Waterfall at Burney Falls State Park, California

For several more pictures, please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthigh/sets/72157605528052812/

Teddy Roosevelt called it the "Eighth Wonder of the World". While it is definitely not the largest waterfall in California, nor the tallest -- it is arguably the most scenic. Burney Falls is a 130-foot spring-fed waterfall located in the remote Cascade Range, halfway between Lassen Volcanic Park and Mount Shasta, at least an hour-drive from civilization in any direction.

McArthur-Burney State Park is a small park on the shores of Lake Britton on the Modoc Plateau, right on Highway 89, the Volcanic Legacy Highway. The main feature of the park is Burney Falls -- a roaring cascade of water that flows over the volcanic rock from Burney Creek into the Pit River. But this is not an intermittent waterfall that ebbs with the seasons (like so many other major falls in the state) -- nearly all of the water for Burney Falls comes from underground springs, at a steady rate of 100 million gallons a day. It's a massive torrent, creating a wall of white noise that can be heard a mile away.

My visit started mid-afternoon driving south from my previous stop (Pluto's Cave), with a quick stop at the old logging town of McCloud. It has a beautiful 'company' building that has been restored to a quaint little out-of-the-way tourist stop, including a fully-stocked penny candy store. But no time to dally, I was burning daylight so it was back on the road to the park.

I arrived at McArthur Burney State Park about an hour before sunset. The park was all-but deserted, and I was the only visitor there on that near-freezing, off-season day. From the main parking lot, you can hear the waterfall roaring -- and the lookout to the falls is only a hundred feet away. From here, it's just a short walk down the creekside to the bottom of the falls itself.

And boy, it truly is impressive! The water is gushing over the black basalt from the creek above -- but it is also shooting straight out of the side of the cliff as well! It was more like a curtain of dozens of little falls - water everywhere. And with the temperatures right at the freezing point, the water spray was forming ice crystals on the rocks nearby. With all the water in the air, the vegetation was thick and green, all the exposed rocks slick with moss.

From the base of the falls, a trail leads along one side of the creek for about a mile, then crosses the creek at a bridge and returns back along the other side, until I found myself above the falls on the opposite side of where I started. Another footbridge upstream from the falls completes the circuit.

From here, another trail heads upstream a ways, to the main springs that feed the creek (this portion of the trail also doubles up as part of the Pacific Crest Trail), until the trail crosses the creek again at another footbridge. By this point, the sun was setting, and a thin film of ice forming over the calmer portions of the creek. Time to return back to the car and begin the long drive home. Unfortunate - because this was truly a beautiful corner of the world, and worth exploring a little bit more. Definitely the middle of nowhere, but for anyone who finds themselves in the Mount Shasta area, it's definitely worth the long drive out. Pictures taken December 10, 2007.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Burney
• Falls
• California
• mlhradio
• waterfall

[insidetheredzone]

Also when your done looking at mossbrae falls.....walk across the bridge and follow the tracks 0.5 miles you will see the Shasta Springs coming off the side of the mountain (right side of course) you can see the bridge behind you...

Now what if you encounter a train? LOL don't run just walk off the tracks... i encountered it... its a freight train you can feel the tracks shaking and hear the train coming.... its loud but i been here so many times i only encountered it once.

[insidetheredzone]

Park there next to the RailRoad Mossbrae Falls is a 1 mile hike UPSTREAM you will see a well used path next to the railroad tracks..you will eventually come to a railroad bridge the falls will be on your right side before you reach the bridge. look for a BIG DIRT SPOT

[insidetheredzone]

If you rather see Mossbrae Falls then turn left on Dunsmuir Ave follow it slowly "Watch for a street called Scarlett Way" This is a Hairpin Turn! and it only turns to the Right follow it down and it will loop around next to a RailRoad Track

[insidetheredzone]

Burney Falls is Nice! I highly Recommend Mossbrae Falls!

Directions from Redding take 5 north take the Dusmuir Siskyou exit turn left and go under the freeway (at this stop sign you will notice a brown sign across the street to your left) it will say Hedge Creek Falls you can view that one by parking in the dirt turn out on your left. 50 ft waterfall 5 min walK

.

[insidetheredzone]

Burney Falls is amazing experience in person

[patmelton1295]

can you swim there?

[parkourmormon]

i swam to the waterfall and touched it :)

[Mikeanglo]

My family goes there every year, and has been going annually for about 30 odd years. I'm 22 and have been there 19 times. I love it.

[kristinlukow]

We just returned from visiting these falls. Beautiful!

[pookypoo77]

WOW! Im going to be there in about a week!!! yay!!!