Burney Falls

Worth the drive

Is it plungeworthy?

114feet tall

A segmented horsetails on Burney Creek.

Scale50/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Segmented Horsetails
Watercourse: Burney Creek
Coordinates: 41.01161, -121.65215

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About Burney Falls

Burney Falls is a 114-foot segmented horsetails in California, on Burney Creek.

Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.

Plungeworthy rates Burney Falls 7.9/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Teddy Roosevelt's alleged 'eighth wonder': 129 feet of falls that don't just pour over the lip but burst straight out of the cliff face, fed by underground springs pushing a hundred million gallons a day. It barely varies drought or flood — the most reliable big waterfall in California.

Getting there

Trailhead: Falls Loop Trailhead at the visitor center, Hwy 89 north of Burney
Parking: Main day-use lot; no RV/bus accommodation
Road: Paved
Hike: 1.2 mi round trip, 170 ft of climb (easy)
Heads up: A paved overlook steps from parking gives the full view without the descent; the loop drops to the pool and crosses Rainbow Bridge. The separate Burney Creek Trail segment is closed for storm repair; the falls loop is open.

When to go

Any season — spring-fed means October looks like May. The catch is people: NEW for 2026, weekend and holiday visits from May 15 to September 27 require an advance day-use reservation (no same-day). Weekdays and the October–May window need nothing.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $10/vehicle day use; 2026 pilot requires advance weekend/holiday reservations May 15 – Sep 27 via parks.ca.gov
Dogs: Parking lots and campground only — not on trails
Hours: 8am to sunset
Camping: In-park campground, $35/night, reservation required on pilot weekends
Warnings: Highway 89 shoulder parking is citable; the lot is the only way in.

Researched from CA State Parks — McArthur-Burney Falls · CA State Parks — reservation pilot. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Burney Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.