This place isn’t that cool anymore. I remember when you could come here without seeing anyone. You actually had to try hard to work for the reward. Any person can just walk up the ramp now.The view was better as well. The high amount of visitors have eroded certain parts of the bluffs cutting off access to the nicer parts. Fences have been built as well. It’s too dangerous to reach the older parts due to the increased erosion

Annies Canyon is amazing place to hike with family, friends or/and pets. It is a very easy short trail so even little kids can do it. The views are gorgeous !

Fun and easy hike with a lot to see. Kids love to climb the trees, cliffs, and ladders. Plenty of benches along the way and a lot of friendly people to meet. We really enjoyed the hike. Be sure to enter on N Rios Ave side, all other access points are closed or under construction. Dogs are welcomed on a lease, no horses. :)

Annies trail was closed but the Rio trail was accessable. Easy nature walk with the family & dogs on a leash allowed.

So much fun we did it twice. Great hike for the whole family. Our youngest is 6 and he did everything just fine. The walk to the canyon is not too long and the squeeze through the canyon is awesome. The views are fantastic, the canyon is exhilarating, and the experience is a must do in San Diego! This was so much fun we were recommending it to everyone we spoke to on our trip here!

Great place to hike, bring water, if you have a dog you will need to carry it up a ladder toward the end getting out of the Canyon.We experienced a back up because people were having issues with dogs on the ladders.Short hike, easy hike, bring water because it gets hot and muggy in the canyon.Great picture opportunity cool Canyon its sandstone so soft wear good shoes for grip, climb smart have someone spot you if you decide to do climbing lots of people were doing for pictures, again not very technical but its sandstone.

Popped my Annies Canyon trail hike! Loved it. Easy hike of short distance, and even the difficult path, which you cannot take pets unless you can carry hands free, is still not very difficult. Does require ability to scale vertically metal ladder. Recommend early hike before coffee and breakfast.

Stopped at Torrey Pines State Reserve and go home is not enough, it is 6.5 miles away ( 1-5 N ) located near Solana Beach,~ ANNIE’S CANYON TRAIL ~This is my favorite hike, 1.8 miles, elevation change almost nothing,( just a bit)Short hike people in and out a lot, no need to worry about parking ( park in the street)Should lock the door and put everything in the back is best.This hike is so so cool, easy hike and pretty view.Trail is narrow some areas require to squeeze through.A lot of kids in this hike, likes playground for them( family time ... daddy and mommy).2 ways to enter canyon ( fun and boring)I took fun one, my tips for this hike are if you can hike without pack back, no hat, baseball cap is good, ( so narrow )A lot of water, sunblock, camera ( I’m using my phone)Take a lot of pictures of the canyon and the top of canyon,I will come back to this hike again for more pictures....

Took a guided tour here. It was very nice experience hiking through the canyon and walking on the trails. Great for beginners hikers and kids. Breathtaking views on the ocean and mountains from the top of the canyon. Great place to take some amazing photos.

Fun quick hike and one of the only slot canyons in San Diego. Ensure you do the Canyon from the bottom up or you will run into a bunch of people coming up. It’s really short lived, but fun. Family friendly. Bring lots of water for the hike there and back.Click the Like button if you like our review

This is a great cool trail when its open. I just drove to it and its closed. You could at least put closed on your website so I could of saved myself a drive. Frustrating

Great place for hiking and the kids loves it.

Fantastic short trail with challenging canyon. Love the narrow and steep part.Only problem, not related to the trail, was some rude young man who can’t wait for just one minute when the narrow trail was busy started shouting, a bit intimidating.It’s really unnecessary. So avoid these type if you can.

Awesome views. Peaceful atmosphere. Plenty of birds, bunnies, lizards, snakes, and flowers to view. There are trails there for all walking levels. Its definitely worth the trip!

DISCLAIMER: ️ Annie’s Canyon Trail is currently closer! There was a park ranger that was asking people to return back. You can take your chances but I heard they’re handing out tickets! Good luck

Short and fun 1.6 mile hike, even for young kids.

Great experience, short hike/climb. Dont miss the hidden cave in a crevice on the left side halfway through the canyon

Great flat trail until you get to the slot canyon. The kids had lots of fun climbing up the canyon. We saw a sea snail on our walk back to the car.

Quick 10 minutes in the slot canyon part (at this location) but a really fun, unique experience. Park on Rios Ave, then follow flat trail about 1/2 mile to this trailhead. Reasonably fit adults and all kids (who will love it) should have no problem, but need to climb up a ladder and walk through narrow passages.

A very near unique relatively short overall hike in north county. My 4 year old even did the whole hike.

Easy hike to get to this hidden cliff spot. Climb was short but steep enough to enjoy it for a few minutes. Had a friend take these 2 photos from a tricky spot.

Nice geological curiosity walk. But pay attention to the signs that say no dogs. I ended up having to carry my boys up a metal ladder half way through the canyon.

Nice trails, especially suited for small kids

Short walk/hike to the canyon section (something close to a 3/4 to a mile). Youll meet a fork in the road, path on the right takes you into the canyon where you boulder to the top. Sign says its strenuous, but it is completely manageable. Just be careful, the rock that your climbing up on is sandstone, and can very slippery.

Pretty, easy hike as of Aug 2020 its closed to covid :/

Okay Trail. The Canyon was BEAUTIFUL, however heavily trafficked and no peace and quiet. On top of this there was a rude lady named Annie who scolded us quite heavily for not putting our masks up to our noses when walking by ( and we were at a distance ). Quite off putting. Also if you do the 4 mile hike (see AllTrails) you will have to walk through the construction site under the bridge, but the other side is still gorgeous and much less trafficed. If you want to see the canyon try going during a dreary week day :) Happy Hiking!

Great place for hiking/walking. There is a steep canyon trail east of the lagoon. There are maintained dirt trails throughout the area. It takes about 15 minutes to get from the start of the trail to Annies Canyon. There is no designated parking area but you can park along the street. There are no restrooms.

A very cool canyon trail. Not too difficult and provides great views once you get up. Go through the slit canyon walk!

It was great. A perfect hike for the family.

Love it really nice place to hiking

Awesome hike! Im very much a beginner and this hike was doable for me yet challenging enough to get me sweating. Take the difficult route to experience the narrow cavern and climb the little ladder.

Really neat hike and easy to get too. If your up to the challenge, take the harder hike (as long as you can climb up a small ladder) its worth it. Great photo oops!

I lived in San Diego for 15 years prior to moving where I live now, but just found out about this place on my last trip home. What a cool place! The view from the top is amazing. We took the strenuous path up. It wasnt really difficult for us, but it did get very narrow at points and required some large steps up. We took the other path going back to the parking lot. It was a lot easier but not nearly as interesting. I definitely want to go back.

Very fun hike. a bit of a physical challenge to climb up some steep steps and the metal ladder. if you like tight canyon trails and some steep steps this is for you.

It was awesome a bit claustrophobic but awesome short hike

Nice experience of diverse environment complete with birds of prey and jumping fish in the lagoon!!

Amazing trails up in to the rock formations.

Great place to go to with your partner!

First time here, its a short hike. Hike to the entrance of the Canyon is not hard. The Canyon can be strenuous for some because its narrow on bottom and a little bit climbing involved. But my 5 year old loved it. She had a lot of fun. Currently there is a freeway construction that has some trails taped off.

A very unique experience. This place will likely be busy if you go on a weekend or holiday, but dont let that deter you. A great experience for the whole family!

Short hike. Lovely canyon formations. It can get tight in certain spots

Fun mellow hike that almost anyone can do. The trail is well maintained. There is a lot of work being done in the area so many trails are closed though.

Fun and easy beginner trail. Less than a mile. Family friendly with places to climb and hide. This is nature so be careful of the critters and take lots of pictures but carefully!

A fun, well maintained trail. A variety of sections keeps it interesting. Long, flat stretches are along the water where you can see the lagoon up close. Then there is the canyon area with some basic climbing, sometimes in narrow spaces. At the top there is a nice viewing area. Then an easy windy path back down.

Awesome trail, short and sweet .

Easy & awesome hiking for young & old & dogs too as long as they are leashed. Such a cool spot.

Great hike to go on with the kids. Not too long and not to short.

Beautiful hidden trail with amazing antelopes.....and gorgeous views....

AmAzing, low impact and beautiful well kept up area to hike in. I enjoyed the spring flowers in bloom.

A fun, short hike. There are no paved paths and the trail is not for people in wheelchairs. The crevasse at the end of the trail has two short but steep ladders. I have seen parents with toddlers (or dogs...though there is a no dog sign there...) having to turn around. The path is very narrow and you cannot pass other hikers, which means if you turn around, others behind you would also have to turn around. The ground is sandy in that area so make sure you have tennis shoes on, not crocs or sandals.

Great place for a short or long hike! Good for families and groups! Easy trails, no facilities around the eclogical reserve (so go before you go), and Annies Canyon is an unexpected treat!

Very nice slot canyon, nice climb and view.

Very easy and beautiful hike!! You really have to slip through these thin canyons and its amazing

Super fun family trail. About an hour round trip to the loop and back, with kids in tow and plenty of little stops along the way. Took my 3 1/2 yo and 7 yo girls with me and they had a blast. =)Mostly level with a few inclines. Its near the swamp marsh, so bring bug spray to avoid mosquito bites. Lots of benches along the way to sit down and take a break and admire the scenery.Wouldnt recommend climbing through the canyon if youre claustrophobic as it can get very narrow and if youre bringing a little one through the canyon with you, bring your baby backpack!All in all, a short and sweet fun family hike to get the kids out of the house for some fresh air to play with dirt and climb up rocks!

Beautiful, unique hike that you wont find elsewhere in San Diego. The Difficult route takes you through some very narrow passages between the sandstone walls, not difficult terribly to get through, but a little bit constrained feeling due to how thin the passageways are. the viewpoint rear end up because youre truly beautiful sight of the salt marshes below and its worth the trip. Downtown Solana Beach is nearby with lots of restaurants and other activities to finish out your day.

Coolest trail ever! Opt for the longer route of this trail, it is totally worth it!

Very cool place but is a hassle to access due to freeway construction blocking several paths to the area. Also given the cool factor of the hike many families who probably shouldnt be hiking the caverns go anyways and creates a log jam in the tight areas

This is a really fun and unique hike. We brought our kids and they loved it. It does get a little technical once you get into the canyon but nothing terribly difficult. My wife had our youngest in a baby carrier and was able to make through the canyon just find without hurting herself or the baby.

Fun little hike that doesnt take all day!

A unique gem amongst the lagoons of North County. This slot canyon is a short hike with good parking nearby. If you go the difficult route expect a weird ladder/stairs but also some cool looking slot canyon-ness. There is a high chance of exfoliation, so dont be surprised with scrapes on elbows and legs.

Great mini Antelope canyon.

Getting here can be a bit tricky, but once you find the way to the canyon its a fun little hike through narrow sandstone. It does get narrow and steep in some places with a metal ladder at the end to get to the top of the sandstone. This is a short but steep climb.

Such a beautiful and fun trail! Its a short but challenging hike.

Short walk and peaceful.

Went with the grandkids and Angie and they decided to leave me at the bottom...

Great little hike, the slot canyon was really cool. The end of the loop was closed.

I walk in from Cardiff by the Sea as u can enter through a tunnel under the train tracks. It is a little walk-in adventure to get there. Just spy the tunnel from the road and follow the small trails in that direction. Follow this trail to Rios. Most people park along Rios and enter the trail there. It is an easy ambling trail to walk. UNTIL. OMG You get to Annie’s Loop. Annie’s Loop is a fun 10-20 minute climb loop. A must do. This is a hidden gem. Please leave your dog home or assign a person to sit with the dog at the entry to the loop. Do not subject other climbers in the closed in area to your dog. There are signs stating dogs are not allowed as it is unsafe. It is fine to walk your dog along the rest of the trail. Have fun.

The caves are cool and is an hike/walk to bring the kids to.

Nice trail for a walk with the pup. Leads to a very cool narrow trail between steep sandstone walls.

Good ol Annie. She makes for a nice trail and a beautiful, albeit brief slot canyon with tragically scarred sandstone walls defaced by previous visitations from the subhuman species known as moronus stupidis. Apart from that, Annies Canyon is a splendid urban wonder situated on the northern edge of the San Diego County town of Solana Beach. Google Earth San Elijo Lagoon and on the south side of the lagoon just west of the I-5 freeway you will find the canyon in all its splendor, especially in 3-D mode. Mid April is a great time to visit (non-weekends are best) in order to take advantage of spring flora on the half-mile hike between the North Rios Ave. trailhead and the mouth of the canyon. Lots of wildflowers including black-eyed susans, monkey flower, jimsonweed (Datura) and the spiny green fruit of the parasite wild cucumber or Echinocystis lobata. As for the canyon, if you are physically limited in any way, this may not be the hike for you. The slot narrows to approximately 12 inches wide at the floor and in spots, shoulder space is not much more than that as well. This, coupled with some steep and sandy footholds creates the necessity for a one-way loop and a warning to the claustrophobic and/or skeptical traveler.

Cool hike. Dog friendly. Not too difficult, but nice terrain. Several access points. When I went in Dec 2017 many trailheads were closed due to nearby maintenance, so I entered at North Rios trailhead. (The other ones will have signs posted if they are closed, telling you alternative options) Hike is about a mile long before entering the slot canyon, which is spectacular but pretty narrow. Could even get stuck and it is one way so keep moving forward!

A fun little hike!

The most tranquil amazing spot ever. SO CLOSE TO THE REAL WORLD YET FEELS VERY SECLUDED, love it.

Short and sweet.Nice and small but very steep passage

Perfect hike with kids (7 & 10), but beware of bad Google directions bringing you to the wrong side of the highway (its also a trailhead, but its the longest way that is closed due to Highway construction). Check online for trail closures before heading out there. The hike itself can get quite difficult as you get into the actual canyon, with very narrow paths and a steep ladder climb in one spot. We had fun with the kids and would recommend it, especially if you are in the area for Torey Pines and have some energy left to burn for a 40 minute hike.

Closest you can get if you cant travel to Arizona

These pictures arent of the actual Annies canyon itself, but the trails surrounding it. Great sunset hike. It can be crowded, but not always. One of my favorite coastal places to hike.

Stunningly beautiful. Warning though it has a ladder you need to climb at one point. If you can climb up a ladder then this is a must see in your lifetime.

The vistas are lovely, and the canyon is a narrow adventure. Ill be happy when the I-5 construction is complete and the trail on the east side of the preserve re opens.

This is a great trial for kids! I took my 8year old and he loved it

Very cool!

Great family hiking experience my 10 years old love it. Close view of water try to not carry bulky backpacks because it will be hard to pass through some areas.

The traditional name for this narrow trail between the walls was fat mans nightmare. It was called this decades earlier. Maybe it would not be politically correct to call it this now, but perhaps more meaningful and historical.

Oh I feel like Ive been from the reviews. Since I can take my dog Im going!Yeah

Good place for kids. Fun with adventure for young children.

Short beautiful hike!!

Currently closed due to covid

The trail in the beginning is normal, but when you go on the difficult trail you see great canyon. The trail is short, but the view is great.

One of the few places in North County to get a little peace and quiet and explore the wonders of nature. Depending on the time of the year you can see a nice variety of flora and fauna. Not too strenuous, a nice day hike for hikers of all skill levels. Decent views once you get to the summit of the canyon trail.

So wonderful! There are two paths! So you can choose according to your condition. And you must check the location before leaving!

Nice short hike for young families. our 3 and 5 year olds managed the slot canyon just fine and enjoyed the adventure

This was quite the adventure. My wife and I enjoyed the little loop with our four kids - 12, 10, 2 & 6 months. Yes, its possible for an adventurous toddler to complete this narrow path.I had seen pictures but they never really do justice to the beauty of this little canyon. Go check it out for yourself!This picture is the entrance to the San Elijo Lagoon from which you can access Annies Canyon. Street parking is fairly abundant.

Very interesting canyon with some fun graffiti.

Amazing geology. A short hike from the entrance. Amazing short walk and climb through the canyon. It is quite steep, but there is a smoother route that we took to walk back down. Beautiful view from the top even though it is only a few feet above sea level. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of parking. We hiked on a week day and still met two other groups in the small canyon. Also, there is still some evidence of old graffiti visible, but it was cleaned very well.

Pretty cool trail easy hike up the hill!!! Takes about 15 minutes or less!!

It’s good for family hangout and it’s around 4 miles hiking. The slot was beautiful.

Fun with kids

It is kind of cool, but a bit overhyped. Trail is very short once you go to it. You can get your hipster little photo-op and never come back.

Short, fun hike by the 5 freeway. Easy to get to and great place for photos.

Beautiful ocean view but short! Canyon was awesome and lots of birds.