Mossbrae Falls

As the unofficial trail to the falls has now been closed by the city of Dunsmuir, we are withholding directions to this waterfall until the new trail can be completed.Mossbrae Falls is a fascinating and exceptionally photogenic waterfall found just outside of the town of Dunsmuir where water seeps from a cliff-wide series of springs and veils directly into the Sacramento River. The tallest portion of the falls drop 52 feet, but much of the rest of the falls isn't quite that tall (some may be half that height). The falls are fed by aquafirs which are the product of the volcanic landscape in the area surrounding Mount Shasta, the largest volcano of the Cascade Mountains by mass. While Mossbrae Falls is a springfed waterfall and in turn a very consistent waterfall throughout the year, snowmelt does have a noticeable impact in the volume of water discharging at the springs which feed the falls. When we surveyed the falls in late July of 2009, ample water was present despite the area being baked in consistent 85-degree heat during the day. Hiking to Mossbrae Falls currently involves walking along a high-traffic railway line, but apparently as of 2011, the city of Dunsmuir and the Union Pacific railway have closed access to the trail and the adjoining parking area out of liability issues. The city is working to acquire land to construct a new trail to the falls but it is not expected to be completed until 2013 at the earliest.