purchased online<\/a>, will be required to visit the falls Fridays through Sundays and on holidays during peak visitation season, from May 15 through Sept. 27.<\/p>\nOn those days, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park will offer 103 parking passes for 8 a.m. to noon, an additional 103 passes for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 35 passes for the entire day. <\/p>\n
The day use passes will cost $11 per vehicle, according to State Parks, with discounts for seniors and people with disabilities. <\/p>\n
California State Parks annual pass holders will pay no additional charge but must make reservations. Visitors with overnight campground or cabin reservations will not need additional passes for day use. <\/p>\n
The 129-foot waterfall \u2014 a wide curtain of white water cascading from a basalt cliff face \u2014 generates its own rainbow and once was dubbed the \u201cEighth Wonder of the World\u201d by President Theodore Roosevelt. <\/p>\n
![\"Visitors](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777976228_894_.jpeg\")
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Visitors often endure long lines to get a selfie at Burney Falls. Here, Rachel Brussbau poses with her 1-year-old daughter, Sage, and Crysten Michol in July 2023.<\/p>\n
(Paul Kuroda \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n
But for much of its history, it \u201cexperienced limited visitation due to its rural location … and lack of publicity,\u201d the State Parks department said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor generations of visitors, it had the reputation of a small, family-oriented park and one of California\u2019s best-kept secrets,\u201d the department said. \u201cHowever, over the past decade, and especially with the growth of social media, that secret is now world-famous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crowds swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, when indoor public spaces closed. <\/p>\n
A State Parks spokesperson told The Times in an email Monday that in 2015, Burney Falls had 121,495 visitors. Numbers \u201chave steadily risen since that time, peaking at 322,192 visitors in 2020 during the pandemic,\u201d the spokesperson said. <\/p>\n
Since then, about 220,000 people have visited the park each year. <\/p>\n
The spokesperson said the numbers account only for people who come in through the official entrance and not those who park illegally on the side of the road and enter off-trail. <\/p>\n
Because so many people have veered off established trails, the park in recent years has experienced increased erosion and damage to sensitive vegetation and sacred tribal land, according to the State Parks department. Heavy traffic and illegal parking also have created unsafe conditions along State Highway 89, one of the heavily forested county\u2019s main thoroughfares and a critical fire evacuation route. <\/p>\n
\u201cCampers with reservations are hesitant to leave the park, knowing that it may take up to two hours to re-enter on busy days,\u201d the department statement read. <\/p>\n
Because of limited parking, the gates often close for several hours each day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf lucky enough to gain entry, visitors inside the park are met with extreme overcrowding, long restroom lines, and overflowing trash cans instead of a peaceful, rejuvenating experience at one of the nation\u2019s most awe-inspiring natural landmarks,\u201d State Parks said. <\/p>\n
In the summer of 2024, State Parks closed all access<\/a> to the waterfall for the season to repair trails and slopes damaged by heavy crowds and storm erosion. <\/p>\nThe department said it will evaluate the day use reservation system at the end of the summer and make adjustments if necessary for future peak visitation periods.<\/p>\n
State Sen. Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), whose district includes Shasta County, said the pilot program \u201cis likely to disrupt some trips\u201d until word spreads. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, for several years it has been clear something needs to change at Burney Falls,\u201d Dahle said. \u201cI hope this is an interim measure on the way to longer-term fixes to accommodate visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n