Cedar Creek Falls Closes Indefinitely Following Wednesday's Death of a Hiker

Cedar Creek Falls hiking area is closed indefinitely following and

"We are looking at the elevated health and safety concerns," Brian Harris, public information officer for the U.S. Forest Service told Patch Wednesday night.

Cedar Creek Falls is in Cleveland National Forest, bordering San Diego Country Estates in Ramona. Hundreds of people hike in the area every weekend from throughout San Diego county and beyond. Sheriff's Lt. Julie Sutton of the Ramona substation recently expressed concern about young people partying in the area now that they are on summer vacation.

Saul Villagomez, battalion chief with Ramona Fire Department, echoed that concern in an interview with Patch on Wednesday. See the attached video.

Harris said law enforcement will be stationed at the facilities Thursday morning, and both of the two trailheads will be closed.

He said the Forest Service will need to discuss the closure with its general counsel to determine how long the area will remain shut off to the public.

In Wednesday's accident, an El Cajon teen died after falling from a steep cliff, according to the medical examiner. Another teen was taken to Palomar Medical Center.

It's reported that the teen fell—and did not jump. There have been no indications that he had alcohol in his system.

Villagomez told Patch that some people party with alcohol and then take the plunge, which can cause serious injuries over summer when the water is low.

Cedar Creek Falls is considered one of the most popular hiking locations in San Diego County.