Burney Falls

MacArthur-Burney Falls State Park is found along Highway 89 north of the town of Burney. From the junction of Highways 299 and 89 near Burney, follow Highway 89 north for about 5 3/4 miles to the well marked entrance to the park. There is a day-use fee of $5.00 to visit the falls. From the parking area, easy trails lead to viewpoints at the top of the falls as well as the base.Burney Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in California by sheer scale, but more prominently it is one of the most unique waterfalls in the whole state - if not the most unique. Burney Creek drains from volcanic highlands northwest of Mount Lassen, much of it featuring porous bedrock where precipitation can easily sink into the ground. While plenty of water remains in surface-level Burney Creek, a significant aquafir exists beneath the surface. Shortly before merging with the Pit River in Lake Britton, Burney Creek hurtles 114 feet over a cliff in twin channels, thundering into a large pool. Flanking either side of the main portion of the falls, hundreds of springs seep out of the cliff and veil into the pool simultaneously, creating a wall of falling water stretching 250 feet in width. The spring-fed nature of Burney Creek, both above the falls and the springs which seep out of the cliff at the falls itself, ensures that Burney Falls retains an incredibly consistent flow all year long. Stream gauge data indicates the average springtime peak flow to be nearly twice the average volume, but outside of the March to May period, the volume of water flowing over the falls remains a remarkably consist, staying around 160 cubic feet per second. We should also note that virtually ever source of information, including the California State Parks system, cites Burney Falls as dropping 129 feet. When we surveyed the falls in July 2009, we measured it to be 114 feet tall.Burney Falls and Creek were named for Samuel Burney, who homesteaded nearby in the 1850s. His descendants, along with the MacArthur family, purchased the land to prevent it from being commercially developed and donated it to the State Parks in the 1920s.