Shasta County · Unincorporated community
Fall River Mills
Six hundred and sixteen people in a valley between two mountain ranges, on a river fed entirely by springs.
The basics
| County | Shasta County |
|---|---|
| Population | 616 (2020 census) , from 573 in 2010 |
| Status | Unincorporated community |
| Water | Fall River |
| Coordinates | 41.0056, -121.4408 |
What is actually there
Fall River Mills lies in the Fall River Valley, in the gap where the Sierra Nevada ends and the Cascades begin. The river it is named for is spring-fed, which gives it a steady flow and a steady temperature, and that combination has made it one of the better known trout waters in California.
The population is 616, up from 573 in 2010. The U.S. Army put Fort Crook in this valley in 1857, and the settlement grew from that.
One practical detail that matters more than it sounds: Fall River Mills Airport is the only airport within 75 miles of either Redding or Alturas. In a valley this remote that single strip is the difference between a medical emergency and a very long drive.