Go north, DogTrekkers, go north!

A month from now, the epic waterfalls of the Shasta-Cascade region in Northern California will be gushing in spectacular fashion. That said, the cascades on the McCloud River —Lower, Middle and Upper—are mind-blowing at any time of year. They’re connected by a 1.5-mile-long trail that deserves leisure exploration. To give yourself time to wander (and take a selfie or three!), hole up at one of dozens of cabin retreats in and around Shasta Lake, the state’s biggest reservoir, and let serendipity be your guide. One of our winter favs just outside Redding are the four dog-friendly Silverthorn Resort cabins.
 
A few other suggestions: Sugarloaf Cottages Resort on the Sacramento River arm of Shasta Lake is very dog-friendly; it caters mostly to anglers and families on vacation and has a pool and other communal amenities. Tsasdi Resort Cabins, also on the lake, sits on 20 private-property acres and offers guests complimentary use of kayaks, paddleboards and canoes.
 
Yearning to throw a line in the water? Hat Creek Resort & RV Park offers RV and tent sites as well as motel rooms, yurts and cabins. It sports a clubhouse, too, along with other amenities (bring your horse if you have one, and don’t miss hiking a piece of the Pacific Crest Trail). Hat Creek, if you didn’t know, is one of the state’s top streams for fly-fishing. To top it off, the resort is just 11 miles from Lassen Volcanic National Park, a wonderland of geothermal features.