Shasta-Trinity Forest limits the number of guests at the recreation area near Mount Shasta
For at least the next two years, visitors to the Lower Ski Bowl and Panther Basin near Mount Shasta will have to keep their stays short and limit themselves to the campground and established hiking trails.
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest imposed restrictions on camping, parking, swimming and other water sports, hiking and other activities in and around Panther Meadows on Monday, August 14.
Panther Basin, particularly Panther Meadows, suffered “long-term environmental impacts” after years of guests “unknowingly” trampling sensitive vegetation off trails and camping outside of designated areas. These actions led to soil erosion throughout the area, according to a statement from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Panther Meadows is more than just a campground and parking area; it is sacred to the Native American tribes of the northern part of the state.
They “use the area for spiritual ceremonies, prayers and healings,” said acting spokeswoman Kimberly Hill.
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Why Panther Meadows is popular
Panther Meadows Recreation Area is a winding 14 miles northeast of Mount Shasta on the Everitt Memorial Highway. It is about two miles north of Mt. Shasta Ski Park, but according to area maps, it’s 10 miles to get from one to the other.
The moderate trail at Panther Meadows is only 1.4 miles long, but outdoor recreation groups praise the stunning views of Mount Shasta and the wilderness that stretches for miles—all the way to the Trinity Alps on a clear day.
Although small (10 tent sites), Panther Meadows Campground is a popular vacation spot for families. Resorts recommend visiting the campground in the summer and early fall when the leaves are changing and before cold weather sets in.
For more than 15 years, Native American groups have supported protection of the meadow, which they consider sacred, pointing out that people who stray from the trails can harm native plants that take several decades to mature. “Panther Meadows … is the sacred place of origin of the Winnemem Wintu people,” says a post on Winnemem’s YouTube account.
Restrictions for visitors to Panther Basin and Panther Meadows
According to the Forest Service, visitors can do the following to support the restoration of Panther Basin and the restrictions that will remain in place until August 14, 2026.
Visitors can come in groups of no more than 10 people at a time. Motorists can park for up to three consecutive nights in the Lower Ski Bowl parking lot and up to seven consecutive nights at the South Gate Trailhead.
Guests are welcome to bring a dog as long as it is on a leash no longer than 6 feet and stays on hiking trails, campgrounds or parking lots. If possible, people should stay in those places as well to avoid damaging the area and getting lost, Hill said.
Visitors who want to camp in Panther Basin can only do so at one of the 10 campsites at Panther Meadows Campground, according to the Forest Service.
Regardless of seasonal fire restrictions, the Forest Service prohibits visitors from lighting fires or building a campfire or stove fire wherever they are hiking or camping in Panther Basin. The only heating devices permitted are portable stoves with shut-off valves that use gas, gelled kerosene, or pressurized liquid fuel.
The Forest Service also prohibits swimming, wading or otherwise entering any water in Panther Meadows, as well as public nudity – in or out of the water. “There have been complaints” about the latter, Hill said, and “nudity has been a problem for families in the area.”
Anyone who violates any of these rules faces fines of up to $5,000 per person or $10,000 per organization, imprisonment for up to six months, or a combined fine and imprisonment, according to the Forest Service.
Jessica Skropanic is a reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and further on facebook.. Join Jessica in the Out! Still Cal Recovery Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, Please subscribe today. Thank you.
