The Winnemem Wintu People, who have inhabited the area around Mount Shasta for thousands of years, regard the spring at Panther Meadows as a sacred place and the home of their genesis. Tribal members perform ceremonies here to this day. Due to the efforts of the Wintu and other local tribes, volunteers, and the Forest Service, the reintroduction of native species to the area and improvements on the trail system have been made to minimize erosion. Please respect the fragility of this sub-alpine ecosystem and remain on the trails when hiking in the area.
The hike from the Bunny Flat Campground and Trailhead to Panther Meadows follows the Everitt Memorial Highway, named after John S. Everitt, who was the supervisor for the Shasta National Forest (prior to its merge with Trinity to become the Shasta-Trinity National Forest). Everitt died fighting the Bear Springs Fire on the southern slope of the mountain in 1935, and became the first forest supervisor to be killed in defense of his charge.
In 1954, the Shasta and Trinity National Forests were combined and today make up the largest National Forest in the state of California. The Shasta-Trinity National Forest encompasses 2.2 million acres and ranges from 1,000 feet in elevation to 14,162 feet at the summit of Mount Shasta. It is a destination for a number of recreational activities including hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, camping, fishing, boating, and winter sports.