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Ramona · Permit required · Ranked in 1 list
Last updated
Cedar Creek Falls is a Ramona spot ranked #8 of 8 in our Best Hikes in San Diego list, scoring 80/100 in our Best Hikes in San Diego. Order the devils punchbowl, 6 miles round trip. A real waterfall and swimming hole, gated behind a permit and a punishing uphill return.
Cedar Creek Falls is in Ramona, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Ramona fills up early on sunny days.
Explore RamonaOn our Best Hikes in San Diego list, Cedar Creek Falls lands at #8 of 8, just behind Potato Chip Rock (Mount Woodson) (81/100). Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve holds #1 with 93/100, so the gap is 13 points.
See the full Best Hikes in San Diego rankingCedar Creek Falls scores 80/100 against a best hikes in san diego field that averages 85.1, running from 80 at the bottom to 93 at the top. That is 5.1 points below the category average, though it still finishes ahead of 0 of the 7 other places we scored. It lands 8th of 8, and the category leader is 13 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Cedar Creek Falls separates itself most on solitude (70/100 versus a 60 category average). Its softest showing is accessibility at 64, 21 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for solitude, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Cedar Creek Falls | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scenery | 90 | 90.3 | -0.3 |
| Trail quality | 78 | 86 | -8 |
| Accessibility | 64 | 85 | -21 |
| Solitude | 70 | 60 | +10 |
| Uniqueness | 94 | 89.3 | +4.7 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best hikes in san diego.
Ramona is dense enough that Cedar Creek Falls rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored 2 other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Turtle Rock Ridge Vineyard Winery (90/100 in our best wineries near san diego list) or Hatfield Creek Vineyards (89/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
90/100 · #2 in best wineries near san diego · $18–30 tasting
89/100 · #3 in best wineries near san diego · $18–28 tasting
Worth it for the right craving, not a destination trip.
Cedar Creek Falls scores 80/100 in our Best Hikes in San Diego list (#8 of 8). It is strongest on uniqueness (94) and scenery (90). A real waterfall and swimming hole, gated behind a permit and a punishing uphill return.
Skip it if accessibility matters most to you — that is its weakest category (64/100).
Cedar Creek Falls is a good fit for hikes. Because it ranks #8 on our best hikes in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Ramona rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: Permits are required and limited; book online well ahead and never hike this in summer heat.
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Score 80/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Devils Punchbowl, 6 miles round trip · Permit required
Cedar Creek Falls ends at the Devils Punchbowl, a swimming hole beneath an 80-foot waterfall. The catch is the return: 1,000 feet of climbing on fully exposed trail. It is genuinely dangerous in summer, and rangers enforce the permit system for that reason.
Local tip: Permits are required and limited; book online well ahead and never hike this in summer heat.
Scored with our ranking methodology — hikes.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.