Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Webber Falls

Webber Falls

A little-known, but surprisingly large waterfall on the Little Truckee River in the northern Sierra Nevada.

Sierraville, California

Added By
slgwv
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Falls from north side, May 2021.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Falls from north side, May 2021.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Falls from south, July 2023.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Whole falls, from south side, July 2023.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Upper falls, from north side, May 2021.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Upper falls, from north side, July 2023.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Upper falls, looking downstream from south side, July 2023.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Little Truckee River originates as the outflow from Webber Lake, a natural lake, in the Sierra Nevada north of Donner Summit.

It is a substantial stream by the area's standards and even has a couple of reservoirs in its lower reaches. In particular, it is the largest tributary to the main stem of the Truckee River. The Truckee in turn flows east into Nevada and is the primary water source for Reno and much of western Nevada. The Truckee itself ends at Pyramid Lake.

It's less than a mile below its start at the outflow from Webber Lake, and the Little Truckee drops into a narrow canyon over Webber Falls. The falls are about 100 feet high but consist of several steps, of which the lowermost and most significant is about 50 feet tall. They can be spectacular, especially during the spring runoff.

Related Tags

Water Nature Waterfalls

Know Before You Go

Take California State Route 89 14.5 miles north from its intersection with Interstate 80 to County/US Forest Service Road 07, called Fiberboard Road or Jackson Meadows Reservoir Road. Turn left (west) here. This road is narrow but paved. Follow the Fiberboard Road about 6.7 miles to a small, poorly marked parking area on the left. The parking area is about 400 feet beyond the turnoff to Lake of the Woods, which will be on the right.

Drop down on foot from the parking area into the canyon of the Little Truckee. In about 130 feet, you will cross a graded road, the Dog Valley Road or old Henness Pass road. The falls are in the canyon below. There is no developed overlook area or "official" path but just a welter of use paths. The slopes of the canyon are steep with poor footing and lots of loose rock; care is needed, particularly with children and pets.

The Webber Falls trails could be accessed from Dog Valley Road, but the road is very steep and rough east of the falls and would require high clearance and possibly 4WD.

The falls can also be accessed from the south side of the canyon but the route is not as straightforward. Backtrack 1.3 miles along Fiberboard Road from the parking area and make a sharp right onto Dog Valley Road (USFS 07-20), which is a large graded road. You will cross a graded road in 0.7 miles; keep going straight across.

The road becomes USFS road 07-30; continue south 0.3 miles to a concrete bridge over the Little Truckee. About 0.6 miles from the bridge USFS road 07-3010 comes in from the right. Park here. This road makes a hairpin bend, climbing up the flank of the slope back toward the Little Truckee, and is gated but open to non-motorized traffic. About 1,000 feet after the road tops out and bends to the west you can cut cross-country back to the Little Truckee and the falls. A GPS and/or a topographic map will be useful, and experience in cross-country hiking is obviously also a plus.

The USFS writeup in the website is out of date in that Webber Lake is no longer private. It was acquired by Truckee Donner Land Trust some years ago and is now open to the public. It makes a worthwhile side trip while in the area.

The Fiberboard Road, as well as all the graded roads, are not open in the winter except locally to snowmobiles.

Community Contributors

Added By

slgwv

Published

October 5, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Webber Falls
Sierraville, California, 96126
United States
39.484144, -120.39224
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Webber Lake Hotel

Sierraville, California

miles away

Peter Grubb Hut

Norden, California

miles away

Kyburz Flat

Loyalton, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,494
Stories 135

Nearby Places

Webber Lake Hotel

Sierraville, California

miles away

Peter Grubb Hut

Norden, California

miles away

Kyburz Flat

Loyalton, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of California

California

United States

Places 1,494
Stories 135

Related Places

  • Cascade Falls

    Ouray, Colorado

    Cascade Falls Park

    Let Ouray’s tallest waterfall sweep your breath away on a dealer’s choice of scenic hikes.

  • Hoodoos above Tropic Falls.

    Tropic, Utah

    Tropic Ditch

    A late-19th century diversion canal built by hand crosses Bryce Canyon National Park and is still in use.

  • Burney Falls.

    Burney, California

    Burney Falls

    The flow from this waterfall sometimes comes out of springs below its rim.

  • Krushuna Falls

    Bulgaria

    Krushuna Falls

    These cascading falls resonate throughout the Bulgarian forest.

  • Cascade Falls.

    Duck Creek Village, Utah

    Cascade Falls

    An improbable waterfall springs from an orange-white cliff face, tumbling into the headwaters of the Virgin River above Zion National Park.

  • Rock Rest Falls, Vernon, IN

    North Vernon, Indiana

    Calli Nature Preserve-Rock Rest Falls

    At the turn of the century, a chair like rock sat at the top of the falls and hosted the winner of a local beauty contest.

  • Gveleti Waterfall

    Georgia

    Gveleti Waterfall

    Hidden up a dusty track off the Georgian Military Road is this fascinating waterfall with mountainous views.

  • Valaste Waterfall

    Valaste, Estonia

    Valaste Waterfall

    This stunning limestone waterfall is the highest in Estonia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.