Shasta Reflections

Few color spotters explore Shasta County, as it has a fairly narrow window of color due to similar elevations. It’s also a long drive for many, though worth it, if only to visit McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

President Theodore Roosevelt called Burney Falls in the park, “The eighth wonder of the world.” It’s a spring-fed waterfall whose stream both falls from above and pours through thousands of openings in its porous volcanic basalt rock cliff.

Emerald green moss on the cliff is framed by orange-yellow black oak and yellow bigleaf maple. The scene is a fantasy setting.

Ravi Ranganathan was there on Saturday. He also visited Lake Siskyou and scored First Reports for Britton Lake and the Upper McCloud River.

All are Near Peak, so there’s time to plan a trip to the Shasta County, which will be at peak for the next week and a half. 

• McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Burney (2,783′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Lake Britton, Burney (2,717′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
• Lake Siskyou, Mt Shasta (3,185′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!