2024 McArthur-Burney Falls State Park Guide
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2024 TRAVEL UPDATE: Park officials have announced that beginning in early April, all access to the waterfall and the fall’s pool area will close due to a reconstruction project of the main trail. This closure will remain in effect throughout the entire 2024 summer season. For more information, read my post about it here.
Located within the Cascade Range and outside the town of Burney, McArthur-Burney Falls State Park features quite possibly the most beautiful waterfall in the state; the eighth wonder of the world, Burney Falls.
Burney Falls is one of California’s many must-see natural attractions. It’s worth a trip all in itself as well as an easy add-on if you’re already in the Shasta region.
We have been to this park a few times and have amassed all the information we could find to put together a comprehensive guide to help you plan a successful visit.
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Quick Stats
Location: Burney, CA.
Fee/Permit: $10 per vehicle.
Open: Year round.
Parking: Medium sized paved lot.
Restroom: Yes. At the visitor center and campground.
EV Stations: None.
Drone Use: Not allowed.
Difficulty: Easy.
Popularity: High.
Time: One hour to a full day.
Milage: 0.3 - 2.5 miles (depending on the trail you take).
Trail Condition: Well maintained.
Main Feature(s): The 129-foot Burney Falls, scenic trails and Lake Britton.
Pets: Allowed in the campground but not on any park trails or at the fall’s pool.
Special Notes/Hazards: This is a bear-heavy area.
Our Visit(s): 2016, 2019, & 2022
Directions to Burney Falls
Getting to Burney Falls is easy and straightforward. There’s no off-roading or miles of hiking involved. Simply park your car at the visitor center and either view the falls from the upper deck or take the trail down to the pool.
To get there:
From Reno
Take US 395 North for 90 miles.
Turn right onto CA-44 West for 46 miles.
Turn right onto CA-89 North for 28 miles.
Turn left on Lake road.
Turn left into McArthur-Burney Falls State Park
Total drive time is around 3 hours.
From Sacramento
Take I-5 North for 161 miles towards Redding.
Merge onto CA-299 East for 59 miles.
Turn left onto CA-89 North for 6 miles.
Turn left onto Lake road.
Turn left into the park.
Total drive time is around 3.5 - 4 hours.
Burney Falls is close to many large cities. Keep in mind that if you decide to drive here during the winter months, road conditions can be rough. This region gets a healthy amount of snow annually.
Burney Falls Campground & Entry Fees
Camp Sites & Cabins
The Burney Falls Campground is open year round and features 102 campsites. Each holds a max of eight people and includes one vehicle. Each additional vehicle will incur a fee.
Fees for campsites begin at $35 per night and include a picnic table, fire ring, and food locker. Bathrooms and showers are located near the entrance of the campground with tap water spigots positioned throughout.
Seventeen of the sites are designated for tent camping only with the remaining accommodating tents, trailers, and RV’s (up to 32 feet in length).
Additionally, the Burney Falls campground features 24 cabins. There are two types of cabins, each with their own features and sizes:
18-foot: Can accommodate up to 4 people and comes with one bunk bed and two extra mattresses.
24-foot: Can accommodate up to 6 people and comes with two bunk beds and two extra mattresses.
Reservations
As stated above, the Burney Falls campground is open throughout the year, but how you go about securing a site varies depending on time of year:
Labor Day to mid-May: Campsites are available on a first come, first serve basis and are payable by cash at the kiosk at the entrance. The park is near empty during this time with sites being easy to come by.
Mid-May to mid-September: You must make a reservation through ReserveAmerica.com or by calling 1-800-444-7275. You can reserve a site up to 6-months in advance. It’s during this time where crowd levels soar and the park regularly fills to capacity.
All cabins come with a covered porch and room outside for tents and/or a campfire. They do NOT come with electricity or plumbing. The cabin is heated by propane (included) and you’ll have a bathroom with showers located nearby.
To make a campsite or cabin reservation, head over to reserveamerica.com or call 800-444-7275. (Cabins are NOT available between Labor Day and mid-May).
2024 Camping & Day-Use Fees
The following are fees you can expect to pay at the park in 2024:
Day Use Entry: $10 per vehicle.
Campsite: $35 per night, per site (one vehicle included).
Cabin: $85-$105 per night (depending on group size).
If you have a campsite or cabin reservation, then the day-use fee is included in your nightly rate. However, they do not allow early arrivals (before 2pm). If you arrive before then, you may be subject to the day-use fee.
If the booth at the entrance is unstaffed, use the electronic pay station near the picnic tables in the visitor center parking lot to pay your fees. If you’re paying cash, do so with exact change as it does not give back change.
Now, you’re able to pay day-use, camping, and boat launch fees via the pay station pictured above. It’s located outside, adjacent to the visitor center.
Simply make your selection, pay the fees (cash or credit/debit card), enter your license plate, and place your receipt on your dashboard.
Additional Lodging Options
Dusty Campground
Just thirteen miles away from the park, “Dusty Campground”, is located on the north shore of Lake Britton. The six available sites are available on a first come, first serve basis and include picnic tables. Bathrooms and coin operated showers are provided.
Hotels
Alternatively, the town of Burney is just ten miles away from the park and has multiple hotels. Our personal recommendation is Shasta Pines Motel & Suites.
We stayed there during our trip in 2022. It’s an older property, but the rooms were clean, the bed was comfortable, and the rate was reasonable.
Hiking Trails and Amenities
Inside the park, you’ll find a few trails to enjoy. All of them are on the shorter side, mostly flat, well maintained, and are perfect for families with little ones who don’t have a lot of hiking experience.
Burney Falls Scenic Loop
The Burney Falls Scenic Loop is a 1.2 mile loop that begins at the rim, loops around to a bridge that crosses Burney Creek upstream from the edge of the falls and concludes at the base of the falls.
It is a well-maintained trail but throughout much of it, you won’t have a view of the falls. You’ll see it at the beginning and end, but you’ll only see it sporadically through the rest of it.
Regardless of the lack of view, it’s a serene trail. Along the way you’ll find interpretive signs detailing the history and development of Burney Falls. You’ll also enjoy an abundance of shade and seating along the way.
To get more details, check out trail guide about it here.
Burney Creek Loop
This trail is around the two mile mark. We started from our campsite, worked our way down to Lake Britton, to the base of the falls, then back up to our campsite.
If you’re not staying at the campground, you’ll begin at the Rim. You’ll either go right and through the campground or go left on the Rim Trail, cross the bridge, and go left towards Lake Britton.
You’ll follow the creek the entire way, passing a beautiful wooden bridge and non-stop serene beauty before reaching the lake. You’ll also see evidence of Burney’s volcanic past.
The Pool of Burney Falls
This is the trail most people utilize. It’s a third of a mile, beginning at the rim and terminating at the base of the falls.
The “trail” is paved and you’ll need to navigate a series of stairs near the beginning. Due to this, the trail is not handicap accessible.
The trail consists of three switchbacks on a fairly even decline. It’s easy going down but due to elevation, you’ll definitely feel it going back up (though it isn’t hard).
When you’re done looking at the falls, you can head back up to the rim or continue down the trail along Burney Creek.
Visitor Center and Pioneer Cemetery
The trail to the cemetery begins near the campground restrooms and is 2.5 miles, out and back. It’s well maintained, but the trail can be difficult to follow durning winter. The cemetery itself has a lot of overgrowth and isn’t overly impressive, but still worth checking out.
The visitor center is located to the right of the entrance as you drive in. It’s small, but it features a lot of informative displays explaining Burney Fall’s development and history.
It opens at 9am and closed at 5pm. It closes on major holidays and due to staffing issues, could close at random times.
If it’s open during your visit, we highly recommend stopping in. The staff inside are very knowledgable and can answer any questions you have.
Further down the road is the park general store. This is where you can pick up some last minute camping essentials, limited hot food, and souvenirs.
Best Time to Go
McArthur-Burney Falls State Park and its campground are open year round and thus, each time of year brings its own positives and negatives.
Spring (March - May): While snow is possible in March, it drops considerably from the month prior with April and May seeing virtually none. March is also the month with the most spring rainfall. Crowd levels begin to pick up in April, especially on weekends and holidays.
Summer (June - August): Hot and crowded sums it up. Rain is rare. Both the parking lot and campground fill quickly and crowds at the base of the falls have been known to be dense. If you must come during this time, mid-week and early morning is best.
Fall (September - November): It starts to cool down but not to the point where you’ll be freezing. Crowds have tapered off and you’ll be able to enjoy the falls without fighting for a spot. We camped here in October and it was fantastic! This is, in our opinion, is the best time to go.
Winter (December - February): Cold, icy, and no shortage of snow. However, there are virtually no crowds. You’ll probably have it to yourself, especially if you arrive on a weekday. If you can tolerate the cold and have the vehicle to navigate the snow and ice, this is the time for you.
Our first visit was in October 2016. Crowds were low and while it was chilly at night, the weather during the day was mild.
Our second visit in August 2019 was far different. Unbearably hot and there were people shoulder-to-shoulder at the falls.
Our third visit in 2022 was during the first week of May. While it rained on two of the days, the weather was otherwise perfect and we had the falls all to ourselves.
Additional Information
Dogs are permitted. You may bring your dog with you into the park and the campground. However, they are not allowed inside the visitor center or on any trails (except the cemetery trail).
Buy local wood. If you’re camping at Burney, the park sells wood bundles near the entrance (cash only). You can also buy wood in town. The reason for this is so people don’t unintentionally introduce diseases from outside the area.
Parking can be a pain. During the summer, it isn’t uncommon for the parking lot to fill quickly. Your best bet is to arrive early. If you try to park along the road outside the park you risk a fine and tow. If it fills, come back after 4pm and you should be fine.
No restaurants in the park. The nearest restaurants are located in the town of Burney 12 miles away. Each campsite features a grill, so your best bet is to bring your own food, charcoal, and lighter fluid.
You can swim in the pool. The pool below the falls is ok to swim in. In the fall and winter months, however, the water gets very cold.
There is wheelchair access. The main trail leading down to the falls is unfortunately NOT wheelchair accessible due to stairs and a steep decline in some places. However, the visitor center and observation decks are!
EV Charging is not available. This includes the park itself and the town of Burney. The closest charging stations are located in the towns of Dunsmuir (ChargePoint) and Shingletown (Tesla), respectively.
Drone use not permitted. As is the case in most parks of this nature, the use of Drones are not allowed.
Things To Do Nearby
While Burney Falls is the main attraction in the area, there are still plenty of other attractions to check out. You could easily spend a few days or more here.
Below, we’ll cover a handful of our favorites. Some are within a few minutes drive while others are further out, but still in the same vicinity.
McCloud River Falls
McCloud Falls is a series of three beautiful waterfalls (lower, middle, and upper) located about 45-minutes north from Burney right off Highway 89.
You can start at either the Lower Falls or Upper Falls and hike the 3.5-mile trail that connects all three. The trail is considered easy for most.
Alternatively, if you’re short on time, you can simply drive to each waterfall and take the short trails to view each one.
To get more information of these beautiful waterfalls, go here.
The ‘Stand By Me’ Bridge
If you’ve seen the classic 80’s movie, ‘Stand By Me’, you'll no doubt remember the scene where the boys had to run for their lives across the bridge.
Most don’t realize that you can visit the actual bridge where that scene was filmed. It’s is just a few short miles from Burney Falls.
Due to a death that occurred in 2021, the bridge is barricaded off and walking on it is no longer allowed. However, it’s still worth checking out. (you can read my post about it here.)
Subway Cave
You can put this one in the super cool, but a bit freaky column. Subway Cave is one of the largest, but easily accessible lava caves in the world.
You’ll need to bring a flashlight with you as there are no natural or artificial light sources inside the cave. It’s literally pitch black.
You can explore the cave at your leisure or take part in one of the free, guided tours that take place during the summer months.
To get further details on Subway Cave, check out our article here.
Junk Art Sculptures
Located about 15-minutes from Burney in Cassel, you’ll find one of the coolest roadside attractions you’ll ever see.
There’s about a dozen or so giant sculptures made from old vehicle parts and other pieces of metal. There’s a couple tin mans, a dog, a spider, and more!
For some reason, Google has this listed as permanently closed but we decided to go anyway and found it to be 100% open. (you can read my post about this place here.)
Hedge Creek Falls
You’ll have to drive for about an hour to see this one as it’s located in Dunsmuir, but trust us when we say it’s worth it.
The parking lot and trailhead can be found right off Interstate-5 and it’s an easy, third of a mile hike down to the falls.
The coolest feature to this one (aside from the waterfall itself), is that you’re able to walk behind it along the basalt rock walls.
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