Full disclosure, Heart Lake is pretty close to my heart (see what I did there?) because it was where I had my first date, and where I later hiked with my husband (same guy) and spent the afternoon cooling off in the fresh, freezing water!
I highly recommend this hike. It is easy to do, won’t take you very long, and the reward is breathtaking. From the top we had unobstructed views of Black Butte, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Eddy, and Castle Lake.
Along with the fact Heart Lake is basically a private swimming hole tucked away in the mountains, known primarily to locals, throughout the year snow can be found at the top of Castle Crags as it melts and feeds Heart Lake. How cool is that?! A Glacier fed private swimming hole in the shape of a heart, overlooking the entire valley? Yes, please!
If you haven’t hiked Heart Lake before, you can’t miss it next time you are in the area. If you have hiked it before, consider adding it to your discovery list and visiting it again this summer when you need to be reminded of the beautiful area we are blessed to live in.
Want to see it for yourself?
Once again, my friend Bubba Suess at Hike Mt. Shasta has all the info you will need before you attempt to reach Heart Lake, located above Castle Crags in Mt. Shasta.
Rediscover Mt. Shasta 