Take a Hike and Spend the Night at Burney Falls
Located within the Cascade Range and the Modoc Plateau in Northern California, McArthur-Burney Falls State Park (www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=455) is widely known for its namesake falls. And although the cascading falls are certainly worth a gander, there’s much more to this scenic state park that occupies 910 acres of prime forest land. So after you’ve had a quick look at the falls, get ready to take a wheelchair-accessible hike or two, and even spend the night in this popular state park.
Hit the Trail
After you’ve had a look at Burney Falls from the accessible viewing platform across the street from the visitor center, continue on along the Headwaters Trail. This hard-packed dirt trail, which winds through the forest is mostly level, and although there are a few rocks and ruts in the beginning, if you can make it past those, you’ll be good to go on the rest of the trail. The trail ends at Headwaters Pool, which features a shaded deck with benches that overlook the serene water feature. All in all it’s a .75 mile round trip through a quiet pine and cedar forest.
Make sure and save time for a visit to Lake Britton while you’re in the park, as it offers excellent wheelchair-access. There’s accessible parking next to a paved level trail across from the marina, that leads out to a couple of accessible picnic tables on the lakeshore. It’s a very pleasant place for a picnic lunch, and if you’d like to roll around in the sand, a beach wheelchair is also available. On the other side of the parking lots, there’s level access out to an accessible fishing pier and an accessible boat launch. Both are clearly marked, and there’s also an accessible boat trailer parking spot.
A large picnic area with accessible picnic tables on dirt pads is located across the street from the upper parking area. This is another pleasant place for lunch in the forest. The picnic area is also the starting point of the Burney Creek Trail. This hard packed dirt trail leads through the forest, and in theory a 1.25-mile section is wheelchair-accessible; however due to downed trees and mudslide damage the access now ends at the .35-mile point. Still it’s a nice little walk through a recovering lakeside forest.
Spend the Night
If you’d like to spend the night at Burney Falls, you have a few choices in regards to wheelchair-accessible accommodations. At the top of the list is the traditional favorite – pitching a tent in the campground.
There are seven wheelchair-accessible campsites in the Rim Campground – 1, 3, 23, 27, 30, 47, and 51. Each site includes a paved driveway, an accessible picnic table, a food locker, a raised grill and a level tent pad. And while all these campsites are close to accessible showers and restrooms, campsites 23, 27 and 51 are the closest to these facilities.
If you’d rather skip the tent-pitching process, there are also two accessible camper cabins in the Rim Campground. These cabins include accessible parking on a level slab, an accessible picnic table and a raised grill. Both cabins also offer ramp access up to the front porch. Cabin 59 is furnished with one twin bunk bed (bottom bunk is 24 inches high), while cabin 62 includes two twin bunk beds. The beds include vinyl mattresses, but linens and towels are not provided. Additional vinyl mattresses are available to put on the floor.
There is no electricity in the cabins, and water spigots are located throughout the campground. Charging outlets are available at the visitor center, in the covered picnic area next to the building. The cabins are still a bit rustic, but they offer an accessible opportunity to spend the night in a mature ponderosa pine and incense cedar forest.
Campsites and cabins can be reserved at https://www.reservecalifornia.com/Web/. And if you don’t plan to overnight in the park, remember to arrive early, as visitation is high from April to October , and the park gates close when capacity is reached. Plan ahead to avoid disappointment.
