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Destinations of Waterfalls ≫ North America Waterfalls ≫ USA Waterfalls and How To Visit Them ≫ California Waterfalls and How To Visit Them

Southern California Waterfalls and How To Visit Them

Southern California Waterfalls - waterfalls in and around the Greater Los Angeles Area

Southern California Waterfalls
Southern California Waterfalls
Southern California Waterfalls Map
Click for the interactive map

Southern California Waterfalls (particularly those in or near the Greater Los Angeles area) may be one of the most surprising aspects about this part of the Golden State. As you can see from the waterfall map above, we have seen quite a few of these waterfalls in the Southland. Heck, Julie and I (as well as many members of our family) have been to so many waterfalls locally that we even compiled a Top 10 Best Southern California Waterfalls list highlighting our favorites.

Nevertheless, being Los Angeles residents for most of our lives, Julie and I are well aware that the city has many things going for it that do not involve waterfalls. However, it turns out that after realizing the benefits of chasing waterfalls, we now have a legitimate reason to really experience the Nature hidden in our own backyard! And through this Southern California Waterfalls page, we’re eager to share our experiences with you.

For the purposes of this page, we showcase the waterfall hikes and trails in Southern California using Los Angeles and Orange County as the center of the region (since the majority of people live here). We have a separate write-up focusing only on the waterfall hikes and trails just in Los Angeles County and Orange County alone. However, the Southern California Waterfalls page casts a wider net revealing all the waterfalls that we’ve personally experienced and provided write-ups for throughout the rest of the Greater Los Angeles area and its surroundings.

Therefore, in addition to the waterfalls of Los Angeles County and Orange County, this page also includes waterfalls in Santa Barbara County, San Diego County, Ventura County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County. Even though we cover a lot of real estate, we’ve found that we can visit most of these waterfalls reasonably within a day from Los Angeles (barring bad traffic, of course). In the worst case, the most far-flung waterfalls may require spending a night outside of L.A., especially if the waterfall trail involves a longer hike or scramble.

So have a look at what we’ve done so far, where we’ve shared in each of our waterfall write-ups directions, information, photographs, videos, and more. Hopefully, you can benefit from our experiences so that you, too, may be compelled to spread the love that is waterfalling in Southern California…

Top 10 Lists Featuring Southern California Waterfalls

Top 10 Best Waterfalls in Southern California & How To Visit Them

Most Recent Waterfall Write-ups

Upper Zuma Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Malibu, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Whitney Canyon Falls

Angeles National Forest / Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy / Newhall, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Allison Gulch Falls

Angeles National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 2

Bridge To Nowhere Waterfalls

Angeles National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1

Lower Fox Canyon Falls (Lower Falls Of The Fox)

Angeles National Forest / Tujunga / Sunland, California, USA
Rating: 2

Devils Gulch Falls

Angeles National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 2

Upper Hot Spring Canyon Falls

Lake Elsinore / San Juan Capistrano / Cleveland National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1

Fall Creek Falls

Angeles National Forest / Tujunga / Sunland, California, USA
Rating: 2

Josephine Creek Falls

Angeles National Forest / Tujunga / Sunland, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Chiquito Falls (Lion Canyon Falls)

Lake Elsinore / San Juan Capistrano / Cleveland National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1

Santa Paula Canyon Falls (Santa Paula Canyon Punch Bowls)

Santa Paula / Fillmore / Los Padres National Forest / Sespe Wilderness, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

The Grotto Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Circle X Ranch / Malibu / Thousand Oaks, California, USA
Rating: 1

Rubio Canyon Falls

Altadena, California, USA
Rating: 1

Black Star Canyon Falls

Silverado / Santiago Canyon / Irvine / Cleveland National Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Green Valley Falls

Cuyamaca / Julian / Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, California, USA
Rating: 1

Borrego Palm Canyon Falls

Borrego Springs / Anza Borrego State Park, California, USA
Rating: 1

Santa Ynez Falls

Pacific Palisades / Topanga State Park, California, USA
Rating: 1

Placerita Creek Falls

Newhall / Placerita Canyon State Park, California, USA
Rating: 1

San Ysidro Falls

Los Padres National Forest / Santa Barbara / Montecito, California, USA
Rating: 2

Potrero John Falls

Los Padres National Forest / Sespe Wilderness / Ojai, California, USA
Rating: 2

Fuller Mill Creek Falls

San Bernardino National Forest / Idyllwild, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Murray Canyon Falls (Seven Sisters Falls)

Agua Caliente Indian Reservation / Palm Springs, California, USA
Rating: 2

West Fork Falls

Agua Caliente Indian Reservation / Palm Springs, California, USA
Rating: 1

Dana Point Waterfall

Dana Point / San Juan Capistrano, California, USA
Rating: 1

Aliso Viejo Waterfall

Foxborough Park / Aliso Viejo / Irvine, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

Buckhorn Falls

Angeles National Forest / Buckhorn Campground, California, USA
Rating: 2

Falls Canyon Falls (“Hidden Falls”)

Cleveland National Forest / Rancho Santa Margarita / Lake Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Bailey Canyon Falls

Sierra Madre / Arcadia, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

Three Sisters Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Julian / Descanso, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

Cottonwood Creek Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Pine Valley / Mt Laguna, California, USA
Rating: 1

Jack Creek Falls

Dixon Lake Recreation Area / Escondido, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

San Juan Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Lake Elsinore, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

“Cold Creek Falls”

Angelus Oaks, California, USA
Rating: 1

Seven Falls

Los Padres National Forest / Santa Barbara, California, USA
Rating: 1

Etiwanda Falls

North Etiwanda Preserve / Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA
Rating: 1

Bonita Falls

San Bernardino National Forest / Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA
Rating: 2

Tahquitz Falls

Agua Caliente Indian Reservation / Palm Springs, California, USA
Rating: 2

Hermit Falls

Angeles National Forest / Arcadia, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Fish Canyon Falls

Angeles National Forest / Duarte, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

Temescal Canyon Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Pacific Palisades, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

Newton Canyon Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Malibu, California, USA
Rating: 1

Holy Jim Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Rancho Santa Margarita / Lake Forest, California, USA
Rating: 1

Tenaja Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Murrieta, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Ortega Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Lake Elsinore, California, USA
Rating: 1

Tangerine Falls (West Fork Cold Springs Falls)

Los Padres National Forest / Santa Barbara, California, USA
Rating: 2

Nojoqui Falls

Solvang, California, USA
Rating: 2

Escondido Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Malibu, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

La Jolla Canyon Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Pt Mugu State Park, California, USA
Rating: 0.5

Cedar Creek Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Julian / Ramona, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

Mildred Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Julian, California, USA
Rating: 1

Kitchen Creek Falls

Cleveland National Forest / Boulder Oaks, California, USA
Rating: 2

Big Falls

San Bernardino National Forest / Forest Falls, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

San Antonio Falls

Angeles National Forest / Mt Baldy, California, USA
Rating: 2.5

Heart Rock Falls (Seeley Creek Falls)

Crestline / Valley of Enchantment, California, USA
Rating: 2

Cooper Canyon Falls

Angeles National Forest / Buckhorn Campground, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Switzer Falls

Angeles National Forest / La Canada Flintridge, California, USA
Rating: 2

Trail Canyon Falls

Angeles National Forest / Tujunga / Sunland, California, USA
Rating: 2

Millard Falls

Angeles National Forest / Altadena, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Rose Valley Falls

Los Padres National Forest / Ojai, California, USA
Rating: 2

Soldier Creek Falls (Lewis Falls)

Angeles National Forest / Crystal Lake, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Eaton Canyon Falls

Angeles National Forest / Pasadena / Altadena, California, USA
Rating: 2

Sycamore Canyon Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Pt Mugu State Park, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Solstice Canyon Falls

Santa Monica Mountains / Malibu, California, USA
Rating: 1

Monrovia Canyon Falls

Monrovia Canyon Park / Monrovia, California, USA
Rating: 1.5

Sturtevant Falls

Angeles National Forest / Arcadia, California, USA
Rating: 2

Paradise Falls (Wildwood Falls)

Wildwood Park / Thousand Oaks, California, USA
Rating: 2



Most Recent User-submitted Waterfalls from this Region

Paradise Falls

Some additional info on Kitchen Creek Falls from a local

“Someday Falls”

Etiwanda Falls Should Be a Solid 2 On the Ratings Scale

beautiful, but dangerous (Big Falls)

That waterfall is just the beginning…

Rancho La Costa Three With No Crowds

Paradise Falls April 2013

Cedar Creek Falls

911 experience at Escondido falls

something local (Forest Falls)

Trail Canyon May 17, 2012

Top of the Top (Escondido Falls)

Only 1 of 7 or 8 (Eaton Canyon Fall)

Eaton Fall – Taller than 30 feet

My dog and I love the hike and the falls (Cedar Creek Falls)


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Other Related Posts

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Southern California: Reviews of Travel Resources

Guide To The Best 21 Los Angeles & Orange County Waterfalls

Southern California Waterfalls: When Is The Best Time To See Them?

The 8 Best Los Angeles Waterfalls To Visit During A Drought

Top 10 Best Waterfalls in Southern California & How To Visit Them

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All Rights Reserved
The content on this website may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission.
HOME ♦ PRIVACY POLICY ♦ TERMS

Powered by Kinsta

Affiliate Disclosure: We receive compensation from companies whose products or services are used, referenced, or reviewed regardless of whether we endorse or criticize them.  We are independently owned so content written by us merely reflect our own opinions. more