & activities on Shasta Lake
Boat cruises, fishing trips, kayak rentals, and guided adventures from local operators.
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Places to stayLake houses & rentals
Vacation rentals right on the water.
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"Northern California's reservoir houseboat capital — 365 miles of shoreline carved by Shasta Dam. The four big tributary arms each have their own character, and the lake stays warm into October. Major destination for multi-night rental houseboat trips with Mt. Shasta on the horizon."
Seasonal pattern
When does Shasta Lake warm up?
Shasta Lake is deep (max depth 517ft) and carries significant thermal inertia, so it warms slowly — surface temperatures typically don't reach comfortable swimming range until late June or early July. Spring-fed or alpine lakes stay cooler all summer. The live forecast above shows current conditions.
Field notes
About Shasta Lake
- Built by Shasta Dam in 1945 — one of the tallest dams in the US
- Drops 100+ feet during dry summers, exposing red-dirt "bathtub ring"
- 365 miles of shoreline across four river arms
- Heart of NorCal houseboat-rental culture
- Surface area
- 30,000 acres
- Max depth
- 517 ft
- County
- Shasta
- Water data
- Modeled estimate from air-temp trends