Shasta County

Shasta County sits where the Sacramento Valley meets the Cascade volcanics. Vineyards hold ground east of Redding and up toward Manton — 1,500 to 2,000 feet, volcanic loam over lava bedrock, cold winter nights, hot summer days. The wines come in dense and mineral. Tasting rooms pour from ranch buildings along Manton and Lassen roads, most with shaded porches and water at the door. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area opens leashed lakefront trails; Lassen Volcanic’s lower trails welcome leashes off-season. Pair a Manton syrah with a walk at Whiskeytown Falls. Shasta pours wine at the state’s volcanic edge, and the dogs ride willingly.