Lately, I’ve been intrigued by large bodies of water. Waterfalls, hot springs, lakes… you name it, I’m chasing them. Northern California is home to some of the most beautiful waterfalls. For example, Burney-Macarthur Falls and Whiskeytown Falls. For the longest time I’ve had my eye on Mossbrae Falls. Tired of the wait, I grabbed my girl Kara, booked a $20 hotel stay in Redding (that’s right, $20!), and took off on a weekend trip to find this waterfall.
A trip to Dunsmuir, which is where the waterfall is located, is not a short drive. It took us 4.5 hours to get there. If you’re planning to make a trip from San Francisco, make sure to leave early morning to take advantage of daylight time. However, the hike to Mossbrae Falls took no time at all. This is how you get to Mossbrae Falls….
To get to the beginning of the trail, navigate your GPS to Shasta Retreat at 4580 Simpson Avenue in Dunsmuir. Upon arrival, park your car on Dunsmuir Ave. Make sure not to park you car inside Shasta Retreat because it’s private property. Once you’re parked, enter the entryway that has a large metal sign that says “Shasta Retreat”. Enter that entryway and follow the short road that is called Linda Place, then make a right on Patricia Way. While you’re in Shasta Retreat, be mindful of the residents because this area is considered private property.
At the end of Patricia Way is a bridge. Make a right after the bridge and you’ll see a railroad track. Follow that railroad track for 1.5 mile. Be careful because the track is an active train track! Trains will come and go occasionally. About a mile down the track you’ll hear the waterfall and see a bridge. The path to the waterfall is right before the bridge. Follow the sounds and you’ll find Mossbrae Falls.
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