Cedar Creek Falls

Cedar Creek Falls is perhaps San Diego County's most spectacular waterfall.

Plunging roughly 80ft into a plunge pool surrounded by rock walls, it's one of the more popular hikes in this part of

Thus, you'll probably want to time your visit to this waterfall during the winter or early spring months, but only if we've had an average to above average Winter precipitation. Julie once went to this waterfall in early May 2001 and it was dry. However, on the latest trip, my mom and I showed up two days after a freak Valentine's Day snow storm (2008), and the photos you see on this page reflects the state the falls was in at the time.

The hike itself is upside down (i.e. you descend to the falls and get back all that elevation on the way out), about 4.5 miles round trip, and pretty much exposed to the sun for almost its entirety. But if you time your excursion for right after a clearing rain or snow storm, you might be able to see Mildred Falls near the trailhead.

The trail follows a weather worn fire road leading down to the San Diego River basin. There's a spur trail on the left en route, which we recommend you ignore unless you want to get to the top of the falls (see note below after directions). As you continue on the main fire road, the trail eventually intersects with another trail on your left near where a creek joins the San Diego River.

You then follow this trail as it follows the smaller creek (crossing it a couple of times) eventually leading right up to the base of the impressive Cedar Creek Falls.

Mom and I did notice that there were other hikers who came from a different trail, which we think comes from the Ramona Estates. There are homes perched above the hills opposite the basin from the trail we took to get to the falls, and we imagine that's where the Ramona Estates are. But we can't say more about this since we didn't go that way.

Continue on this road for another 8 miles until you reach the signposted trailhead near the unmaintained road leading 4 miles to Boulder Creek Road (which you don't have to worry about for this excursion).

One last note about this falls... If you're following the 2nd edition of Ann Marie Brown's California Waterfalls, her directions lead you to the less-than-impressive top of the falls. While there is a terribly steep and eroded access trail down a gully to the base from the top of the falls (we know firsthand since we actually joined a handful of other hikers in doing this scramble), the better (and much safer) access is to take the main trail (bypassing the first left fork) all the way to the bottom where there's a fork near some fences. The left path follows Cedar Creek (crossing it twice; you can boulder hop without getting your feet wet or keep you balance with hiking sticks) until reaching the base of the falls.

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Cedar Creek Falls with some people on top trying to figure out how to get to the bottom

The signposted unmaintained road leading 4 miles to Boulder Creek Road (near the trailhead)

View of the gate and fire road leaving the trailhead

Looking down at the San Diego River basin from the trail

Approaching Cedar Creek Falls

Looking at the San Diego River as we start the hot hike back up to the trailhead

Mom on the trail as she hikes back towards the trailhead

View World of Waterfalls in a larger map

TRIP REPORTS

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Mildred Falls

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