Burney Creek is a tributary of the Pit River which has its mouth on the Lake Britton reservoir to the north.

The falls are an example of river drainage regulated by stratigraphically-controlled springs, and of a waterfall formed by undercutting of horizontal strata.

[3] Called "the Eighth Wonder of the World" by President Theodore Roosevelt, the falls are "at their most intense ... during the spring, from early April through October, when snowmelt is at its peak".

[5] In March 2021, a National Geographic article declared the site to be one of "northern California's most spectacular waterfalls".

[9] Other movies with scenes filmed at Burney Falls include Stand by Me (1986), The Parson and the Outlaw (1957) and Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958).