About this spot
Cedar Creek Falls drops 80 feet into a large pool in Cleveland National Forest near Julian/Ramona, reached by a strenuous roughly 5.5-mile round-trip hike, or via the permitted Eagle Peak Road route from Julian. A visitor use permit is mandatory -- only 75 per day sold in advance on recreation.gov, checked on-site -- and the area closes entirely in August for extreme heat. After a history of serious injuries and deaths, the Forest Service now bans all climbing, jumping, and diving from the cliffs around the falls; swimming in the pool itself is the only permitted water activity. Flash flooding and slick granite add further risk. Treat the jumping ban as strictly enforced, not optional, and always carry your permit and photo ID.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.