McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
add photosFor a copy of the park brochure and map, go to http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/455/files/MacArthurPDF.pdf
Campsites and cabins available by reservation. Reservations for the cabins can be made by
calling (800) 444-PARK (7275).
8 Reviews for McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
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'11, '120 families found this helpful
"One of California’s Hidden Nature Gems"
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park certainly isn’t easy to get to. It sits on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range, between Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak.
The park’s centerpiece is the 129-foot Burney Falls. Although it isn’t the highest or largest waterfall in the state, it’s arguably the most spectacular. Why? Because the water isn’t just flowing from the creek that feeds it from above. It’s actually flowing through the surface of the rocks behind, fed by an underground river. Which makes it ultra wide and produces a flow of some 100 million gallons of water a day, year round.
The main draw here is the short trail to the base of Burney Falls. A few tips for visiting with kids:
• The trail is a bit steep, making it tough on little legs on the return (totally doable, just be prepared)
• If you only have a few hours, skip the other trails & spend your time on the rocks in front of Burney Falls – the view is breathtaking
• Summer visits to the park can be hot & crowded, but temperatures in the canyon at the base of the falls are usually cool & misty
OtherPark Features
• Visitor center, which includes displays of wildlife through the seasons, plus a short film on the history of Burney Falls
• There are five miles of hiking trails
• Fun family “Discovery Quest” invites visitors on a park treasure hunt; answer 14 questions to earn a patch
• Water activities such as fishing, swimming & boating are popular on nearby Lake Britton (as is fishing at Burney Creek)
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1 family found this helpful
"Love these water falls!"
The scenery is breath taking, although you will have to catch your breath a few times to view it! There is a trail downhill to the waterfalls that might wear you out if you're not in shape. Once you get to the bottom, you can relax and cool off by the freezing cold water. You can get great pictures. There is another trail after the falls that leads to a lake if you keep going. I love going here to enjoy the surroundings. The sound of the waterfalls is amazing. I would not recommend taking young children all the way down the hike to the falls. It could be dangerous, and a lot of spots are rather steep. The bottom is covered with large rocks if you want to get to the water. The best thing is that it is completely free experience. There is a large parking lot and a small store near by. If you drive in to the town of Burney there are a few restaurants with good food.
0 families found this helpful
"Wonderful place"
A piece of heaven in the upper right corner of our state!
If you like to camp, then this is the place for you! They offer tent sites, RV sites, and even have sleeping cabins! Recently updated restrooms provide modern tiled private rooms. Toilets with private sink are separate from the private showers.
Sitting on Lake Bitton, there is swimming, boating, and great fishing available!
The most spectacular though is the falls, they are breathtaking! For hiking, there is a falls loop trail, and other trails available.
If you are a fishing family, the waters in this area are Blue Ribbon waters for trout!
After Labor Day, the park is pretty empty which makes it a great destination! The days are still very warm but the nights start to get cold so plan accordingly.
0 families found this helpful
"Camping"
Burney Falls is absolutely our favorite place to go! We rented one of their tent cabins which gives you all the fun of camping without having to sleep in a tent. The campground is beautiful with a lot of trails for walking or bike riding. The camp sites are also a short drive to Lake Britton which has a nice beach and swimming area. Also within walking distance are the falls which are absolutely beautiful. The park has a small general store which serves soft serve ice cream which is a nice treat for the kids.
1 family found this helpful
"Burney Falls"
I would suggest that anyone traveling near Burney, CA stop by McArthur Burney Falls State Park. It is located just outside of Burney, CA and is within a decent distance of Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic Park. All three are gorgeous sites!
The Park also offers access to Lake Britton. There is a general store, several bathrooms and a very nice camprground located within the park. In addition, there is a trail that runs from the falls lookout to the bottom of the falls and along the river to either Lake Britton or around to above the falls.
At a 129' the falls are not the biggest, but they are still beautiful. I have been several times in my life and they never seem to get any less interesting. The entire view of the Park is gorgeous between the falls, the volcanic rock, the chalk rock, the river, the lake and even the surrounding forrest!
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
In the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, the big attraction here is two million gallons of water a day tumbling over a misty, fern-draped, 129-foot cliff. Take a short hike down into the forest gorge to the base of the fall, where wild tiger lilies, maples, dogwoods, black oaks, and pines decorate the stream side. The walk is about a half-hour for the fit and fast, an hour for amblers and photographers, and two hours for walkers who take side trails. Good trout fishing can be had in the deep pool at the base of the falls and in the 2-mile stream above and below. Pleasant hikes in and near the park in evergreen forests include a 1.5-mile flat route to Lake Britton Dam, then 3 miles farther to Rock Creek.
1 family found this helpful
"Simply fantastic"
The falls are truly amazing, they run year-round, and you can see them from the parking lot, although the walk down to the foot of the falls is only a third of a mile and even very young children can handle it. (And if they can't, carrying them won't wear you out.)
3 families found this helpful
"Great family camping, hiking & exploring"
This is an awesome place to camp with kids. We try to camp here every year for 2-3 nights. The campsites are clean and well space out. There are some newer bathrooms and showers mixed with some older bathrooms. There is a general store where you can pick up supplies you've forgotten or run out of. They also carry firewood, so you don't have to bring your own. Some nights there are ranger led campfires where you get to learn fun facts about the campgrounds. There is an awesome Junior Ranger program with activities for the kids (and adults) to complete. Once completed, you turn your activity sheet into a ranger at the check-in station and you get a patch. We've had loads of fun collecting patches from different years. The falls are amazing and should not be missed! You can enjoy them from the overlook or take a short hike down to the bottom. After enjoying the waterfalls, you can either hike back up or take a short loop around to the other side of the waterfalls and back to where you started. There is a lake where you can bring your motor boat, canoe or row boat, or you can rent a canoe, paddle boat or row boat down at the waters edge. Our kids have enjoyed canoeing around the lake exploring the waters edge and just enjoying their surroundings. Near where you can rent to boats, there is a picnic area and a very small beach. The kids love to go to the beach to swim, play in the sand and have lunch. You can bring bikes, scooters, etc for riding around the campgrounds. There's lots more to do, so get out there and experience it yourself!
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