Visible from I-5, this trail takes you through a canyon with breathtaking views

SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — This trail in northern San Diego County takes you along Interstate 5, through a narrow canyon, and up ladders, to breathtaking views of a lagoon.

Annie’s Canyon Trail in Solana Beach is a 2-mile hike you won’t soon forget.

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The now well-traveled trail is located within the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. If you’ve driven south on Interstate 5 past Solana Beach you have seen the trail as there are sections that go right along the freeway.

Annie’s Canyon Trail can be accessed by several trailheads — Annie’s Canyon Trail via Solana Hills Trail (2.3 miles); Annie’s Canyon Trail via North Rios Trailhead Loop (1.6 miles); and Annie’s Canyon Trail via La Orilla Trail (4.6 miles).

This author will take you on a step-by-step journey from the Solana Hills Trailhead as that’s the route I tackled.

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The hike from the Solana Hills Trailhead through Annie’s Canyon Trail is a 2.3-mile loop in total, which takes about an hour to complete.

The trailhead can be accessed by parking on Solana Hills Drive. As noted above there are other ways to get to the trail, one is by parking on N Rios Ave, across Hwy 101 from Cardiff State Beach, and taking the trail from the other side.

Once on the trail, head down the main trail until you come to the Annie’s Canyon Trailhead, which is about 0.6 miles downhill along the freeway.

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Once in the canyon, which is marked as difficult for just that portion of the hike, there are narrow passages through the slot canyon that might make you squeeze sideways at some points, with ladders you need to climb to get back out of the canyon.

There is also a small mushroom cave you can check out inside the slot canyon.

The top of the canyon greets you with a lookout deck and breathtaking views of the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and Pacific Ocean in the distance.

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While the main trail is a pretty regular hike complete with some elevation, the canyon trail is labeled as difficult. Anyone with pets or small children should keep in mind they may need to give them a hand at some points.

The trail then heads down a natural staircase back to the main trail where you can take the optional short loop extension along the shores of the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, adding another 0.7 miles to the hike.

If you went downhill via the Solana Hills Trailhead to get to Annie’s Canyon Trail, you will have to go back uphill to get back to your car.

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There were plenty of people on the trail, but it wasn’t too crowded in the evening on a weekday, so you won’t feel like you’re alone as the nearby freeway and foot traffic keep you feeling like you are in fact in the city, while the trail and ecological reserve give you a taste of the outdoors.

Keep in mind this is a wild area so there are signs on the trailheads to keep an eye out for mountain lions and rattlesnakes.

The area was off limits for years until work was done to remove trash and graffiti. You can still see some of the graffiti and carvings on some of the sandstone walls today.

For those wanting to experience the hike virtually, there is a Annie’s Canyon Virtual Hike you can watch courtesy of San Diego County Parks and Recreation.

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