Waterfalls

An international outdoor destination ringed by the Southern Cascades to the east and the much smaller range of the Trinity Alps to the west, Redding is a hotspot for waterfall chasers. It’s an area with both short and long winding trails to seemingly secret falls and popular cascades you can see right from the road. Each spring and early summer the streams and rivers come alive, churning with snowmelt as it descends from the mountains to lower elevations. With landmarks like Mt. Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and the many lakes and rivers of this region, it’s a bold statement to say that the waterfalls surrounding the city of Redding are the area’s best asset. But it’s true. Here are some of the best falls in the area and how to find them.

Potem Falls is accessible from highway 299-East heading toward Burney. Take a left on Fenders Ferry Road to the trailhead. The waterfall lies in a deep canyon and reaches 45-feet from its base. Enjoy swimming in the pool at the base during the summer months, and don’t forget to check out the rope swing! The fall is also accessible by boat from the Pit River arm on Shasta Lake.

The hike to the falls is easy with the trail being mostly flat. This is a great hike for anyone looking for a less strenuous way to enjoy the great outdoors. This is the only manmade waterfall in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. It was created from a diversion of the Trinity River to Whiskeytown Lake.

Located up a short, 0.7-mile trail with about 200 feet of elevation gain, Hedge Creek Falls offers a chance to get off the beaten path, go for a pretty walk, and see an even lovelier cascade. The falls are about 30 feet high, and where it truly stands out is the path that extends behind the waterfall and under the protruding basalt rock over which the water pours. If you are looking for a quiet place to contemplate nature, you can’t beat Hedge Creek Falls.

This magnificent waterfall is the tallest in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area at a towering 220 feet. It was re-discovered in 2004 after being kept a secret since 1967. This usually misty trail offers a change in climate which invites unique plants and animals. A map of the trail to Whiskeytown Falls is available at the Whiskeytown Visitor Center.

Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls - Featuring a series of three falls visible from the road, the McCloud River is located about an hour and a half from downtown Redding. The Lower Falls spill into a very popular swimming hole with a cliff jumping platform, so it’s common to see adrenaline junkies and their fans gathering here in warmer months. The Upper and Middle Falls, on the other hand, are most commonly and safely observed from lookouts above, but both feature lovely pools below the falls. A 5-minute walk will take you to both the Upper and Middle lookouts, or you can hop on an easy 4-mile trail that winds along the river to take you to all three.

If you are looking for more of a hike and crave the solitude of the surrounding woods, Burstarse Falls is where you should go. Located in the Castle Crags Wilderness, it’s about a quartermile off the Pacific Crest Trail. Many hikers stop at the lower falls by mistake, thinking they have reached the main event. But Burstarse Falls proper is a 50-foot waterfall with a few smaller cascades scattered below. The trail to reach it will get the blood moving–it’s five miles round trip along the PCT and features about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Photo provided by Michele James.

Another waterfall in the Castle Crags area, Root Creek Falls also features a five-mile hike with about 700 feet of elevation gain. The trail is moderate, climbing gradually through dense forest before meeting up with Root Creek and running parallel to the water’s edge up to the base of the falls. Watch your footing when you arrive at the fall’s vista point–it can be quite precarious. But the view of the cataract tumbling down below the iconic Castle Dome is well worth the effort.