Mossbrae Falls ― the pristine Siskiyou County attraction that’s notoriously perilous to reach — is closer to finally getting a pedestrian trail and bridge that will give the public safer access to the spectacular waterfalls whose popularity peaks during the Fourth of July holiday period.
At a meeting on June 16, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors submitted a letter giving “strong support” to the city of Dunsmuir’s application for a Federal Railroad Administration grant.
If awarded, the grant would pay to construct a 0.6-mile pedestrian trail and pedestrian suspension bridge across the Sacramento River to create “safe and legal access” to Mossbrae Falls that starts at the Hedge Creek Falls trailhead.
In the letter sent to the Federal Railroad Administration Grant Review Committee, supervisors said visitors’ only current DIY access to Mossbrae Falls takes waterfall seekers across private property owned by Union Pacific Railroad. That route is “illegal and unsafe,” supervisors said, since people end up walking over a half-mile along an active Union Pacific Railroad mainline through a narrow river canyon.
“Two visitors have been seriously injured by trains on this corridor, in 2011 and 2019. In 2025, a woman died attempting to cross the Sacramento River to the Falls,” the supervisors’ letter said.
There have been other close calls over the years, according to Siskiyou County public safety officials.
Still, cellphone tracking data showed that more than 19,200 people trekked to the majestic falls in 2025, up from 18,900 the year before, according to data provided by Siskiyou County tourism officials on June 26.
So far this year, there have been 7,100 visits to Mossbrae Falls, up from 6,700 during the same period in 2025, county officials said.
“Our largest visitation to the county for the summer will come in the next two weeks with the Fourth of July weekend. We have a large amount of out of town visitors to Mt. Shasta and Dunsmuir,” said an email from Siskiyou Economic Development Program Manager Jason Young.
Construction of the 0.6-mile pedestrian trail and suspension bridge across the Sacramento River would end the hazardous conditions, said the lawmakers’ letter, while helping boost Dunsmuir’s efforts to be seen as “The City of Waterfalls.”Young said Mossbrae Falls doesn’t receive as many visitors as McCloud Falls, Bunny Flats, Mt. Shasta Ski Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Hedge Creek Falls and Castle Crags State Park.
“Hedge Creek Falls sees more visits but this is because of the difficulty of getting to Mossbrae Falls,” said Young.
At the June meeting, Supervisor Ed Valenzuela advised staff to prepare a letter of support for Dunsmuir’s application for the grant that would help pay for Mossbrae Falls Trail Project.
Union Pacific Railroad has agreed to grant the necessary right-of-way for trail construction, the supervisors’ letter said.
City officials have estimated the project’s cost at $26 million, according to media reports.
Michele Chandler covers public safety, reports on major trials happening in Shasta County Superior Court, writes about restaurants and handles whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at mrchandler@gannett.com. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Perilous but pristine Siskiyou waterfall could get an access upgrade
Reporting by Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By Michele Chandler, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
