For years, anyone hoping to see one of California’s most striking waterfalls faced a troubling choice: trespass by walking along active railroad tracks or miss the destination entirely.
That long-standing problem may soon be resolved.
A significant step forward arrived Wednesday, when Union Pacific finalized a 75-year lease with the city of Dunsmuir in Siskiyou County. The deal opens the door for a public trail to Mossbrae Falls, a hidden natural landmark that has continued to attract visitors despite the absence of a lawful access route.
Under the agreement, Dunsmuir will be permitted to construct a boardwalk inside the railroad’s right-of-way, with the city making a one-time payment of $50,000 to Union Pacific.
City officials and community leaders described the lease as a landmark moment in the decades-long effort to create safe, legal public access to the falls.
“This is really the most important step toward building a trail that has ever occurred,” Dunsmuir City Council Member Matthew Bryan said during a town meeting last week, as council members voted to approve the lease.
Mossbrae Falls is tucked into a narrow canyon beside the Upper Sacramento River, in a setting where terrain, ownership and rail infrastructure have complicated access plans for generations.
The spring-fed waterfall, measuring about 50 feet tall and 175 feet wide, is known for its unusual formation: water seeps from porous volcanic rock and lava tubes linked to nearby Mount Shasta, spilling across a lush cliff coated in bright green moss.
Land east of the waterfall belongs to the Saint Germain Foundation, a religious organization that city officials say has opposed allowing public access across its property.
Attempts to reach the foundation for comment were not returned before press time.
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On the opposite side, visitors face Union Pacific rail lines pressed against steep canyon walls.
The result has been a risky workaround that has become almost routine.
Tens of thousands of visitors each year reportedly trek roughly three miles along active railroad tracks to reach the falls, moving aside when freight trains pass.
The dangerous route has already had serious consequences.
At least two people have suffered severe injuries after being struck by trains in recent years.
Under the city’s proposed plan, visitors would instead begin their trip at Hedge Creek Falls, another popular waterfall with parking and trail access near Interstate 5.
The design includes a new 150-foot pedestrian bridge spanning the river downstream from Mossbrae Falls.
From there, visitors would follow a network of boardwalks constructed alongside the railroad corridor but separated from train traffic by security fencing.
The route would end at a viewing platform at the base of the falls.
The entire project carries an estimated price tag of about $21 million, with taxpayers footing the bill for most of it.
Dunsmuir officials are preparing to seek funding from the Federal Railroad Administration, which could cover most of the cost if awarded.
Union Pacific has already thrown its support behind the effort, sending a letter to the agency expressing its “strong support” for the city’s grant application.
