Everyone knows Yosemite and Sequoia. Fewer people know that the Shasta-Trinity National Forest — California's largest, covering more than 2 million acres of Northern California — hides one of the state's most rewarding short hikes: the McCloud Waterfalls Trail.
The route runs about four miles out-and-back through a basalt lava canyon and takes most people roughly 90 minutes, though you'll want longer. Along the way it passes three separate cascades — Lower, Middle, and Upper McCloud Falls — each with a pool at its base. In summer those pools double as swimming holes; come autumn, the canyon puts on solid foliage colour.
Access is straightforward. The trailhead sits just off the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which threads from the town of Mount Shasta through McCloud toward McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. The classic starting point is the Lower Falls parking lot beside Fowlers Campground, which also offers toilets, an information kiosk and a convenient place to pitch up for a longer stay. The path itself is well-kept dirt track, with the only real effort coming from a few uphill stretches. One caveat: icy conditions can make things trickier in winter.
There's one important change to know before you go. A Forest Service order has closed vehicle access to the parking lots at each individual waterfall until May 1, 2027. That means no more drive-up falls — visitors now have to hike in from farther away. Anyone with limited mobility or hoping for a quick photo stop should factor this in.
Safety note for swimmers: all three pools are open for a dip, but officials strongly discourage diving off the surrounding rocks. Newly submerged boulders make it genuinely dangerous.
If four miles whets your appetite, the wider forest has plenty more. Mount Shasta itself, a 14,000-foot volcano and the second-highest peak in the Cascades, looms over everything; ambitious hikers can attempt the summit cross-country or take in the views on the six-mile Avalanche Gulch Trail. A 154-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail crosses the forest, and the 10-mile Sisson-Callahan National Recreation Trail delivers serious mountain scenery. The Trinity, Sacramento, and McCloud rivers offer fishing and kayaking, and the forest's five Wilderness Areas are ripe for a proper off-grid trip.
For something memorable, book a night at Little Mount Hoffman Lookout — a rustic forest fire-lookout-style cabin with panoramic views of Mount Shasta, Mount Lassen, and Mount McLoughlin. Don't expect pampering: amenities run to a wood stove and a vault toilet, which is precisely the point.
This corner of California suits travellers who want big-name scenery without big-name crowds. It pairs well with a road trip along I-5 or the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, and the easy waterfall hike makes it a realistic option for families or casual hikers, while the longer routes keep serious trekkers busy for days.