Burney Falls

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Location: Burney, McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Shasta County Stream: Burney Creek Alternate Names: Height: 129 ft. Access:               Distance: 1 mile (loop) or 2.4 miles (loop) Elevation: 2900 ft. (+/- 200 ft.) Season: year-round Form:   Lat/Long:41.01083, -121.65167 Directions:Along Hwy #89, at McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, near Burney. From Hwy #299 junction 5 miles east of Burney, turn north on Hwy #89 and drive 5.9 miles to park entrance. There is a $8 parking fee.

Burney Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in northern California and is very gorgeous. The best part about this waterfall, however, is that it flows year-round, one of the very few waterfalls in California that has good flow throughout the year. So if you are in California and are anxious to see a waterfall and it is the middle of the winter, then Burney Falls is the one to see when all the others have long since stopped flowing.

It flows year round because the source of Burney Creek is from underground springs, located about a half mile or so above the falls. Indeed, if you look closely, you will see that much of the falls comes right out of the middle of the face of the cliff. These springs start from snow melt on Burney Mountain, and flow underground until they reach Burney Creek above the falls. If you travel up Burney Creek 3/4 of a mile, you will see it is dry in late summer. It is boggling, but fascinating.

You have a few options at Burney Falls. You can drive up and park at the falls overlook after paying your $8 fee. You must at least, however, take a walk down to the base of the falls for a close-up view of this tremendous waterfall. The recommended trail is a 2.4 mile (loop) hike along the Headwaters Trail following Burney Creek away from the waterfall. This joins up with the Pacific Crest Trail going back downstream towards the falls. This trail then joins up with the Falls Loop Trail which leads to an overlook of the waterfall. The Falls Loop Trail continues along near the base of the waterfall, with many great viewpoints, then goes back up to the parking lot.

The official height of Burney Falls is listed at 129 ft. high. However, I question that height. My measurement of the waterfall was only 99 ft. high, and I do not think I was too far off in my readings. Once again, I wonder who measured the waterfalls height and how?

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