Keswick Reservoir

Keswick Dam Road
Redding, California 96001
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Local Phone: (530) 276-2031

Keswick Dam and reservoir are features of the Central Valley Project - Shasta/Tinity River Divisions. The dam creates a 23,800-acre-foot afterbay for Shasta Lake. Water tends to be very cold due to releases from the lower depths of Shasta.

Many trails in the area attract hikers, dog-walkers, mountain bikers and pedestrians The Sacramento River Rail Trail follows the alignment of a historic train route and is paved for nine miles. It connects to the Sacramento River National Recreation Trail leading all the way to downtown Redding.

The Middle Creek, Stagecoach, Fisherman's Trail, FB Trail, Hornbeck Trail and Sacramento Ditch Trails are just a few of the trails in the vicinity of the reservoir. For trailhead and parking information, refer to individual trail maps at healthyshasta.com

Nine miles downstream from Shasta Dam near Highway 299 West.
Distance: 2.8 - 9 one way
Difficulty: Varies
Restrooms: Yes
Dog Friendly: OK on Leash
Bike Friendly: Yes
Drinking Water: Yes

dogtrekker.com, dog friendly, reservoir, dam, shasta, lake, trails, keswick dam

Around Keswick Reservoir with Your Pup - Redding Hikes

Otis at Keswick - ©Randal Fleischmann/Dreamstime.com

For a dog-friendly, close-to-town hike offering some unusual scenery, check out the trails around Keswick Dam, which creates an after-bay (Keswick Reservoir) for Shasta Lake. The water, released from the lower reaches of the lake, is very cold and turquoise-blue in color. Anglers and kayakers love it, but it’s not safe for a casual dip. The Sacramento River Rail Trail, which hugs the reservoir, is paved for 11 miles and is an ideal path to hike with your dog while taking in some scenery. more »

Take a Spring Hike Around Redding

Redding calls itself California’s Trail Capital, and for good reason: about 100 miles of dog-friendly trails, both paved and natural-surface, have been developed in and around the city through private and public partnerships. Spring is a particularly nice time to take in the views from the Upper Sacramento Ditch Trail , which traces the route of a historic waterworks that once supplied miners’ sluice boxes. Three bridges along the northern part of the path span gorges that gush with waterfalls in springtime and offer arresting views of Shasta Lake and Keswick Reservoir at any time of year.

Never heard of Keswick Reservoir? This river-like body of water stretching nine miles downstream from Shasta Dam is the iconic lake’s frigid, turquoise-blue afterbay. The recently paved and very scenic Sacramento River Rail Trail follows a historic railroad alignment for almost 11 miles along its western shore, offering views aplenty, multiple points of entry and ample opportunity to branch off onto dirt paths leading into the rugged hills. more »

Three Must-See’s For You And Your Dog

Fetch at the Sundial Bridge. Photo Credit: Laurinda Willard

Shasta Dam, the second-largest concrete dam in the United States (after Grand Coulee in Washington) is a wonder to behold, as is Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California. If it’s your first trip to Redding, put the pair of them high on your “must-see-and-do” list. The 602-foot-tall dam, begun during the Great Depression and completed during World War II, can be viewed from a vista point on Highway 151, the scenic road leading to the dam from Interstate 5 (exit No. 685). more »

Take A Fall Hike Around Redding

Photo Credit: Leia Palin

Redding calls itself California’s Trail Capital, and for good reason: about 100 miles of trails, both paved and natural-surface, have been developed in and around the city through private and public partnerships. Fall is a particularly nice time to take in the views from the Upper Sacramento Ditch Trail, which traces the route of a historic waterworks that once supplied miners’ sluice boxes. Three bridges along the northern part of the path span gorges that gush with waterfalls in springtime and offer arresting views of Shasta Lake and Keswick Reservoir at any time of year. more »

Tails on Trails

Redding calls itself California’s Trail Capital, and for good reason: about 100 miles of trails, both paved and natural-surface, have been developed in and around the city through private and public partnerships. Three bridges along the northern part of the path span gorges that gush with waterfalls in springtime and offer arresting views of Shasta Lake and Keswick Reservoir at any time of year. more »

Keswick Reservoir

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