McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park

Visitors,
McArthur Burney Falls State Park experiences extremely high visitation beginning in April and continuing through October. Most weekends all summer the park will fill to capacity and entrance into the park is subject to closure due to limited parking availability. Visitors should expect traffic delays on State Highway 89 for up to an hour prior to entering the park due to the increased visitation experienced at this park. It is illegal to park along Highway 89 outside of the park for a mile either direction. If you park along Highway 89 your vehicle will be subject to citation and tow. The speed limit is 55 mph along Highway 89 and utilized by a large volume of semitrucks, it is not recommended to walk along the highway. If you arrive to find the entrance closed due to full capacity, please return at a later time - typically after 4:00 p.m.

Note: The park cannot admit entrance to vehicles over 32 feet for day-use or camping. Additionally, only a limited number of oversized vehicles (less than 32 feet in length) will be admitted into park. Oversized vehicles will only be allowed to park in the Lake Britton parking lot (approximately 1.5 miles walk to the falls) on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Due to limited parking capacity, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park cannot accommodate entry, drop-offs or parking of tour busses until further notice.

The park is within the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau natural region, with forest and five miles of streamside and lake shoreline, including a portion of Lake Britton.

The park's centerpiece is the 129-foot Burney Falls, which is not the highest or largest waterfall in the state, but possibly the most beautiful. Additional water comes from springs, joining to create a mist-filled basin. Burney Creek originates from the park's underground springs and flows to Lake Britton, getting larger along the way to the majestic falls.

The park's landscape was created by volcanic activity as well as erosion from weather and streams. This volcanic region is surrounded by mountain peaks and is covered by black volcanic rock, or basalt. Created over a million years ago, the layered, porous basalt retains rainwater and snow melt, which forms a large underground reservoir.

Within the park, the water emerges as springs at and above Burney Falls, where it flows at 100 million gallons every day.

Burney Falls was named after pioneer settler Samuel Burney who lived in the area in the 1850s. The McArthurs were pioneer settlers who arrived in the late 1800s. Descendants were responsible for saving the waterfall and nearby land from development. They bought the property and gave it to the state as a gift in the 1920s.

Special Events

On the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, the park hosts Heritage Day, featuring demonstrations and recreations of activities and crafts common to people during the late 19th century.

Hiking

There are five miles of hiking trails winding through the park's evergreen forests. The Pacific Crest Trail passes through the park.

Location-Directions

The park is northeast of Redding, six miles north of Highway 299 on Highway 89 near Burney.

Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing

Summer and spring are warm; fall and winter can be cool. Layered clothing is advised.

^{(Photograph by Michael Wopat)}

McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
Burney Falls at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park is an outstanding example of a waterfall and stream fed by large springs that are commonly associated with areas covered by recent lava flows, and also of a waterfall formed by the undercutting of horizontal rock layers. The soft white rock is diatomite. Its presence is evidence that a very large lake once filled the region and supported abundant tiny freshwater plankton called diatoms.

The full Geo Gems report  |  Geological Gems of State Parks