Three Sisters Waterfall is one of many remote backcountry destinations in San Diego that has become increasingly popular thanks to the publicity of social media. With three successive, cascading waterfalls and pools of cool, flowing water to swim in, Three Sisters is indeed an alluring destination. But the trail to the falls has long been a bit sketchy and until recently involved a very steep descent down a heavily eroded hillside, often requiring the use of ropes. Fortunately the US Forest Service has recently cut a new section of trail that takes a much easier and more environmentally friendly route to the falls. Continue reading Three Sisters
Category Archives: Waterfalls
Cedar Creek Falls (via Julian)
Cedar Creek Falls is one of San Diego’s most popular back country day hike destinations. Once a little-known place, the rise of the Internet and social media has turned this into a heavily trafficked, must-see selfie spot. There is good reason for this popularity, waterfalls are few and far between in arid San Diego, and not only is this one of the area’s more consistent and dramatic falls, it also has an idyllic pool perfect for swimming. Continue reading Cedar Creek Falls (via Julian)
Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (East)
Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, with its long, looping trail system, year-round creek, and easily accessible waterfall, is a highly popular hiking destination. In addition to all of its many natural attractions, it is also home to the historic Rancho Penasquitos Adobe Ranch House. The Ranch House has a long history as a private residence and bunkhouse for ranch hands. You can incorporate a tour of the Ranch House into your hike if you like, or maybe just stop by to visit some of the barnyard animals that live on the grounds. Even if you bypass the Ranch House, the eastern half of Penasquitos Canyon offers a scenic and interesting hike along Penasquitos Creek to a small but scenic waterfall. Continue reading Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (East)
Piedras Pintadas and Bernardo Bay
Lake Hodges is a very popular spot with both hikers and mountain bikers due to its various, long trails and fantastic scenery. Miles of shoreline make it a great spot for bird-watching. The south side of Lake Hodges is home to the Piedras Pintadas Trail, an interpretive trail filled with exhibits describing the life of the Kumeyaay people who once inhabited the area, as well as the Bernardo Bay Trail which travels the southern shores of Lake Hodges. These trails can be enjoyed individually, or combined into a moderate 5-mile trek filled with a variety landscapes and wildlife.
We intended to beat the heat and get an early start on this hike, but even so found the parking lot bustling with activity when we arrived. We found the trailhead at the southwest corner of the parking lot.
After passing an informational kiosk, we came to a “T” junction. We stayed straight, following the sign for the Piedras Pintadas Trail.
We spotted some bunnies foraging in the brush along the trail.
To the north we could see Bernardo Mountain rising up.
There were numerous interpretive signs along the trail, describing life of the Kumeyaay people who once inhabited the area.
Around .25 mile we came to a 4-way intersection and took the middle path, keeping the wooden fence on our left.
The fence ended after a short distance, and another fork branched off on our left. We continued straight.
At approximately .35 miles we came to another “T” junction where the Piedras Pintadas Trail led off to the left. The right fork continued around Bernardo Bay, which we planned to do after we finished the Piedras Pintadas Trail. For now, we turned left.
Around .44 miles we came to a “Y” junction and turned right.
The greenery increased as we left the dryer buckwheat and sagebrush behind and entered a riparian zone along a creek.
We even found some wild roses growing along the trail.
We came to a large bridge spanning the creek.
There was still a decent amount of water in the creek.
Once across the bridge we turned right, making our way northwest.
The morning clouds were burning off, and the day was warming up.
As we continued, we began to catch some glimpses of the waters of Lake Hodges.
Around 1.2 miles we began to ascend.
There were a couple of switchbacks, then we found ourselves next to a wooden fence overlooking a small waterfall. The flow was down to a modest trickle, but we were pretty impressed to see anything this late in the season.
The trail then led us uphill a bit further until we were just outside a residential area. The trail then turned to the north and we enjoyed a brief stretch of shade while crossing the small stream that fed the waterfall.
We found more rabbits lurking along the trail.
The cool shade of the stream quickly disappeared, and once again we found ourselves in more arid surroundings.
Around 1.46 miles we came to a “Y” junction.
The left fork led up to a gated utility road. We continued on the right fork and quickly came upon another junction. This was the beginning of a small loop, so you can go either way. We took the left fork.
We had more beautiful views of Lake Hodges and Bernardo Mountain on the opposite shore. Around 1.7 miles was a large oak tree with a bench underneath – a lovely spot to sit down for a snack and enjoy the view.
There was also a large, flat rock with grinding holes, or morteros, where the Kumeyaay once prepared their food.
Soon after, the trail turned to the right and began climbing uphill.
The trail made a U-turn as we began heading back the opposite side of the loop while still climbing the small ridge.
There were several rocky outcroppings that provided great overlooks. We could see the trail we had come in on to the east beyond the bay.
The high point along the ridge had some wonderful boulders on it, one of the few rocky sections of the trail.
At 2.1 miles we found a nice little overlook area, complete with bench.
From there it was a short downhill stretch back to the start of the loop.
We retraced our route all the way back to the “T” junction where the Piedras Pintadas Trail had split off. Our total mileage at this point was 3.3 miles. If you’ve had enough at this point you can turn right and be back to the parking area fairly quickly. We were still ready for more, so we turned left to continue on.
We followed the wide, dirt path as it curved around. Before long we could see the water of Bernardo Bay. The ridge we had just climbed along the Piedras Pintadas Trail rose up on the opposite shore to our left.
We spotted some Grebes swimming near the reeds in the water.
The trail began to curve eastward, and we could see Bernardo Mountain across the lake.
There were plenty of good bird-spotting opportunities near the shore.
Around 4.24 miles we came to another large junction with multiple trail splits. There was a path to the right leading uphill which bisected the wide peninsula we were traversing, and led back towards our starting point. We stayed to the left however, to continue our trek along the shore.
There was the occasional oak tree along the otherwise exposed hillside.
Of more interest was the placid waters of the lake. It was nice to see the water levels so high after several years of drought.
We made our way along the shore until right around 5 miles when we neared the road.
A short uphill climb brought us to a paved bike path. We turned right and followed the path a short distance to return to the parking lot.
Directions:
From I-15, take the W Bernardo Dr/Pomerado Rd exit and head west on West Bernardo Drive. Follow West Bernardo Drive for approximately .3 miles. The parking lot will be on your right. map
| Total Distance: | 5.15 miles |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Total Ascent: | 500 feet |
| Dog Friendly?: | Leashed dogs allowed |
| Bike Friendly?: | Bikes allowed |
| Facilities: | Port-a-potty in parking lot, no water |
| Fees/Permits: | None |
For more information, visit:
San Diegutio River Park
Trail Brochure and Map
View route or download GPX from CalTopo
Harper Creek (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
Harper Creek in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is a seasonal stream, generally dry in the summer months. But in the spring, water flows through the creek and over large slabs of polished granite, creating an enticing series of pools where you can cool your feet or just sit and relax. Continue reading Harper Creek (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
Kitchen Creek Falls (via Kitchen Creek Road)
One of the best parts about writing this blog is hearing from readers who are just as big of hiking nerds as we are. We have learned considerable amounts of great information from people who take the time to email or leave comments discussing different trails and routes. After our post on the hike to Kitchen Creek Falls from Boulder Oaks Campground last year, we got an email from a reader who basically said, “That looks great, but wouldn’t it be easier to start at Kitchen Creek Road and go south on the PCT?” A quick look at the topo map confirmed that yes indeed, the southbound route would be a mile shorter and have less elevation gain, so another hike was added to our to-hike list! Continue reading Kitchen Creek Falls (via Kitchen Creek Road)
Cottonwood Creek Falls
Waterfalls are relatively hard to come by in San Diego County, and most are only interesting for brief periods of time when we’ve had a lot of precipitation. As such, the few falls there are tend to get pretty crowded in the rainy season. Cottonwood Creek in the Laguna Mountains is home a small set of falls with a series of cascades and small pools. While less spectacular than Cedar Creek Falls or Three Sisters Falls, Cottonwood Creek Falls is correspondingly usually less crowded. The potential crowds are also lessened by the fact that the route to the falls is an unofficial and unmarked trail. Continue reading Cottonwood Creek Falls
West Side Road
The West Side Road in Ramona is an old forest road traveling through the Cleveland National Forest just outside of San Diego Country Estates. The road climbs high above the San Diego River Gorge, providing some breathtaking views. A little past two miles, the road crosses into private property. But just before that point, one can execute a short bushwhack to a hill overlooking the Devils Jumpoff, a nearly 100 foot waterfall active only during the wettest seasons. Even without the allure of flowing water, this is a great hike exploring some of San Diego’s backcountry. Continue reading West Side Road
Kitchen Creek Falls
People tend to get pretty excited about waterfalls, especially in San Diego where fresh water in any form is pretty rare. Kitchen Creek Falls isn’t the biggest or most impressive set of falls you’ll ever see, but this is still a fun little hike. It’s not as busy as some of the larger falls in the area (like Cedar Creek or Three Sisters), and if you head out early there’s a decent chance you’ll be able to have some time to yourself to enjoy the serenity of the creek. Like most waterfalls in San Diego, timing is everything. You’ll want to go during the wet season to ensure some flowing water. Continue reading Kitchen Creek Falls
Sweetwater River Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
The Merigan trailhead at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is somewhat hidden out of the way on the southwest border of the park. Since its a bit off the beaten track that is Highway 79, this area is quieter and less busy than some of the more popular hikes like Stonewall Peak or Cuyamaca Peak, but just as beautiful as the rest of Cuyamaca. Continue reading Sweetwater River Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)