Deer Creek Falls is a waterfall on Deer Creek in Tehama County, California, in the Cascades region, with a total height of about 18 feet. It lies about 16.5 miles southwest of Chester and roughly 37 miles northeast of Chico as the crow flies.
At 18 feet it is on the modest side for California, where the typical waterfall with a recorded height stands around 70 feet; it ranks 260th of 286. The water comes down as a plunge, where the water drops vertically and loses contact with the rock face, combined with a punchbowl character.
The Cascades are a high volcanic range of snow-capped peaks, deep glacial valleys and dense conifer forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock and true firs, with abundant rain and snow on the western slopes. Basalt cliffs and lava flows give the region one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the country. Deer Creek carries 5 recorded waterfalls, and Deer Creek Falls is the tallest of them.
There are 14 recorded waterfalls in Tehama County. Lower Deer Creek Falls, is about 4.3 miles away. Deadhorse Falls, is about 11.8 miles away. Battle Creek Falls, a 16-foot segmented plunge waterfall, is about 12.4 miles away.
Deer Creek Falls is located at 40.2024° N, 121.5132° W. The listing is based on the World Waterfall Database, one of the sources compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey in its inventory of waterfalls and rapids of the conterminous United States. The creek name is confirmed against the federal Geographic Names Information System. The exact position has not yet been verified on aerial imagery, so treat the map pin as approximate. Details on trails, parking and access have not been documented for this waterfall yet.