Whitney Falls drops about 250 feet into a narrow, lava-capped canyon on the dry northwestern flank of Mount Shasta, fed by Whitney Creek from the Whitney Glacier. The access trail was officially condemned by the Forest Service after a 1997 glacial outburst damaged it, and flow varies widely by season.
Its 250 ft drop is taller than about 91% of the 775 waterfalls we track.
Whitney Falls sits on Whitney Creek. It lies in Siskiyou, California. The site is on public land managed by Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
This is a moderate hike waterfall: a longer day hike, roughly one to several miles each way. Reaching it takes a moderate walk, so budget time and pack water before you set out. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 3.2 miles round trip. The nearest town is Weed.
When to go: Late July to August (peak glacial melt). Flow usually peaks after snowmelt and heavy rain and tapers through late summer — a quick look at recent streamflow and the managing agency's conditions page can save a wasted trip.
