Mossbrae Falls

I finally made it up to Mossbrae Falls! I have been wanting to go for a couple years now. A couple years?! Why does it take so long to do some of these things? Sheesh.

Now obviously I'm a little slow on the bandwagon. I have been seeing friends and locals post pictures of Mossbrae Falls for a while. So, I'm not here to say I'm the first, but when I started looking for directions to the falls, I had a hard time finding the info I needed all in one place.

The Stats: Mossbrae Falls

DISCLAIMER: In order to get to Mossbrae Falls, you have to pass through private property. Unless you have permission from the land owner, it is considered trespassing.

Location: Dunsmuir, CA (See map & directions below for details)

Amenities: None. There are no bathrooms, no drinking fountains, just the great outdoors and mother nature.

I really wanted my husband to be able to go with us on the hike, so we had to go when he was off work. Unfortunately the only day that lined up for us to go was the 4th of July. Well, everyone else decided that Independence Day was the perfect day for a hike to the falls too. There were plenty of people at the falls. My pictures are full of people. I saw pictures from friends of Mossbrae Falls on the 5th of July and there was no one in her pictures. Just sayin'.

Here's what you want to know: How do you get there?

Park near the corner of Dunsmuir Ave and Scarlett. We parked up the hill from Scarlett on Dunsmuir Ave. Make sure you are parking in an area that doesn't have a "no parking" sign. Walk down Scarlett (private street) to the bottom of the hill. At the bottom of the hill take a right and go over the bridge. Take a right after the bridge and follow the tracks tot he next bridge. Right before the 2nd bridge there is a trail off to the right. It's somewhat of a steep trail down to the falls. The hike between the two bridges took us about 30-40 minutes with kids in tow.

DISCLAIMER #2: Walking along ANY railroad track is illegal (trespassing) and dangerous.  (Linked HERE is an article about Mossbrae Falls from Jefferson Public Radio and the dangers that are associated with accessing Mossbrae Falls via the railroad tracks.)

Pro Tips:

• Wear tennis shoes or a good outdoor sandal. The railroad tracks are rocky and it's an unlevel walking surface. I wore a Teva sandal and it worked out just fine. But I wouldn't want to walk that far on the tracks with flip flops.
• Take lots of water. If you're going in the heat of the summer, it will be hot on your hike. There is very little shade on the railroad tracks.
• Make sure you do not park on Scarlett. It is a private street and the police give out tickets.
• The railroad tracks make me SUPER nervous. Be smart: pay attention, keep your eyes and ears alert and stay sober for this hike.

Have you been to Mossbrae Falls? What other waterfalls do you recommend going to?

Read more about these other waterfalls:
CRYSTAL CREEK FALLS
BURNEY FALLS