How to Hike Annie’s Canyon in Solana Beach, California

Annie’s Canyon is a must-see destination in northern San Diego for locals and visitors alike. You’ll be amazed by the gorgeous views of the surrounding landscape, its rocky formations, colorful plants, and wildlife.

My family and I love this place, especially my son. It’s like a natural, outdoorsy playground that’s perfect for all ages and activity levels, whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a leisurely walk.

The first time I went there, my son had just started walking, and he had a blast. He was able to waddle along most of the trail, exploring the plants, flowers, and wood structures. Then, when it was time to take the short hike up to the overlook, we’d put him in our carrier. Easy peasy.

Now that he’s older, he races through the trail like he’s going for gold. lol. As long as he doesn’t take anyone out, I love that he’s burning energy!

What is Annie’s Canyon?

Annie’s Canyon is a hiking trail located in Solana Beach, California. It’s known for its narrow sandstone walls that lead to a hidden slot canyon. The hike is relatively short, but it features a ladder and an overlook with panoramic views of the San Elijo Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean.

The trail is named after Anne Morgan, a local environmental activist who worked to preserve the area for future generations.

Annie’s Canyon Trail Summary

When to arrive

If you’re hoping to venture up the ladder, plan on arriving early to avoid a line of people. We arrived at 8 a.m. the last couple of times we hiked the trail, and it was perfect timing.

My son was obsessed with going up the ladder, so we did the slot canyon loop twice. The first time around, there were only a couple of people, and we breezed right through. When we looped around the second time, we were behind a group that moved at a slower pace, so a small line started to form in the narrow passage. We only had to wait about five minutes, but as it gets more crowded, that wait time will increase.

On another occasion, we had to back out of the slot to let a hiker exit because they changed their mind about going up the ladder. It was just me and my son, so it wasn’t an issue, but imagine if there’s a line of people in the slot that have to turn around and walk out single file. It will get a little messy.

Both times, we got back to our car around 9 a.m. and passed lots of people starting their hike. So, for the best experience through the slot, I’d aim to be there by 8 a.m.

You can also make your way to the overlook by going up the switchback trail, and in that case, you don’t have to worry so much about the crowds and what time you arrive. The trail is wide, and you can easily pass other hikers.

Parking options

There are various parking options and trails to get to Annie’s Canyon. The map below shows the five parking areas: San Elijo Park & Ride, North Rios Ave, Solana Hills Drive, Canyon Drive, and La Orilla Trailhead. The text colors correspond to the colors on the map below, each marked with a 🅿.

In the next section, there are more details about how to access Annie’s Canyon from each location.

Interactive map

Trail summaries by parking location

San Elijo Park & Ride

The newest way to access Annie’s Canyon is by parking at the Park & Ride on Manchester Ave. From there, you can safely cross the street at the crosswalk and take the pedestrian suspension bridge under the freeway heading south.

After the bridge, go right and continue on the North Coast Trail. When you reach the Y in the road, veer right onto the Solana Hills Trail (dirt path) and then make the first right at the T intersection onto the Rios Avenue Trail. This leads to Annie’s Canyon.

I’ve driven by the Park & Ride at various times throughout the day, and there are always plenty of parking spaces available.

I highly recommend this option if you have kids because they will be fascinated by the bridge. It’s even cool to experience without kids!

North Rios Ave

Solana Hills Trail

To access Annie’s Canyon via the Solana Hills Trail, there are two areas where you can park: Cayon Drive and Solana Hills Drive.

Both of these are residential areas with street parking. If you’re driving west on Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Hills Drive is the first street after the I5 freeway. After that, Glencrest Drive is the next street, which leads to Canyon Drive.

Take the Solana Hills trail from either parking location and turn left onto the Rios Ave Trail. Continue until you see the Annie’s Canyon trailhead on your left.

La Orilla Trail

We’ve gone to La Orilla Trail a couple of times, but never to access Annie’s Canyon.

The last time we visited was for our annual family pictures, which is a fantastic spot if you’re looking for one.

This is a good starting point if you want to take a longer walk or run, and immerse yourself in the lush green trees and vines along the path.

From this location, you’ll take La Orilla Trail to the freeway, cross under it, and then head south on the Solona Hills Trail. Continue until you get to Rios Ave Trail, where you’ll make a right and make your way to the canyon.

There’ve been bobcat sightings on this trail, so stay aware of your surroundings, especially if you have dogs or little kids with you.

Exploring Annie’s Canyon

Two routes are available on the trail: the switchback and the slot canyon with the ladder. The switchback is considered moderate, while the slot canyon is difficult. But honestly, both routes are pretty easy, maybe a bit moderate at most.

The last two times we did the Annie’s Canyon loop, it took us an hour to complete the round trip from our parking locations at San Elijo Park & Ride and North Rios Avenue. This includes going through the slot canyon and up the ladder twice.

Most of the time is spent getting to and from the canyon, which consists of easy walking trails that offer views of the lagoon. Once you reach the Annie’s Canyon trailhead, it only takes around 10 minutes to complete the loop through the slot. Similarly, if you skip the ladder and take the trail up to the overlook, it will also take you about 10 minutes.

Both trails allow dogs, but if you head through the slot canyon, you’ll have to turn around when the walls get very narrow. At this point, there’s a sign indicating that no dogs are allowed. This is also where you should turn around if you don’t plan on going up the ladder. Even if you don’t complete the canyon trail, you still get to experience some captivating views.

Into the Slot Canyon

As you make your way into the canyon, the walls are tall and far apart. Then, as you start going up, it gets very narrow, and you have to walk single file.

Climbing the ladder is a piece of cake. It has three flights with a small platform at the top of each section equipped with handles, making it easier to climb. Even though I am not a fan of heights and was worried the first time I climbed up, it didn’t bother me.

After the ladder, you continue through more narrow passages for a little way, and then there are a few steep steps before reaching the overlook. This is the trickiest part of the hike, in my opinion. The angle of the steps and where to place my feet were awkward, so I made sure to secure my footing before stepping up.

Now that the “hard part” is over, it’s just a few steps to the overlook. When you’re done admiring the sweeping views, it’s a very easy trek down the switchback trail to complete the loop.

Taking the switchback

Little kids, dogs, and avoiding crowds are just a few reasons to skip the ladder. Fortunately, the switchback trail is a terrific alternative to reach the overlook, which is one of the highlights of Annie’s Canyon. We always took this path until we felt our son was ready to safely go through the slot canyon.

The switchback trail is wide enough to easily pass hikers coming down from the overlook. It’s a steady incline with steps every now and then, and a flight of stairs about halfway through.

Although the ladder is a big feature on the trail, it’s over pretty quickly, and I never felt like I was missing out by taking the switchback trail instead.

Video preview

Here’s a video of the trail starting from Manchester Avenue suspension bridge after parking at the San Elijo Park & Ride.

More slots, please!

If you love exploring slot canyons, I highly recommend hiking The Slot in Borrego Springs. We did a November visit, and it was like a mega version of Annie’s Canyon.

For useful tips on the hike, as well as suggestions on where to stay, eat, and other activities to do in Borrego Springs, please refer to the following posts.

• How to Have the Best Weekend in Borrego Springs, California
• How to Easily See All of the Galleta Meadows Sculptures
• Wildflowers in Anza-Borrego – A Bucket List Worthy Experience!
• La Casa Del Zorro: Your Ultimate Borrego Springs Retreat
• How to Hike the Slot Canyon Trail in Borrego Springs
• Hiking Borrego Palm Canyon Trail: What You Need to Know

Things to do nearby

Places to eat

• Pizza Port Solana Beach (offers a few arcade games for kids)
• Pipes Cafe for breakfast or lunch with a small, beach town vibe.
• Potato Shack Cafe for some fluffy, manhole-size pancakes.
• VG’s Donuts for a treat. Sometimes we go here after Pipes…it’s a very short walk.
• The Confessional by Lost Abbey for some of the best craft beers in San Diego, and you can order food next door at East Coast Pizza.
• Fidel’s Little Mexico for some delicious margaritas and Mexican food.
• Pacific Coast Grill for an upscale but casual oceanfront experience.
• Pick up a barbeque lunch from Seaside Market. If you love tri-tip, nothing beats their Cardiff Crack. Then, head to Glen Park for a picnic.

Activities

• Visit the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
• Walk the Cedros Avenue Design District
• Get sandy – head to Cardiff Beach, Cardiff State Beach, Moonlight Beach, or any of the other neighboring beaches. You can’t go wrong with any of them!
• Check out San Dieguito County Park. It has multiple playgrounds, trails, suspension bridges, and more.
• Eat, drink, and shop in Downtown Encinitas