Part of Streams and Fishing Guides, our guide to San Diego County creeks, rivers and stream-side parks, with fishing rules and flood safety.
The San Diego River Gorge Trail to Cedar Creek Falls is 5.5 miles round trip, moderate to strenuous, ending at an 80-foot waterfall. A Recreation.gov permit is required: $6 covers up to 5 people, and none are sold on site. The Forest Service says it is commonly closed in August.Checked October 23, 2026.
The Hike
The Forest Service lists a 5.5-mile round trip with 1,800 feet of elevation gain on the return, rated moderate to strenuous. It describes Cedar Creek Falls as “a spectacular waterfall plunging 80ft into a large pool.” Paved parking is at the trailhead, and vehicles with trailers are not recommended. After the second safety stop at 0.7 mile the trail is steep and exposed, so it is not an easy walk for little kids. Source: Cleveland National Forest, page updated October 9, 2026, read 2026-10-23.
Permit and Rules
“Anyone entering the Cedar Creek Falls Permitted Area must possess a valid Visitor Permit,” reserved in advance on Recreation.gov. The Forest Service prohibits alcohol in the area, closes the cliffs around the falls to climbing, jumping and diving, and says hikers must bring a minimum of 3 to 4 liters of water per person and pet.
Closures
Read 2026-10-23: the Cleveland National Forest alerts page did not list a Cedar Creek item that day. Check the Forest Service alerts page before you go, because heat closures happen.
What We Could Not Verify
- Whether the trail is open today is not confirmed. Search-result excerpts mentioned heat closures in August and October 2026, but the Forest Service alert page we tried did not load. The Palomar Ranger District can confirm.
- Fee conflict: the Forest Service trail page we read says $6.00 per permit; one search excerpt said $10. We use $6. Recreation.gov or the Forest Service can confirm.
- Fishing at the falls was not addressed on the page read.
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FAQ
How much is a Cedar Creek Falls permit?
$6.00 per permit covering up to 5 people, per the Forest Service trail page updated October 9, 2026. One search excerpt said $10, which we could not confirm.
Can I buy a permit at the trailhead?
No. The Forest Service says permits must be reserved in advance on Recreation.gov and none are sold on site.
Sources
Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.