Three Sisters Falls

Get ready for a challenge. This hike is pretty much an obstacle course. Probably one of the best hikes I’ve ever done. I would say it’s a combination of Potato Chip Rock and Devil’s Punchbowl.
The trail is literally the other side of the mountain that Devil’s Punchbowl is on. The drive here might be the only reason why I wouldn’t come back, but if I lived any closer, I would be tackling this thing about once a month. It’s a great workout, and a challenge, if you’re a newbie hiker.
The waterfalls are worth it. The first part of the hike is a walk in the park. It’s when you hit the sandy gravel that you start to realize your shoes (or hiking boots) are losing grip. So you start sliding down the mountain. Literally!
After you reach the bottom, you’ll enter a trench-​looking path where you will have to hoist yourself onto a large tree root to get yourself down. Once you’re down, you’ll be at the falls. My roommate and I were pretty spontaneous and decided to hike NEXT to the trail at the falls instead of on it– since we both enjoy climbing on large rocks and taking pictures near the water.
I honestly thought going down to the waterfalls was more difficult than coming back up. We both found it funny that we were mainly out of breath towards the last .10 miles of the hike– the steep trail back to the car lol
All in all, fantastic hike, awesome views, Instagram-​worthy pictures, and many obstacle-​course opportunities.

I did this hike back in 2003 and have it in my head as my favorite hike in San Diego. My friend and I drove from San Diego, up the 163 to the 15 North, to the 67 and this was NOT the way to go. We got back from the hike much faster via the 79 to the 8 West. We didn’t allow enough time for the hike so we did not get to the falls, but had a great hike regardless. We drove 8 miles on a very rural road, most of it was unpaved. We did have to stop for some deer and we took a few photos of some cows that were grazing. The natural beauty of the drive was almost enough for us.
On Boulder Creek Rd there is a hairpin turn where there were half a dozen cars parked on a Friday afternoon. There are two trails and we went on the trail to the left. You gradually walk down a wide dirt path to a saddle and when you are looking off to the left you can see the falls way off in the distance. Follow the trail to the left where it gets narrow. We hiked till we had to turn back and never made it to the falls. It was so beautiful out, we will be coming back here for sure in the next month or so. The total hike is only 4 miles, bring snacks and water and make a day out of it. I was bummed that we didn’t get to finish.

Now this is a hike! Definitely listen to caution. Bring water, snacks and must have hiking shoes and gloves. I wouldn’t recommend being scared of heights or falling. At least 3 times I thought I would be the one getting rescued. Glad I did it! Will I do it again? Hmm, not any time soon!!!

This hike isn’t ‘difficult’ as much as it is a ton of cardio. Going up and down isn’t that hard, but you will for sure be winded. Not a place for dogs or kids. A lot of climbing up and down rocks. While the climb up is tiring, it’s actually easier going up than down, because coming down there is no traction.
I wouldn’t say I’m in great shape, but I do workout, so those with average physical abilities should be fine. It’s a challenge, but not too much.

This hike is RAD, but a little hard to find the first time. We missed the turn twice trying to find it before someone told us to turn left at the gas station and then immediately right after turning left (hoping I remembered that correctly)
GETTING TO THE HIKE: Once you get on the road you’re driving for a long while and then the road becomes unpaved. It really does feel like you’re lost and then suddenly there are all kinds of cars and a seemingly unmarked trail head. If I remember correctly, once you get to the road that leads you to the trail, it’s another 8 – 9 miles of driving.
If it’s wet outside and you don’t have a car that can handle mud, maybe wait for better conditions. We drove our hyundai elantra and it was a little damp and it was questionable for a few moments!
THE HIKE: Is reverse. It is mostly downhill and uphill on the way back. Although this hike is only about 2 miles each way, it is extremely steep in some areas and in some cases you need to boulder your way down/​up. I made the mistake of charging on the way down and then climbing as far up the falls as I could AND then almost falling myself which totally got my adrenaline going… needless to say, the hike back up was harder than it should of been for me and my legs were jelly from my almost accident. It’s really hard to resist climbing and jumping from rock to rock once your down there, just be careful! All in all, it is a wonderful hike and I can’t wait to do it this spring! The waterfalls should be extra beautiful with all the rain :)
TIPS: If you’re hiking in the heat, bring extra water. This hike is no joke and people CONSTANTLY underestimate it! Bring snacks too.
Pretty sure it’s free to park and doggies are ok! Saw many dogs who were all wearing vests with a handle at the top. So maybe get one for your pup as they may look at you funny when they’re on top of rock not sure where to go :)

This hike earns its hard rating. I’m a very experienced hiker and in good shape but this trail had me breathing hard several times and it is pretty sketchy in places. Not good for anyone afraid of heights, not sure on their feet, or overweight.
I went in November so it was pretty cool (65f) but I worked up a sweat. I don’t know about a gallon of water, that’s a lot for a four mile trail, but if you were doing this in the heat of the summer you might want it. I used 20oz today but I’d take at least 64oz if it was hot.
The trail is vague once you get down to the bottom of the canyon; stay left and it’s a bit easier. I wore myself out boulder hopping on the way in and there’s a slightly easier dirt trail to the left/​east.
Overall well worth the drive for the views and the challenge. Be honest with yourself, especially if you are alone; lots of opportunities to hurt or overextend yourself.

Very challenging hike! The STOP sign says it all. But do not expect any water in the hot months of september/​early october
PS: Has anyone noticed the confederate flag hung on the drive to the trailhead?

The hike is challenging but definitely do-​able. The previous reviews over-​hype the difficulty BUT the steep slope was not a walk in the park either. It was a crab-​crawl down and up while being careful to not lose balance and eat it. There wasn’t any other hikers on the trail when we started at 8:45 AM. There is a little rock climbing section and no rope as there was previously. I would recommend hiking boots vs. trail-​runners. There is a wooden post that points to the left to head to ‘3 sis’. The trail is unmarked except for several white arrows that you have to look out for near the creek. We got to the creek and did some fun bouldering, be aware of poison oak.
We went on August 20^th, 2015, there were no waterfalls flowing from the sisters. Only small pools of water that were unappealing due to the floating trash and greenish water. I blame the drought. Will definitely come back during the Spring to check it out and hopefully the sisters won’t be so dry!

Very technical and challenging trail.
Summary:
Starts off on a slight decline and then becomes very steep. From the trail head to the the first descent there’s a cliff with a rope to climb down. Once you’re at the bottom of the trail, it becomes manageable from there but with an increasing grade. The river cuts through the trail so you’ll need to make up your mind on which side you want to be on.
If you want to go to the highest of the three falls (which means crossing a small river with very slick rock) you will need to climb a very steep hill (using your hands also). If you do get to the top, the view is breath taking and a reward for taking the risk and doing hard work. Recommend going there before or after summer. I went in March or April and the weather was partly cloudy to sunny although around 80 to 83 degrees.
The hike back is where the fun really begins. On the way up, you’re essentially doing bear crawls (using your hands and feet) to get up. Quads will start to burn and breathing becomes difficult. This is excellent if you do CrossFit or other strength/​conditioning workouts that involve interval training with some sort of weight.
While at the falls, some guy decided to slide down the falls (like a water slide) and broke his leg. He tried to be macho and climb back up the very steep hill but ultimately was air-​lifted back to the hospital. Don’t be this guy.
Required:
1) Water
2) Gloves
3) First aid
4) Boots with ankle support and are anti-​slip (the rock at the falls are slippery). Ankle support because the hills are very steep and you can roll an ankle.
5) Food: Nuts, seeds, jerky, some fruit/​veggies.
6) Hat
7) Sun screen
8) Sunglasses
9) Backpack (recommend with a water bladder)
10) Smartphone (selfies, emergency calls) with external battery (just in case)
Recommended:
1) Have very good strength and conditioning. The trip back to the trail head will leave your quads smoked before you get back to the slight incline to the trail head. You will essentially be crawling up the mountain on all four because the grade is very steep (almost like climbing a wall).
2) Be very mobile and flexible (for climbing)
Don’ts
— Wear flip flops
— Wear tennis shoes
— Don’t bring kids
— Don’t bring pets (I’ve seen a German Shepard whimpering because its owner thought it could make it to the falls). Don’t be this guy either.

Do NOT let these reviews get in your head!
The boyfriend almost backed out thinking that it might be too difficult — yes, it was hard — but anyone of average fitness level would be able to complete this hike. Maybe not in the fastest amount of time, but with frequent breaks and lots of water, you will be FINE.
We began the hike around 9:30am and it was already warm. The drive to the trailhead is at least 20 – 30 min of winding paved and gravel roads — a scenic venture through the mountains as long as you don’t get carsickness.
There are no port-​a-​pots, bathrooms, or water fountains, so come prepared! We went through about 1.5 liters of water each and completed the ~4.5 mile hike in about 3 hours including a brief dip in the pool and break on the rocks.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER — on a one-​way hike, what you slide/​climb/​swing down, you must hike up.
Getting there was a bit challenging at times (mainly finding and staying on the correct trail), but we got to the top fall (just a trickle of water and chest-​deep pool (with a silt bottom)) in good spirits and with plenty of energy left.
It’s coming BACK that’s the workout. Again, staying on the main trail is TOUGH. We used my workout tracker to back track after a couple wrong turns. Still, it’s not too bad other than dodging the poison oak, ivy, and sumac, until you get back up the rope/​tree root section.
From here on out, it’s miserable. All uphill on all fours, dirt in your mouth, in your shoes, and everywhere else. It’s a struggle trying to find footing while climbing up the dirt slide — I found that my fingertips seemed to have more cling than my shoes did… THEN, when you finally get past that hellish section, it’s pretty much uphill (hands on knees, heart pounding in your ears, wondering what’s sunburn and what’s backpack chafe) until you get to your wonderful modern transportation vehicle where you can (hopefully) blast the A/​C and speed home to a pool, a shower (scrub with dish soap to lessen the chances of poison ivy rashes), ICE WATER, and a snack or meal.
Again, anyone of average fitness level would be FINE (but miserable) completing this hike. Sure, I might do it again, but not anytime soon, and not unless we got enough rain for a real waterfall.

The BEST hike I’ve found in San Diego so far and that’s saying a lot since I’m a Hawaii native.
Bring lots of water and don’t go in the middle of summer (that’s just torture in the heat!). It’s a solid workout and the trail is constantly changing so it never gets boring.
We hiked the day after it rained and the water was flowing! Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit so you can jump in. I think it’s dog friendly since we there were a number of groups with their furry friends. Don’t forget a dog bowl for them too so they can drink water :)
The drive to the hike is long but worth it. Best hike for experienced hikers who are looking for a workout. Be prepared for light rock climbing and as you go up the stream at the end, keep an eye out for trail markings. They’ll show you the easier way up stream but if you miss them, no worries, you’ll get to the waterfall no matter what.

Loved this hike, but it was harder than I thought it would be. I wore my Nike shoes and really wished I had listened to the previous Unilocalers to get hiking boots. Apparently there used to be a rope to help you down a very slippery and steep hill. I almost turned around. But there were so many people struggling with it, we all pulled together to help one another concur the hill. Watch out for snakes! I almost stepped on a rattler. It didn’t bother us, but scared the hell out of me.
The waterfall is pretty great. A nice rest spot, incredible scene. It was wonderful to take it all in.
The way back is a little more tough, being you are going uphill most the way. I suggest lots of water, snacks and proper shoes!!! Enjoy! And be safe!

Holy mother of… Wow! Crazy hike! Sadly we did not make it to the falls but I will try harder next time! I found that I am more out of shape then I thought but had a freakin blast giving this a try!
I feel like the hike back from cedar creek falls was way worse for me. On that trail there was nothing but incline! At three sisters after the short period of insanity, there were some nice flats between the gradual inclines.
Got there at 6:15am as not to deal with the heat. It was nice because we were the 1^st ones down. Then following us were what seemed like bus loads of people! Nuts! And trying to get back up was a bit scary trying to find a place to get out of the way of the loads of people sliding down the mountain!
Next time we will be sure to make it to the falls, it was the boulder climbing that killed me!
***Please do not bring your dog! We saw puppies throwing up, a dog fall in the stream slamming its neck on a sharp rock (that we almost jumped in to help when his owner wouldn’t!) and many dogs fall between the boulders! Please, if you love your animals… do not do that to them!***

The answer you all want to know: Yes there is water right now! This hike is very challenging, but rewarding at the end. Plan for about 4 hours round trip. The trek down isn’t so bad because it’s all downhill. Coming back is all uphill and there are no switchbacks so it’s pretty much straight up in a lot of places.
The hike might not be too physically challenging but there are areas that you look at and wonder to yourself how you will get down this completely vertical path while sliding and next to the edge of a big cliff. If you are afraid of heights you may want to think twice about hiking down the waterfalls.
Tips: Bring a lot of water, this is not a joke! Watch out for the poison oak in the «forresty» area. Be ready to drive the 10 mile dirt road. Make sure you don’t get lost on the trail. Two of my girlfriends went the wrong way from the start, never found the waterfalls, and ran out of water. When you see the rail at the very beginning, go straight over it and down the pathway. You will then eventually hear and see the falls to your left. There will be a post with and arrow pointing left for three sisters.
Who would have thought that in the middle of the desert there would be such beautiful waterfalls. I cant wait until I can find someone else to drag with me to do this hike again!

This was the hardest hike I’ve ever done. I literally felt like i I was going to die on certain parts. It was not so much physically challenging (although dont get me wrong, its far from an easy hike), but for me it was primarily a mental issue.
It starts off nice and smooth and quickly shifts into an evil monster. Haha. The elevation is high and you have to hike down dirt and rocks with nothing on either side of you to protect you if you fall. This is where my mind started telling me you’re going to fall, you’re going to die. It was the weirdest thing. With this added anxiety, my heart rate was increased and I was having trouble breathing. What really irks me is that my friends were probably thinking I was out of shape or something, not realizing that I was seriously fearing for my life.
Then we got to the rope which is something I feared when reading reviews but it actually ended up being a piece of cake.
Once you get to the three falls its a beautiful sight. Make sure you go after a rain fall to ensure a good water flow.
The hike back up was just as bad for me. After calming my nerves I got to the steep area where once again theres nothing on either sides of you to protect you in case you slip or fall backwards. I literally crawled during this part and my friend held my hand a few times to pull me up. Ahhh!
Even with all this said I would like to try it again one day. I will prepare myself better mentally, rock my hiking boots (I wore sketchers the first time), and have a good size breakfast (no breakfast last time).
I do hike regularly, so please dont think Im just not used to this stuff. It is tough hike.

Is this hike worth it? Is probably what you want to know. I’ll tell you the truth, if it weren’t for my friend I would have quit. Was it worth it in the end? I mean, it’s a beautiful view of the waterfalls and you feel like you are in a different state… it’s the most rewarding, and you’ll definitely feel accomplished but I think it’s worth to try it ONCE unless you like to be on the riskier side.
The hike is about 4 miles round trip, it took us about 3 – 4 hours total but we also chilled at the falls for about half an hour. Getting to the falls is easier then getting back. It’s all downhill to the falls and you can see it from the top. It looks pretty easy to get to, but that’s because you can’t see the dirt hill where it’s a steep incline, or using some ropes to climb down another steep part… oh don’t forget the abundance of poison oak everywhere! If you don’t know what it looks like please see all the pictures because trust me you don’t want to get it on you and also you may be allergic. It seriously was like playing hot lava trying to avoid the poison oak.
Temperature: we came on a cooler day… about mid 70s, so it wasn’t too bad, but I must say it was constant sun beating on you. Put on sunblock before the hike and at the waterfalls so you won’t burn. There isn’t much shade. I can see people getting heat exhaustion on hotter days… I would try to avoid hotter days.
Water: I laugh at those people who brings 1 or 2 bottles of water… you must not read reviews. This isn’t Cowles mountain. Be prepare people. I would say bring 1.5 liters to be safe. I had a camelback and only drank 1.5 liters, but I also had gatorade and drank about half of that, so total liquid intake would be 2 liters.
Snacks: you will be hungry, at least eat a good dinner the night before and a light breakfast. Bring bananas, energy bars, beef jerky and anything to snack on because you’ll want to sit and eat it at the falls before heading back up.
To get to the top waterfall… hard. Sketchy in some areas… you might have to do the crab walk or be on all fours. It was sketchy to get to the top, I was hesitant and had to sit for 5 minutes to see if I wanted to get injured or not. But be confident in yourself and be safe,
Hike back up to your car… this was the tough part because now you are going uphill to get out of the falls… again, trying to avoid poison oak… also the trails are unmarked, so it means you end up wasting time and doing sketchy things like jumping over rocks and walking on the creek… also the dirt hill up was hard because it was a steep incline… no switch backs. You literally have to crawl up or even rock climb some parts. Once you get through the dirt hill you’ll be okay.
This hike is not a stroll, it’s probably the hardest hike in SD that I’ve been. It’s funny because I’ve been on a 16 mile hike and it wasn’t as bad, but 3 sisters you kicked my ass… I made it but I wanted to quit many times.

Best challenging and rewarding hike I’ve ever done. Over here feeling like a baddie. I’m so ready to do anything & everything YOLO! Haha jk!
Anyways come early so you can get the cool breeze.
Be prepared. Water. Snacks. Water. Water.
Lots of climbing, crawling & sliding down hills & rocks.
Wish I should have brought extra clothes. I really wanted to jump in the water.
Very peaceful & relaxing with the sounds of the fall.
Definitely doing this again.

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND BRINGING ANY DOG ON THIS TRAIL. The terrain is very rough and there is loose sediment all the way down and all the way up. Having a dog or even children on this hike is not a good idea AT ALL. You have to climb ropes on a few of the hills, which would be impossible with a dog or child.
The hike itself its absolutely beautiful. I would recommend starting early in the morning because it does get hot and I would bring plenty of water and snacks. The falls at the bottom are gorgeous this time of year. There are 3 waterfalls, however the 3^rd is risky to get to. You have to climb on the side of the mountain which is steep so be very careful if you are not an experienced climber.
It is an all day hike, which is always fun! Once you get to the last of the falls there is a pool you can swim in to get to the waterfall. I loved this trail and I am an experienced hiker, but I would say for the normal Cowels Mountain visitor, it is a strenuous trail. I will definitely be going back soon!

I am an active hiker. I have done hikes like Cowels Mountain, Iron Mountain, MT Woodson, The C, and other hikes around California;yet, this has to be one of the most challenging hikes I have done so far.
You will need hiking shoes (I highly recommend it). When you start the course of the trail, you will be going down hill at first. The first mile seems simple and you will have the mine set of thinking that this is going to be simple, but you will end up on top of a mountain top and there is going to be tons of lose gravel and sand. Thank goodness for high socks and hiking shoes (it was my first time wearing hiking shoes btw, I usually wear my Nike free runs) because I was able to stand while traveling downward. The journey down was a tad scary because there is other hikers trying to figure out the easiest way to get down. I notice some hikers who wore regular shoes like converse and they ended up slipping a lot and falling down the sand.
Once you finally manage your way out of the sandy region, you will now face giant rocks and water. There will be a rope to help you get down, but I manage to get down by using my arms and butt to slide down. Once your on a flatter area you will hear the water stream and see more giant boulders. After going down hill, you’re going to pretty much rock climb and leap from one rock to another to get yourself to the 3sisters waterfall. This part was the fun part. I did not know I will end up rock climbing to get to get to the final designation, but it was worth it.
I wasn’t able to go in the water once I finally made it to the very top of the waterfall because the pond was only up to my knees. I’m assuming the best time to hike 3 sisters is after the rain.
It took me a good hour and half to get to the falls, and spent another hour enjoying the view and the sound of the relaxing waterfall. The journey back to the car wasn’t going to be easy. I honestly felt like I spent the whole time back rock climbing. My clothes were super tainted from the sand. But I’m glad I did this hike because it was challenging and I conquer my fear of falling (since I felt like I was going to fall a majority of the time).
Things I recommend doing: always bring plenty of water, get yourself a good pair of hiking shoes (I cannot emphasize enough how important this is), bring snacks because this is a pretty long hike.
Also, BEWARE of posing oak, there is tons of them!
Overall, this was a fun challenging hike. It was roughly 6.5ish miles and 107 floors according to my Fitbit. I’m glad I spend my valentine day doing this, and I’m still sore from it.

Today 01÷29÷15 was just an awesome hike. Was my first time. The five start if for the actual hike but to get there I would probably give a 3 start. The road is very rough and not enough signs around. My boyfriend had already been there before so he knew his way around. If I had to do it by my self I would probably gotten lost.
Ok so the hike! Yikes! Was awesome. I’m not in the best condition but I’m always up for a new challenge and this for sure was really up there. Very steep and rocky path. Ropes to help yourself around. Could be very dangerous if you are not watching your steps. Took us 1 ½ hrs to get to the actually falls. But it was worth it. Not a lot of water but enough to make the scenery amazing. I love the out doors and this was just a perfect place to breath some fresh air and connect with nature. For sure will give you a great work out.
Not a place for children.
I enjoyed it so much and I will be back