Northern California waterfall requires reservations

California State Parks began requiring advance reservations on May 15 for day-use visits to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays during the summer peak season, according to the agency. The pilot program runs through Sept. 27 and applies to vehicles entering the park for day use at Burney Falls, the 129-foot waterfall in Shasta County that has drawn growing crowds in recent years. (parks.ca.gov) State Parks said the change was meant to reduce overcrowding, traffic backups, illegal parking and sanitation problems that had built up around the falls. Campers and cabin guests with existing reservations inside the park do not need a separate day-use booking. ### Which waterfall is affected, and when do reservations apply? McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park is the site affected by the new rules, and the reservation requirement applies from May 15 through Sept. 27 on Fridays through Sundays and on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, State Parks said. Monday-through-Thursday visits during that same period do not require a reservation, and no reservation is required outside the May 15-Sept. 27 peak window. (parks.ca.gov) The park’s Friends of the Falls group separately warned that people arriving on weekends and holidays when reservations are required will be denied entry unless they already have one. ### How many people can get in under the new system? California State Parks said it will issue 103 vehicle passes for entry from 8 a.m. to noon, another 103 passes for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 35 all-day passes on reservation-required dates. (parks.ca.gov) The agency said pass quantities may be adjusted as officials monitor the pilot program’s effects. The reservation is limited to one per vehicle per day, and the system is designed for passenger vehicles that fit in one standard parking space, according to the State Parks notice. (burneyfallspark.org) Same-day reservations will not be accepted. ### What does it cost, and who is exempt? State Parks set the price at $10 per vehicle plus a 55-cent processing fee through LAZ Parking. Senior and disabled discounts apply for eligible visitors, and annual pass holders still need a reservation even if their entry fee is otherwise covered, the agency said. (parks.ca.gov) Guests with campground or cabin reservations inside the park do not need an added day-use reservation, State Parks said. (parks.ca.gov) Day-users with a boat reservation from the concessionaire-operated marina still need a day-use reservation to enter the park. ### Why did officials decide to add reservations now? California State Parks said the pilot was created to address “extreme overcrowding” and improve visitor experience at one of the system’s busiest remote destinations. (parks.ca.gov) In its release, the agency cited damage to sensitive vegetation and sacred tribal land, traffic backups, illegal parking, public safety concerns and sanitation issues around the falls. SFGATE, citing the State Parks release, reported that visitors who made it inside the park were often met with long restroom lines and overflowing trash cans. The same report said off-trail use increased enough that the park had to close access to the base of Burney Falls during summer 2024 for trail restoration work aimed at preventing a “catastrophic trail failure.” (parks.ca.gov) State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in the release that Burney Falls is “a crown jewel of the California State Park System” and that the agency wants visitors to have “an enjoyable and memorable experience” at the site. ### What should visitors do before they go? Visitors planning a weekend or holiday trip between May 15 and Sept. 27 need to secure a reservation in advance through LAZ Parking before driving to the park, according to State Parks. (sfgate.com) The agency said same-day bookings are not available, which means travelers who arrive without a reservation on required dates can be turned away. Sept. 27 is the scheduled end date for the summer pilot, and State Parks said it plans to evaluate the program after the season to prepare for future years. (rv-times.com) (sfgate.com) (parks.ca.gov)