| Distance: | 4 miles round trip |
| Elevation Gain/Loss: | 1000'/1000' |
| Difficulty(1-10): | 7 |
| backpacking/camping allowed: | yes, with permit |
| Agency | Cleveland National Forest, Palomar District |
The Three Sisters Waterfall is located in San Diego's Cleavland National Forest, in the Palomar District. The hike is only 1.8 miles, but there is a 1000 feet elevation drop/gain and sections of the trail are very steep. From the trail head, you go west along the ridge of a mountain, after about a half mile the trail forks and you want to turn left and descends south down into the first canyon (sheep camp creek). If you are backpacking, there is a good camping spot right off of the trail at the top of the ridge before you descend down towards sheep camp creek (go straight from the fork for about 100 feet). When you get to the bottom of sheep camp creek, you follow the trail along the bottom of that canyon until you come to a saddle that leads to the next canyon, which is boulder creek. This saddle are also provides a good camping spot if you are backpacking. The section ahead is the most difficult part of this trail. The hike down into boulder creek is a very steep climb for about 1/4 mile. Once you come to boulder creek, you follow a short trail to the south and then you begin boulder hopping your way up towards the water falls.
The Three Sister Waterfalls are a great place to splash around and get wet. In the Spring time, the pools can be as deep as 5-8 feet. However, in the late summer, the pools may only be 1-3 feet deep. You will find water there year-around.
The hike is pretty difficult, mainly because of the 1000 feet elevation drop/gain over a 1.8 mile distance. And the 1/4 mile descend down into boulder creek is very, very steep.
View San Diego - Three Sister Falls in a larger map
The Three Sisters in March, 2009
The top waterfall in early August, 2010
The middle waterfall in early August, 2010
The lower waterfall in March, 2009
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