Lower Falls, McCloud River — Attraction in Mount Shasta

🌊 McCloud Lower Falls – A Hidden Gem in Northern California 🌲

If you're looking for a breathtaking escape into nature that feels both magical and peaceful, McCloud Lower Falls is an absolute must-see. Tucked away in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, this spot combines scenic beauty, easy access, and a sense of calm that’s hard to find anywhere else.

The falls themselves are stunning — crystal-clear water cascading into a turquoise pool surrounded by lush greenery and volcanic rock. Whether you're just stopping to take in the view or planning to spend the day, the area offers something for everyone. The swimming hole beneath the falls is incredible during the warmer months — refreshing, clean, and safe enough for a good splash. Adventurous souls even take the jump off the rocks into the water (only if you're experienced and conditions are safe, of course!).

The picnic area is well-maintained, and there are clean restrooms and shaded spots to relax. Families, couples, hikers, and solo travelers will all find something to enjoy here. And the trail that connects the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls is easy to moderate, making it a perfect half-day adventure filled with postcard-worthy views.

What really sets this place apart is the serenity. Even when a few other visitors are around, it still feels like a slice of paradise. You can sit by the edge, close your eyes, and just listen to the powerful rush of the water — nature’s therapy at its finest.

Tip: Go early in the morning or on a weekday to beat the crowds. And bring your camera — the views are unreal.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (5/5) Peaceful, picturesque, and absolutely unforgettable. McCloud Lower Falls is a place I’ll keep coming back to every...

We drove from Oregon to hike the McCloud river falls but unfortunately was only able to see the Lower Falls. Lower Falls was a Beautiful waterfall but the off road to Lower Falls, Middle Falls & Upper Falls was closed. The road still had some snow on it. There were many people here ready to hike these waterfalls. We all parked at the entrance parking lot and trekked our way down the main paved road. Me and the littles went to Lower Falls- which was the closest one to where we parked and it was a pretty decent walk. To get to Middle Falls we would have had to hike 2 extra miles, then Upper Falls was even further! My little ones did great to the Lower Falls but the extra 2+ miles would be too much! I spoke with many others to see which waterfalls they were able to see . . . Not many people were able to hike all three. Most small groups did one waterfall visit. We will have to make our way back here in the Summer, but if there were that many people here when snow is still on the ground- I’m assuming it’s going to be packed in the Summer! It would be a great place to camp, have picnics, swim in the awesome pool provided by the Lower Falls, and be able to have time to hike all the waterfalls! Lower Falls still had snow! It was a beautiful small fall in the middle of the McCloud River. Parking spaces nearby (not accessible this time of year), camping nearby, nicely built overlook space with informative signs around, portable-potty bathrooms her (open, although roads were closed, no toilet paper except for the TP that someone thrashed the bathroom with-so gross- people are horrible). Visited...

Visited on 12/30/2021. The 1.7 miles road up to closest parking lot was closed due to snow right about at the intersection of 89. There was still some space to park 10-15 cars before the blockad. We parked there and walked down to the lower falls, following another family who arrived few minutes before us and told us they know the area and its safe to go there. It was about 2 miles hike and took us 45 minutes to get there (yes, we were slow because we stopped for pictures and making snow angles :) and snowball fight to keep the walked entertaining). Adding pictures here to show how the hike was down to the falls. For the most part you are walking on snow covered road. I am sure all three falls are accessible in minutes when there's no snow on the road.

View of the fall was OK but a bit disappointing due to its height and time it took us to reach there (I should have looked at the pictures before and we would have went to middle or upper falls, but we selected lower falls because it was closer and we had 1.5 hours before sunset when we parked). Except for the short height of the fall, the overall view and scenery was...