Backpacking With Kids: Castle Lake to Heart Lake near Mount Shasta
Our best backpacking trip with kids to date!
May 30th, 2026
Our best backpacking trip with kids to date!
May 30th, 2026
This spectacular hike starts at the Castle Lake Parking Lot, which is about 20 minutes from the town of Mt Shasta, CA. There is a pit toilet at the trailhead, but no running water.
The hike from Castle Lake to Heart Lake is short but steep with rocky terrain. It is only a little over a mile to Heart Lake, with 600 feet of gain. It may be a bit challenging with younger kids because of how steep and rocky the trail is, but was very doable with our 8 and 10 year old sons.
About halfway through the hike you start getting views of Mount Shasta. You won't see Heart Lake until you are there--it is hidden in a little basin high above Castle Lake.
The view from Heart Lake is absolutely stunning. When the clouds clear you get a picturesque view of Castle Lake below and Mount Shasta right in front of you. If you hike past Heart Lake and up the ridge you get views of the mountains in all directions: from Castle Crags to Lassen in the distance on a clear day.
If you can swing it, wake up for sunrise and watch Mount Shasta slowly turn pink and golden as the day wakes up. Sunrise was early in late may (5:45 am!) but the morning glow woke us just in time to see the sun rise, lighting up the mountains and reflecting on Castle Lake below us.
If you backpack here in the summertime then I highly recommend packing a swimsuit and towel! Heart Lake is a small, beautiful mountain lake that was much warmer than expected when we visited in late May. We ended up swimming in the lake twice that afternoon and were so glad that our oldest son had suggested that we all bring swimsuits to be able to swim in the lake.
I would also recommend bringing bug spray. I came home with extremely itchy bug bites all over my ankles and wish I had thought to throw in some bug spray.
A water filter. Since you are camping right by the lake, it is very easy and convenient to filter the lake water. And it was delicious!
And then of course we brought all our regular backpacking gear: