Mossbrae Falls Access Delayed Amid Safety Concerns

Mossbrae Falls near Dunsmuir, California, attracts roughly 30,000 visitors annually despite the only access requiring illegal and dangerous trespassing along active train tracks, resulting in injuries and at least two deaths since 2012. The land around the falls is divided between the Saint Germain Foundation, which owns the east bank, and Union Pacific Railroad, which controls the adjacent tracks, complicating efforts to establish safe public access. City officials hope to capitalize on the waterfall's cultural and economic value by promoting Dunsmuir as the 'Waterfall Capital' of California, but progress on a legal access trail has stalled due to legal and bureaucratic hurdles. Social media has dramatically increased the site's popularity, intensifying the pressure for a solution. The situation echoes broader West Coast struggles to balance access, safety, preservation, and infrastructure, as seen in regional projects like the Historic Columbia River Highway and the San Jacinto Tunnel. Mossbrae Falls exemplifies the complex challenges faced by communities managing iconic natural sites amid increasing public demand and tangled land rights.