Mossbrae Falls

Mossbrae Falls is a waterfall in Dunsmuir, California, where multiple spring-fed streams flow down a moss-covered rock face into the Sacramento River. The cascades form a natural curtain about 175 feet wide and 52 feet tall (53 by 16 meters) through green vegetation.

The water source originates from natural springs that emerge from the canyon wall and have fed the vegetation for centuries. Railroad tracks along the river were built in the late 1800s and still run directly below the falls.

The name joins words from Irish and Scottish language with the moss that covers the rock face along the river. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger brought President George H.W. Bush here during a visit to Northern California.

The current route requires walking roughly 2.8 miles round trip along active railroad tracks, so authorities are working to establish an alternative trail. Visitors should remain alert for passing trains until an official footpath opens.

The water does not emerge from a single channel but rises from numerous parallel springs that bubble directly out of the porous rock face. The falls flow year-round with relatively steady intensity because they are fed by underground aquifers.

Location: California

GPS coordinates: 41.24197,-122.26639

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29