Spring Waterfall Hikes Trend in NorCal
A new guide to Northern California's top 8 waterfalls is circulating, highlighting destinations like Burney, McCloud, and Alamere Falls as ideal spring day trips. One video goes in-depth on the Alamere Falls hike, an 8.5-mile trek to a rare coastal waterfall that drops directly onto a beach. Meanwhile, a video of a solo hike on the remote Lost Coast showcases the region's wilder side.
Northern California's waterfalls are at their most powerful in the spring, fed by snowmelt from the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. This peak season, typically between April and June, offers dramatic views but also requires caution on trails. The trails around Burney Falls, once called "the Eighth Wonder of the World" by President Theodore Roosevelt, recently reopened after a nine-month closure. The $835,000 project addressed trail damage from a surge in visitors, which grew from around 185,000 annually in the early 2000s to 350,000 in 2020. The park quietly reopened to avoid another spike in traffic. McCloud River Falls actually consists of three distinct waterfalls—Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls—connected by a 3.9-mile trail. For easier access, each waterfall has its own parking lot, and the trail section between Lower Falls and Fowlers Campground is wheelchair accessible. While swimming is popular, visitors should be cautious of submerged boulders. Reaching Alamere Falls requires careful planning around the tides. The final approach is a one-mile walk along Wildcat Beach, which is impassable at high tide. An unofficial "shortcut" trail is closed, eroded, and dangerous; park officials urge hikers to use the official, longer route for safety. The Lost Coast trail lives up to its name with a rugged, undeveloped coastline. Hikers must plan their trek around tides, as three sections of the 24.6-mile northern route become impassable. Due to storm damage, Usal Road, a key access point for the southern part of the trail, is currently closed indefinitely.
