San Diego County, California
Waterfalls Near Carlsbad, CA
1 named waterfall lies within 30 miles of Carlsbad, 1 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is El Salto Falls, 3.3 miles northeast of town. Cedar Creek Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.8 stars from 123 Google reviews). Most of the falls are east of Carlsbad.
Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.
Best Waterfalls Near Carlsbad at a Glance
10 Waterfalls Near Carlsbad, Ranked by Distance
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El Salto Falls
El Salto Falls is the closest named waterfall to Carlsbad, 3.3 miles to the northeast in San Diego County. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad.
- Rating
- 3.3 (18 Google reviews)
- Address
- Carlsbad, CA 92010
- Website
- buenavistalagoon.org
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Washtub Falls
Washtub Falls lies 33 miles east of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 2 of 10 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Ramona.
- Rating
- 3.5 (4 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 92065 (GPS 33.1725, -116.7870)
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Cedar Creek Falls
Cedar Creek Falls lies 38 miles east of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 3 of 10 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. USGS notes: The falls have a vertical drop of 80 feet. Located in sec 1,T14S,R2E, San Bermardino Meridian.
- Rating
- 4.8 (123 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 92065 (GPS 32.9895, -116.7303)
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Mildred Falls
Mildred Falls lies 38 miles east of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 4 of 10 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is San Diego Country Estates.
- Rating
- 4.8 (6 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 92065 (GPS 33.0142, -116.7147)
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Green Valley Falls
Green Valley Falls lies 48 miles east of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 5 of 10 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Descanso.
- Rating
- 4.6 (124 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 91916 (GPS 32.9000, -116.5834)
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Hidden Heart Falls
Hidden Heart Falls lies 52 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Riverside County, number 6 of 10 by distance. USGS notes: 33 ft. high; on the San Bernardino National Forest, along Indian Creek 3 mi. W of Indian Mountain, 1.6 mi. SE of Angelus Hill; Sec. 36, T4S, R1E, San Bernardino Meridian
- Address
- Riverside County, CA (GPS 33.7844, -116.8406)
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Maidenhair Falls
Maidenhair Falls lies 53 miles east of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 7 of 10 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Borrego Springs.
- Rating
- 4.8 (6 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 92066 (GPS 33.2368, -116.4408)
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The Falls
The Falls lies 55 miles southeast of Carlsbad in San Diego County, number 8 of 10 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Pine Valley.
- Rating
- 3.0 (2 Google reviews)
- Address
- San Diego County, CA 91906 (GPS 32.7367, -116.5422)
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Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls lies 59 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Riverside County, number 9 of 10 by distance. It ranks 8th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Rancho Mirage.
- Rating
- 5.0 (2 Google reviews)
- Address
- Riverside County, CA 92561 (GPS 33.6364, -116.5099)
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Andreas Falls
Andreas Falls lies 59 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Riverside County, number 10 of 10 by distance. It ranks 9th for review count among waterfalls near Carlsbad. Its own nearest town is Idyllwild.
- Rating
- 1.0 (1 Google reviews)
- Address
- Riverside County, CA 92561 (GPS 33.7580, -116.6177)
Where the Waterfalls Are
Carlsbad sits in or near the Coast Ranges and Southern California Mountains area of California. Along the coast and in the southern mountains, falls are smaller and highly seasonal. McWay Falls in Big Sur drops onto a cove beach and is viewed from an overlook, while Alamere Falls in Point Reyes spills off a coastal bluff onto the sand. The Santa Cruz Mountains around Boulder Creek hold redwood-shaded cascades. In Southern California, Sturtevant Falls in the San Gabriel Mountains and Bonita Falls in Lytle Creek are local favorites, and Tahquitz Falls lies in a canyon above Palm Springs. Most of these creeks depend on winter storms, and many dwindle to a trickle by early summer. Read the California waterfall guide.
By direction from Carlsbad: 5 to the east, 4 to the northeast, and 1 to the southeast. They are spread across San Diego County (7) and Riverside County (3). The average distance is 43.8 miles.
Nearby Towns With Waterfalls
Waterfalls Near Carlsbad: FAQs
How many waterfalls are near Carlsbad, CA?
1 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Carlsbad: 1 within 10 miles, 0 10 to 20 miles, 0 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.
What is the closest waterfall to Carlsbad?
El Salto Falls in San Diego County is the closest, about 3.3 miles northeast of Carlsbad.
What is the best-rated waterfall near Carlsbad?
Cedar Creek Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.8 stars from 123 Google reviews. The most reviewed is Green Valley Falls.
Which counties are the waterfalls near Carlsbad in?
San Diego County (7) and Riverside County (3).
How does Carlsbad compare with other California towns?
Carlsbad ranks 78th of the 86 California towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.