HIKE TO: Weir Canyon TRAILHEAD: Weir Canyon Trail MILES: 3.8 miles TIME: 2:15 hrs DATE I WENT: 4/6/23 DIFFICULTY: moderate ELEVATION GAIN: 778 ft HIKE PERMIT: no PARKING: street LOCATION: Orange County, Southern California
Stunning views of wildflowers, snow-capped peaks, and ocean views in the heart of SoCal… need I say more?
Weir Canyon is located in Anaheim Hills in Orange County, CA. It’s a beautiful trail in the Spring when all the flowers are blossoming and a great spot to go for a sunset hike. The trail is less than 4 miles if you hike the full Weir Canyon loop, but we saw many people turning back after hitting a high point (there are several along the trail) so I’m assuming this is a common spot just for locals to get out for a quick workout. Weir Canyon Trail is just one of the numerous trails in the Weir Canyon and Santiago Oaks Regional Park area of Anaheim Hills.
Weir Canyon Trail is a multi-use trail and there are a lot of mountain bikers so be mindful of that!
How Hard is Weir Canyon Hike?
The Weir Canyon Trail is labeled as “strenuous” and although my idea of “strenuous” may be a bit skewed, I’m here to tell you it is not a hard hike, not even for a beginner hiker – it is a moderate-level hike at most. If my mama can hike this slowly, anyone else can too – it just might take a bit longer which is totally fine. To each her own.
It takes most people 1-2 hrs to hike the entire Weir Canyon Trail, but I went with my mama who is a little out of shape and it took us 2:15 hrs total… with only 1 hr of actual moving time for me since I’m waiting or taking photos. The hike is what you make of it though and I think it’s the perfect leisurely hike in OC to see some wildflowers and mountains.
If I’m being honest, I’ve been lazy to chase wildflowers this season… and most of the recent years actually. I just don’t feel like dealing with crowds, even on weekdays. But this hike was relatively close by and I wanted to get my mama out for a little bit and since she enjoys the floral hikes, here we are. I chose this hike because I knew there would be wildflowers, it was relatively flat-ish and one my mama could hike, and I wanted to get my eyes on our local snow-capped mountains with this record-breaking winter we just had.
Weir Canyon Parking and Trailhead
We parked at the Anaheim Hills Riding and Walking Trailhead at the end of S Hidden Canyon Rd. There’s only a small parking lot here with three parking spaces and a designated street parking area where you will find “Trail Parking Begin/ End” signs. I do not know what parking at the Weir Canyon Trailhead is like, but that TH does take you directly to the viewpoint if that is all you are going for. However; I’d recommend this loop I hiked.
Anaheim Hills Riding and Walking Trail (Weir Canyon Trail)
We hiked clockwise on the Weir Canyon loop trail which I would recommend. The first half of the trail has the most incline, which really isn’t too much, and most of the rest of this section of the trail that heads north is relatively flat or downhill; as you loop back and start to hike south, the trail has many small ups and downs. Hiking clockwise avoids a long uphill on the way back. If you go later in the day though, be prepared to hike in the shade on the way back.
The first 0.6 mile of the trail gains 326 ft which will be the longest steep section of the entire hike if you are hiking clockwise. The viewpoint here will be the best one for mountain views, with views of the San Gabriel Mountain Range, home of Mt Baldy. It’s been a hell of a snow year for Mt Baldy 10,064 ft, the highest peak in the LA region and you can even see the famous Baldy Bowl from here! You can actually even see the Pacific Ocean from here too!
From the actual Weir Canyon Trailhead on Google Maps, you can hike a very short distance straight up to this viewpoint in just a couple of minutes.
As you head down from this viewpoint, Deer Trail is just ahead to your right but it was closed due to the current poppy season. There are signs on both ends of the trail, restricting hikers from accessing the area to preserve the wildflowers. When this trail is open, it can cut your hike in half the distance.
After the trail reaches the end where the houses are, it continues to descend and loops back around from a lower trail. This section of the trail has a lot of mini hills and is not an overall flat hike.
When can I see wildflowers in California?
Where can I see wildflowers in SoCal?
If you’re looking for wildflowers right now, they are blooming all over SoCal! Just look to hike on hills, not mountains. They are only blooming at these lower elevations right now; typically in the Eastern Sierra and at higher altitudes, the wildflowers bloom in the summer, but given our extreme snowpack this year, my guess is it won’t be until late summer or even early Fall… but I could be wrong. Other places that are currently blooming are: Chino Hills State Park, Walker Canyon (but it’s closed off to the public), Antelope Valley, Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, Carrizo Plains National Monument, Griffith Park, Figuroa Mountain, and so much more! Find some SoCal-local wildflower hikes here.
Gear for Hiking Weir Canyon in Orange County
- Gregory Day Pack
- Sunday Afternoons sun hat
- Garmin GPS watch
- Groceries Apparel cropped tank top
- Brooks trail running shoes
- Lululemon long sleeve shirt
- Brooks windbreaker
- Dita Lancier sunglass
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