Burney Falls, located inside McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in California. In fact, it was dubbed by the 26th President, Teddy Roosevelt, as “the eighth wonder of the world.” This 129-foot-tall waterfall is impressive all year round, even in the summer, when many other waterfalls around have dried up. There are a few viewpoints to look down at Burney Falls. However, the best way to see Burney Falls is to complete a short 1.1-mile loop.
McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park
248900 CA-89, Burney, CA 96013
41.013078, -121.650836
There are a couple of small to medium paved lots near the trailhead.
It costs $10 per car to enter.
There is a restroom next to the main trailhead.
Dogs are NOT allowed on the trails to Burney Falls or in the park’s day-use areas, including the main waterfall viewpoints
1.2 miles loop
173 ft
Easy
Takes an average of 0.5 – 1 hour
Although Burney Falls is beautiful year-round, spring (April–June) is the best time to go. This is when the falls’ flow is at its strongest, and the wildflowers are blooming.
The trailhead for Burney Falls is located inside McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park, about 1.5 hours from Redding and a 50-minute drive from Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is located along Highway 89. You can use the address above to map your way there. Once you pass through the entrance station, there are a couple of decent-sized paved lots where you can park. The main trailhead starts from the second parking lot.
From the parking lot, we followed the big brown sign to the start of the Burney Falls Loop. Since it is a loop, you can go in either direction. However, most people go counter-clockwise because it is the fastest way to reach the bottom of the waterfalls. If you just want to take a quick look at Burney Falls and leave, there is an overlook just to the left of this spot. As for us, we went right (counter-clockwise) to make our way down to the bottom of the falls.
This section of the Burney Falls Loop trail is paved. There are a few short stairs along the way. The trail zigzagged its way lower and lower. It reminded us of the Ten Falls trail in Oregon, but a lot shorter. Along the way, interpretive signs help you learn more about the area. The trail itself, although paved, is quite narrow. If you visit on a busy day, you might have to wait a bit for traffic.
As we descended, the trail got prettier with mossy trees framing the path. We also got glimpses of the waterfalls between the trees. The lower we went, the better the view of Burney Falls got. Even from far away, Burney Falls are spectacular. Not only is it tall, but it is also wide. If you look closely, you can see the main waterfalls coming out from the top of the cliff. However, there are also many smaller cascades gushing out from the rock face. Other impressive waterfalls we saw, such as Kings Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, or Niagara Falls, do not have water coming from the rock face. So Burney Falls is very unique in this way.
We kept admiring the view as we got lower and closer to the bottom of Burney Falls. It is impressive to see how much water is thundering down into the pool below. In fact, the daily flow of Burney Falls is about 100 million gallons! The beauty of the waterfalls is enhanced by the clear blue pool at its bottom. This pool is 22 ft deep, with a water temperature of around 42 degrees. So, it is pretty cold. In fact, the rangers advised against swimming in this pool because a few people had drowned recently. When we were there, the rangers actually kicked out a group that was swimming in the pool.
At the base of Burney Falls, most people would take their photos and return the same way. However, we recommend continuing the loop trail. The loop is not that much longer and is much more scenic. This section is also less busy. After passing the base of Burney Falls, the trail turns into a dirt trail. Even so, it is still well-maintained. This trail runs along the creek and past some interesting mossy rocks on the side.
Soon, we reached a wooden bridge. After crossing the bridge, the trail starts its ascent. We followed the trail as it left the creek and snaked between the trees. Along the way, there is one last viewpoint for Burney Falls. You’ll see the falls through the trees, but it was still very beautiful. The trees framed Burney Falls perfectly. After this viewpoint, the Burney Falls Loop once again crosses another wooden bridge, back toward the parking lot. Once we crossed this second bridge, it was only a short distance to the parking lot.
Besides this loop, there are a few other short trails you can hike in McArthur Burney Falls Memorial State Park. You can also drive further in toward the Burney Creek Pier and Marina. There are some nice beaches around if you want to hang out, take a dip, or take out your boats or kayaks. It’s a nice area to visit. By the way, don’t forget to check out the Subway Cave Lava Tubes. It’s not that far from here, and it’s really fun!
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These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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