Waterfalls in San Diego County aren’t as well-known as other natural falls around the country, but that doesn’t mean they’re not impressive.
I mean, this isn’t Yosemite. This isn’t Iceland, either. These are Southern California waterfalls, so they’re affected by things like drought and high expectations.
If you’re just seeking that waterfall fix, especially during the spring months, these will do the job.
We were lucky enough to experience what I consider the best San Diego waterfalls during our seven years in the city.
Anything you’ll read here is courtesy of those adventures. They’re in a very subjective order of my favorites first, but read about them first before prioritizing your own San Diego waterfalls.
Some of them are tougher than the others as far as hiking is concerned.
I’ll include both round-trip hiking mileage and your distance from downtown San Diego so that you know how much time to dedicate to each one.
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Your Ride: You’ll need a car to get to these San Diego waterfalls. Book a rental car ahead of time.
Top Spots: Cedar Creek Falls, Three Sisters Falls, and Los Penasquitos are my favorite waterfalls in San Diego County.
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1. Cedar Creek Falls
Hiking Distance: 5.6 miles
Driving Distance: 40 miles (50 minutes)
Cedar Creek Falls is my favorite waterfall in San Diego County. It’s perhaps not as well-trafficked as Three Sisters, but the payoff is more impressive.
The trailhead is just east of Ramona, an alternative to Temecula if you’re seeking local wine.
READ MORE: Learn more about Temecula and my favorite San Diego day trips!
This is a hard hike. The “up” part is on the return. I only had to stop once for a water break despite the 1,000 feet or so of elevation gain, but I can see that bit being a killer in hotter temps.
There is no shade on this one, so bring lots of water and take your time.
You’ll need a permit to hike to the falls. You don’t want to risk a fine and being turned away from a ranger tut-tutting you outta there. I haven’t seen it happen, but it sounds super uncomfortable.
Try to time your trip after some rain. We got a drizzle the morning we headed out there that likely helped conditions at the falls, but can’t imagine much water in the summertime.
Note: Whatever you bring in with you, just make sure to bring it back out. We saw all kinds of garbage and debris in the pool at the bottom of the falls, including Pringles. Who would do that?? Pringles belong in your mouth.
People swim in Cedar Creek Falls and the pool at the bottom, locally known as the Devil’s Punchbowl, so it’s definitely something that’s allowed. It’s not the beach, but may be quite refreshing.
As far as the scene at the falls, it was pretty tame when we went, small groups of folks enjoying picnic lunches and quality time. It would appear the fish are used to humans feeding them, as they started to swarm around my feet when I sat down.
Don’t be a jackwagon. Leave no trace, whether you’re on a hiking trail or observing wildlife in La Jolla. The things I’ve seen in these places is astounding.
2. Three Sisters Falls
Hiking Distance: 4.1 miles
Driving Distance: 55 miles (1 hour 15 minutes)
I’ve already talked some smack about these sisters in the Cleveland National Forest. Sorry, ladies.
I’d still highly recommend Three Sisters Falls as a bucket list hike whether you’re seeking out a San Diego waterfall or not, as long as you’re prepared for what’s to come.
Note: You’ll be driving on an unpaved road for the last eight miles or so to get to the lot. The lot itself is in worse shape than the road, so be careful.
This is one of those “the up part is on the way back” hikes, so bring lots of water. It definitely felt more challenging than Cedar Creek, and much steeper in sections.
Avoid weekends at all costs. We had the bad luck of arriving there just after a group of 40 or so. We waited them out so we had some quiet time at the falls, but I can sense this one can get pretty obnoxious on the weekends.
No matter when you go, get there early. We got to the trail just before 8am and the lot was nearly full due to the aforementioned group. An early start will give you the best chance of beating the worst heat on the way back, too.
It was very slick down there, and I was the third of three observed visitors to slip down there. Wear shoes with traction, or maybe no shoes at all. I’m honestly not sure. It put me in a mood.
You can definitely swim at Three Sisters, but I wasn’t doing that with my open wound. I also kept thinking about that bumpy road on the way in and how there’s no bathroom at the trailhead.
Do with that what you will.
3. Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
Hiking Distance: 6.8 miles
Driving Distance: 16 miles (20 minutes)
The proximity to the city on this one makes it SO crowded on weekends.
The length allows you to get some distance between humans, though. There’s little elevation gain throughout your trek, so I wanted to share it with you anyway as a potential family-friendly hike.
Yes, I know it’s nearly seven miles. It’s a flat seven miles, though, with fun bridges and water crossings throughout, and those kids will be passed out the rest of the day.
If you’re taking things slow, expect to spend about at least a couple of hours on your hike to and around Los Penasquitos. I’m including some buffer time there if you’d like to linger at the falls or have a picnic lunch before the lengthy walk back.
This is also a popular route for mountain bikers, so expect to compete with bicyclists working on their fitness most mornings. Come early on the weekdays for your best chance at avoiding people at the falls.
Once you’re at the falls, you’ll find it likely flowing no matter the time of year. That’s quite a perk in San Diego.
Bring a couple of dollars to park at the lot off of Black Mountain Road. It was just a few dollars on our last visit there, but I’m glad we had some change on us.
4. Kitchen Creek Falls
Hiking Distance: 4.6 miles
Driving Distance: 50 miles (45 minutes)
The hike to Kitchen Creek Falls in Pine Valley reveals a lovely series of cascades that will be way less competitive than most waterfall hikes in San Diego. I’m talking about booty space for that picnic lunch, not necessarily skill level.
Arriving early is still always a great idea, and ideally, your visit will happen after some rain.
We got there by 9am on our hiking day to six cars in the lot. That number doubled by our return, which doesn’t sound too crazy. The paths are just pretty narrow here, so every human feels like three.
Fun fact: We used our AllTrails app on the recommendations of folks who use it religiously, and are so happy we did. There’s a turn you don’t want to miss that comes off the Pacific Crest Trail down to the creek.
Once you make that turn, though, stop following the app.
Mixed messaging, I know.
Follow the dotted line, instead, to get down to the water, or just use your judgment as to what appears to be the safest way down. There are a few paths.
Don’t be embarrassed about having to go on all fours to navigate that last section of slick rock near the water. It can get precarious, and that’s what I had to do.
5. Maidenhair Falls
Hiking Distance: 5.6 miles
Driving Distance: 85 miles (1 hour 45 minutes)
Getting to Maidenhair Falls is a bit of a haul from San Diego County, but we’ve done it on a day trip from the city to check out the super blooms in the desert and it wasn’t too bad.
To get there, you’ll be driving to Anza-Borrego State Park. It’s a worthy destination all its own thanks to all of the weird bronze sculpture art strewn about and all kinds of desert hiking potential.
You’ll want to head out that way in any season other than the summer unless you like hiking in 100-degree temperatures.
Take the Hellhole Canyon Trail to get to the falls. It’s just the name, guys. The trail itself is relatively easy and quite lovely.
As you approach the water, you’ll notice the landscape change quite a bit to more of a desert oasis.
The falls are small, but you’ll see the intrigue once you get there. You have to get your feet wet to get really close, which will certainly wake you up a bit following that desert trek.
Don’t stick your hand in any of the cacti on the way in, by the way. I seem to have issues with body awareness when I’m in the desert.
6. Weir Trail
Hiking Distance: 2.7 miles
Driving Distance: 50 miles (45 minutes)
It’s more of a cascade at the end of the Weir Trail, but the trip there is so whimsical, likely without another soul in sight, that I had to include it here.
You access the trail from Palomar Mountain State Park. If you don’t have a state park pass or a father-in-law who has his lifetime veterans pass, you’ll need to pay $10 to access the park.
There was no one manning the gate when we arrived, so they have an honor system-style situation set up that you should acknowledge. The trails throughout the park are likely very different from what you’re used to in the arid landscapes of San Diego.
There are alpine meadows here to explore — take the Doane Valley Nature Trail on your way back from the water feature at the end of the Weir Trail for a taste of that — and all kinds of green trees that I couldn’t list off for you.
I’m not a botanist.
Fun fact: Keep your eyes peeled as you explore the area. We saw deer and a skunk on our way back to the car, which felt very Bambi.
None of the hikes we did were too challenging, although the trail up to Scott’s Cabin was a little steeper than we expected. Skip that one for the Weir Trail if you’re short on time, though.
There’s no longer a cabin at the old homestead, but a pile of logs where it used to be. If you want real history, head to Old Town.
7. Horsethief Canyon
Hiking Distance: 3.6 miles
Driving Distance: 34 miles (45 minutes)
This moderate trail near Alpine is best in the fall, winter, or spring to see the watering hole and cascades flowing over the rocks at the bottom.
Fine. It’s not technically a waterfall, but you take what you can get in drought-prone regions.
You’ll climb down some 500 feet to get down into the canyon on this one, so take a rest in those lush surroundings before heading back up.
Yes, the “up” part is on the return here, and there is some scrambling.
Finding the trailhead is easy. It’ll be labeled on your Google maps as the Horsethief Canyon Trailhead. To get to the waterhole, you’ll be following Horsethief Canyon until you reach the banks of the creek.
You’ll essentially choose your own adventure from here, navigating the boulders for the best view and a spot to rest.
Horsethief Canyon is in the Pine Creek Wilderness, which is part of Cleveland National Forest. Purchase an Adventure Pass online to hike the area in a legal fashion.
8. Oak Canyon Waterfall
Hiking Distance: 3.2 miles
Driving Distance: 12 miles (20 minutes)
This seasonal waterfall in Mission Trails Regional Park is an easy trek outside of the city, so expect crowds.
You’ll want to head out to see this one outside of the summer months for your best chance at running water. The view above is from a visit in April.
Additional notes of intrigue on this are the dam and stream you’ll pass as you get to the cascades, also more impressive outside of the summer months.
Need more ideas? San Diego County has more waterfalls!
We made an effort to explore San Diego HARD when we lived there, but that doesn’t mean we ticked everything off our list. Here are a few waterfalls near San Diego that escaped us:
- Borrego Palm Canyon: We’ve been to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park a few times, but there’s enough to do that we just never got to this three-mile trail to a seasonal waterfall.
- Copper Creek Falls: This hike in Carlsbad is more well-known for the ruins of a World War I-era copper mine you can view, but you’ll pass two small waterfalls to get there. This one is about three miles round-trip.
- Cottonwood Creek Falls: This easy 1.6-mile trail will take you is a fun family-friendly option, as there are some rocks for climbing along the trail as you make your way to the falls. It gets slick, though. I’m mostly warning myself.
- Green Valley Falls: You’ll reach these in under half a mile, so they’re popular with those who don’t want a big hike. The falls are accessible from the Green Valley Campground in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Get some pie in Julian, after.
No matter where you go, hike responsibly and make sure you’re prepared for sun exposure and warm temperatures with the right gear, especially if you’re traveling with a dog. Pack out anything you bring in, and leave the craft beers for after.
As you saw in my guide, those rocks are slick enough without adding booze into the mix.
Ready to explore more of San Diego? Check out these guides:
- Where to Find San Diego’s Best Sushi
- Tour San Diego’s Haunted Whaley House
- Explore Eastern European Food in San Diego
- Why You Should Plan a Trip to Golden Hill
- Need a Beach Vacay? Hit Pacific Beach
Learn more about my favorite San Diego neighborhoods:
- An Eating Guide for San Diego’s Little Italy
- A Guide to Charming South Park in San Diego
- See the Best of University Heights, San Diego
- A Neighborhood Guide to North Park, San Diego
- What to Do on Trips to Quirky Ocean Beach
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