Phantom Falls

Phantom Falls is a seasonal waterfall in the North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve near Oroville, California, where water drops over the edge at Coal Canyon. The stream plunges roughly 50 meters into a pool below, with a natural grotto formation marking the base of the falls.

The waterfall sits in an area explored during California's Gold Rush, when miners dug a shaft behind the falls seeking deposits. That mining activity left traces still visible today, though the gold prospects proved minimal and were abandoned.

The reserve is valued locally as a hiking destination where visitors can experience how seasonal water shapes the landscape. People who come here often appreciate seeing a natural area that maintains its ecological character without heavy development.

Visitors need a CDFW Lands Pass to enter the area, and sturdy hiking boots are essential as the trail crosses rocky ground throughout. Access starts from Cherokee Road, and the path becomes slippery after rain, so timing your visit during dry spells helps.

The waterfall earned its name because it vanishes completely during dry months, flowing only from late autumn through early spring when rainfall is abundant. This seasonal nature makes it a fleeting natural display that appears and disappears with the water cycle.