Whiskeytown

Whiskeytown area is a great place to check out. Just a great beautiful place to camp while you are in the area.
If you like to look for Gold, then all you do is get a permit at the visitor center for about a buck, $1.00. This place is full of gold. There are many, many claims above and below Whiskeytown Lake. You cannot dredge or use
sluice boxes, only a gold pan and a small digging tool.
It's best if you read and follow the rules. As for boating
in the Lake, well there are rules you need to know before you launch your boat. You need to have a clean
boat inside and out, drained and free of foreign substances from other lakes and waterways. This needs to be in order to keep this lake free from bugs
and water creatures that shouldn't be here to ruin the lake for our future.

According to the records Whiskeytown began like this:
A gold miner named Billy Peterson in the 1850's was
taking supplies back to his mining camp when his supplies
came loose from his pack mule and scattered everywhere.
His barrel of whiskey rolled down the hill into the creek.
Now you have Whiskey Creek. People began to settle near
the creek since this is gold country. Now you get Whiskeytown.
In 1963 John F. Kennedy dedicated Whiskeytown Lake as part
of the central Valley Water Project. As a result of the lake going
in much of the town is under water, but a couple buildings still
remain. Under water the town of whiskeytown, Oak Bottom
and Grizzly Gulch. An ounce a day of Gold could be found
on clear creek before the dam was put in.

Fishing is great here as well as just having a good time. There are camp sites at Oak Bottom area and a couple more areas that are right at the water so you can enjoy it.
In the picture at the right, you can see a curtain on the lake.
It is the line on the lake in the picture. It is there to keep the
water cooler than the rest of the lake. It ends up in the Sacramento River to help protect Salmon, and helps keep the Sacramento River cooler in temperature. Water to this lake is supplied by creeks and water from Trinity and Lewiston Lakes. It is piped in, from large water pipes, from miles and miles away. Although this Lake is full of
enjoyment, it has many purposes. Below are pics of
Crystal Creek Falls for day use only. You do have to walk
to see this. The first pic is the trail to the falls which is longer than you see here. There is a table and BBQ area
for those who wish to dine at the falls.