Burney Falls *August 2010

The trails of McArthur-Burney Falls have been going through some major repair work for months now. According to their Visitor's Guide handed out at the park entrance, the repair project may extend into next year. This construction should improve the trail conditions to a smoother and safer pathway to the falls. But despite the construction, it's still worth the visit (and $8 State Park fee) because you can still go down to the falls through a detour.

The Falls Loop Trail is a nice hike in the woods along Burney Creek.

Summer is the time to enjoy this lush foliage.

The water fall during this time of the year still has its abundant water from two outlets, but more water seems to be flowing out the slopes around it. The showering slopes almost resemble the Mossbrea Falls.

The detour starts from the trail head that also leads to the headwaters of Burney Falls. The water here looks completely still in contrast to the dynamic water movement at the falls. Make an extra detour when you come visit the McArthur-Burney Falls this year.

Burney Falls

Located in between Shasta and Lassen National Forests, Burney Falls is one of the most visited water falls in California. It's located about 40 miles away from McCloud, inside the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park off highway 89. Burney Falls is also known for its year-round water flow uncommon for many mountain water falls.

This 129 feet fall gives off a fresh breeze during the hot summer days. The mist creates a rainbow that can usually be seen between late mornings to early afternoons when the sun angle is just right.

After the heavy snow and rain fall last winter, the water level this summer is probably the highest in the past 3, 4 years. It's worth the visit to feel the vibration of water dropping from over 100 feet high.

There's a hiking trail that circles around the water fall. It's a nice and easy hike inside the State Park. It's been pretty cool up until a few weeks ago, so you might be able to catch a glimpse of some wildflowers that just started to show up.

Burney Falls is a popular destination for fishing and camping as well as a short day trip inside the negative ions* flowing out from this clear water stream.

*Negative ions are highly concentrated in high moutains, forests or near water falls. While positive ions are produced by electronic devices or toxic chemicals, negative ions are produced by fresh water. Negative ions are considered benficial to our mental and physical health.