Lakehead · Shasta Lake · Guided cave tour by boat and bus
Lake Shasta Caverns
A two-hour adventure north of Redding: cross the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake by boat, ride a bus up to caverns 900 feet above the lake, then tour limestone chambers full of stalactites and drapery.
Opens the Lake Shasta Caverns ticket page. Tickets are also sold on site, first come, first served.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Guided cave tour
Boat, bus and cavern on one ticket
Admission
$17–$46
Ages 2 and under free
Hours
Daily
Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas. Call for tour times.
Time needed
About 2 hours
45–60 minutes inside the caverns
Parking
Free lot
RVs fit; the road in is narrow & winding
Stairs
600+
Stairs on the tour, with a halfway exit
What you’ll see
Three rides to reach one cave
The caverns are reached only by guided tour, which starts with a boat across Shasta Lake and a bus up a private road.
Photo: Oleg Alexandrov on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
The cavern tour
Tours last about two hours: a 10-minute boat ride across the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake, a 10-minute bus ride up a private road to the cavern entrance, and a 45- to 60-minute guided walk underground. Inside are calcite formations from tiny cave coral and helictites to great sheets of drapery, at a steady 58°F with 90% to 95% humidity.
RV tip: arrive about 30 minutes before your tour to buy or check in tickets and walk to the boat. The boat leaves right on time, and online tickets still need a boarding pass from the gift store.
More to see
- The boat crossingYour captain narrates the geography and natural history of the area on the ride across the McCloud Arm of Shasta Lake.
- The bus ride upA bus climbs a private road through the hills to the cavern entrance, 900 feet above the lake, with wide lake and mountain views on the way.
- 600-plus stairsNo crawling or climbing is needed and the passages are about the size of a hallway, but the tour has more than 600 stairs, with a halfway exit.
- Picnic area and mining sluiceBack at the visitor center there’s a shaded picnic area, a playground, a gem-mining sluice and a snack bar with a deck over the McCloud Arm.
Why go
A National Natural Landmark you can see in an afternoon
Lake Shasta Caverns is one of three known caverns in Shasta County, and its limestone beds date back some 250 million years. The Wintu knew the caves long before J.A. Richardson, a fish hatchery employee, officially recorded them in 1878, and they have been open to the public as a natural attraction since 1964.
For RVers it’s a simple I-5 stop: take exit 695 and follow Shasta Caverns Road 1.5 miles to the free lot, which has room for large vehicles. The road in is narrow and winding, though, so many RVers will prefer to come in the tow vehicle from Mountain Gate RV Park, about 16 minutes away.
It’s a smart hot-day plan, since the caverns stay at 58°F year-round, though the humidity makes it feel closer to 68 to 72 degrees. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a light layer. Winter tours can be canceled for weather, and the caverns are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Photo: Little Mountain 5 on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Why it made our list
- Boat, bus and cave on one ticket
- A steady 58°F underground
- A National Natural Landmark
- Free parking with room for RVs
- Just off I-5 at exit 695
For RVers
Visiting the caverns with an RV
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Mind the access road
The caverns say their lot has room for RVs and other large vehicles, but the road leading in is narrow and winding. If you’re towing or driving a big rig, consider unhooking at camp and coming in the tow vehicle.
Pets must be carried
Registered service animals are allowed, as are friendly pets small enough to be carried for the whole tour. Don’t leave pets in a parked rig while you’re underground; ask the store clerk for help.
Leave the backpack behind
Backpacks and strollers aren’t allowed for safety reasons, and most visitors leave large bags and food in their vehicles. A camera and a bottle of water are fine, and no helmets or flashlights are needed.
Plan for the stairs
The tour has more than 600 stairs and isn’t recommended for people with heart, knee or back problems. There’s a halfway exit, and a boat-and-bus-only ticket lets you wait in the visitor center with a narrated video tour.
What visitors say about Lake Shasta Caverns
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 24, 2026.
Cave In to Your Curiosity!
Lake Shasta Caverns · lakeshastacaverns.com
What every ticket includes
From the Lake Shasta Caverns admission page
Boat rideBus rideGuided cave tourAbout 2 hours
Every general ticket includes the boat across the McCloud Arm, the bus ride up and the guided cavern tour. Groups of 20 or more should call ahead to reserve. Checked October 24, 2026.
Tour prices at a glance
Prices from the caverns’ admission page and online booking site, checked October 24, 2026; the admission page labels them 2024 pricing, and rates may change without notice.
Good to know
General, 16 and up$46 boat, bus and cave
Juniors 7–15$27 children 3–6: $17
Ages 2 and underFree no single-person tours
Pay withCashVisa & MasterCardAmex & Discover
From Lake Shasta Caverns’ admission and FAQ pages, checked October 24, 2026. Adult year passes are $114. Personal checks aren’t accepted.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Lake Shasta Caverns
- Address20359 Shasta Caverns Rd., Lakehead, CA 96051
- HoursDaily
Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas. Call for tour times. - Phone(530) 238-2341
- TicketsBuy online or at the gift store; first come, first served
- Getting thereAbout 17 miles north of Redding on I-5. Take exit 695 to Shasta Caverns Road and follow it 1.5 miles to the parking lot.
- ParkingFree lot with space for RVs and trailers; the access road is narrow and winding.
Tours can fill up around Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day, and winter tours may be canceled for weather. Call (530) 238-2341 for the day’s tour times.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Lake Shasta Caverns
These are the parks we have visited and written up, closest first, with drive times to the caverns.
Beehive Dispersed Area
Free lakeside dispersed camping on Shasta Lake from mid-September to mid-May, with a 14-day limit and no hookups.
Mountain Gate RV Park
Pull-thru sites, a pool and a dog park just off I-5 north of Redding, handy for Shasta Lake.
Redding RV Park
Paved 20/30/50-amp pull-thrus and a pool at I-5 Exit 680, an easy on-and-off stop.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Daily tours · About 2 hours
Ready to go underground?
Arrive 30 minutes early, park in the free lot, and leave the backpack behind for the boat, the bus and 600-plus stairs.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Oleg Alexandrov (cave formations, tour boat, lake view) under CC BY-SA 4.0 and Little Mountain 5 (lit chamber) under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: Ask For Adventure on YouTube. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Lake Shasta Caverns unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including Lake Shasta Caverns’ published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details are set by Lake Shasta Caverns and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Lake Shasta Caverns at lakeshastacaverns.com or (530) 238-2341. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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