Weir Canyon Loop Trail in Anaheim Hills, CA

Rating: You Might Like It

Weir Canyon Loop is rated as an easy trail that's good for training. I think our own lack of physical training, and the fact that we dumbly chose to go in the middle of a hot day, made this hike one of the most difficult I've ever been on. The loop goes as far as 4 miles round trip
and has a good balance of uphill and downhill hiking, never very steep or rocky. The trail is well-maintained and marked. The views are very nice of the hills, and there are even points where you can take side trails to get a better view of the entire valley. The only problem is there is very little shade along the trail. This would be a nice hike to take on a cool day, in the early morning, or in the evening. Although we were not the only ones hiking in the middle of the day, I would not recommend that for beginners. If you do choose that time, be sure to bring at least 2 large water bottles per person (or a camel-back) and a hat to shield your face from the constant sun.

Before the hike...when we were still conscious.

If you'd like to enjoy the views but don't think you're ready to go 4 miles, I'd recommend starting the trail at the entrance that's on Avenida de Santiago (it's the last street on the left before Hidden Canyon Rd. dead-ends). Take the trail to the left and turn right when you see the sign for Deerweed Trail. Follow it down until it meets up with the main trail again, then go right. When you see another fork that either goes downhill to the street or right up a hill, go right. You'll be going more downhill than up all-together and cutting the trail down by at least 1 1/2 miles. You could take a left at the bottom of Deerweed trail, also, if you want a short hike that's a little more challenging than what I just described. This would bring you right back to the top of Deerweed Trail. We parked at the bottom of Hidden Canyon Rd. and took the first fork to the right, then followed it until the street exit at Ave de Santiago. We walked along the street down to our car, which cut the distance down by 1/2 a mile, because we simply couldn't go any further. I'd like to try this trail again on a more pleasant day.