Peters Canyon Hike

I hesitate to share since it seems like I always get the last street parking spot available on weekends
(mornings and afternoons), but if you point your GPS to Peters Canyon Elementary, you’ll find the free street parking, along at about Peters Canyon & Orchard.

This trail can be super packed on the weekends! Early in the day the crowds are the largest! I wonky worry about this because my dog is a little on the larger side and when I sometimes bring my daughter it can be hard to manage them all at once. I tend to focus more on evening strolls as morning crowds and afternoon can be quite large.
This trail is excellent.
There are always shortcuts if you get tired and need a break, as well as water fountains speckled everywhere.
Be prepared for crowds!
This trail is a lot more packed than most.
You can pay for parking and the parking lot closes at around 7pm

I love that this hike has a number of different trails from easy, intermediate, to hard. I would suggest the easy trail if you’re with your kids or pets or general beginners to hiking. There is very little incline but there is one trail within this that has little water beds and bridges that’s really pretty. PLUS SHADE. The intermediate/​hard trails give a really good workout as there are a few inclines. TIP: COME EARLY OR WEAR SUNBLOCK! there is very little shade in this hike and you will be sunburned for days if you don’t wear sunblock, I promise.

I’m in training for the monstrous hike that is Angel’s Landing in Zion and Peter’s Canyon definitely offered some challenging trails. I definitely underestimated the difficulty level of this hike. There are two entrances, one by the school which apparently you can park at on the weekends and another one that has it’s own separate parking lot. Parking is $ 3. Parking gets crowded so come early. The trail starts off flat with some dry brush. A lot of people bring their dogs and some don’t clean up after their dogs so look out for dog poop. If you are near the horse trails, look out for horse poop too. The trail branches off onto different paths and some of them loop, so you can pick the trail depending on the level of difficulty that you want to challenge. There’s a lot of great scenery of the cityscape and with that comes a lot of hills. There’s a couple of hills that were kinda steep for me and definitely made my thighs burn. There’s a flatter path next to some beautiful houses if you’re looking for an easy hike. There’s a reservoir/“lake” here but sadly, it’s dried up due to the drought.
Overall I enjoyed the hike even though I felt like my legs were going to buckle under me. I’m sure I’ll be hurting even more in the next couple of days.
Recommendations: Come early to avoid the crowds and the heat. Like I said, parking can be a hassle so get there early. There’s a few areas with trees, but you’re mostly out in the open, directly under the sun so protect yourself from the sun. Bring walking sticks if you have them because some of those hills are steeeppp.
And most importantly, take in the nature that is hidden in the suburbia of Orange.

Best trail that I have found in the nearby area so far! Plenty of parking along the street or at the elementary school (on the weekend), lots of places to toss out dog waste and doggy bags, clearly marked trails, and plenty of space for everyone. We went on a Sunday and there were a ton of cars parked, but we had no problem with crowding on the trails at all.
There is a simple loop that makes a lasso shape and has very little change in elevation, perfect for running or taking the dogs out for some sun. Branching off of that trail are several routes with super steep hills, nice for getting that summer booty workout on.
Word of advice though, be cautious of how hard the hills can be on canine companions. I took my hound with me and I assumed that he would be able to hang with me doing the hills. It was pretty warm and he quickly heated up and needed several breaks to recover. And take plenty of water for both yourself and your furry friend!

Love hate relationship with this hike! I hate and love the fact that this place has a couple of hills. It’s very tiring, especially for someone who has no stamina.
It takes me about 2 hours to hike this trail. I ALWAYS want to give up after the first big hill.
This is the closest hike to my house that is a challenge. Most hikes around here are more scenic.
Tip: check the weather before hiking!
I also reward myself with mokkoji after. There’s really no point of hiking without a reward at the end :)

really great hiking trail for beginners! i absolutely am terrible on hikes because i don’t really do long distance hiking/​walking/​running very often. so if i can do it you can do! ill admit even though most of it is an easy hike the hills really get to me and are a good work out :) i usually park near the peters canyon side. parking can be tough since a lot of spots you cannot park, but if needed i sometimes will park at the elementary school if it is not in session. the great thing about this trail is that there are many different routes you can take and if you come here often you can take a different trail each time. i also see many people bring their dogs so its a light trail that you can bring your kids and pets on!
keep in mind this is an open trail with you mostly being exposed to the sun so wear sun screen and bring lots of water! there are a few benches you can stop on along the trail as well! i know there is another entrance but i have yet to go through that side. have fun! :)

Beautiful hike with several different trails. Great to take your dogs with. I appreciated some of the steep uphill climbs. Didn’t take much time to explore the different trails, we just followed whatever connected together. Got pretty far to the top but it started raining so we hiked back down. Will have to come back soon to reach the top! Poison ivy and Bob cats are native in this area ! =O
This is my favorite hike so far in Orange County compared to Santiago Canyon and Upper Back Bay Reserve trails.

Love this place. I would say this terrain is more for runner and hikers and not for the bike people. Parking on weekends was free if you park along the side or at the school lot. We trekked up, cut into the gate on the right, walked a few, and cut into the trail on the right again for an uphill ascent.
Space wise, it’s bigger than a single track. It’s big enough to fit people coming down and people walking up in the tightest areas. This trail is kid friendly (Yes, it can be steep in some areas and there rocks, just make sure they go slow) and there are outhouses at the bottle of the trail. There were some snake sightings according to another hiker, but I cannot confirm or deny it.
Yes, do go early if you can. We went about 10am and I would say that’s too late because coming back it was getting hot. There is a Mickadees down the hill which we stopped by afterwards. Oddly enough, they don’t have water by the fountain drinks. You have to ask for it.
I only saw one bench at the top of one of the hills so don’t expect gorgeous views or looking for a place to sit.

Nice day. Enjoyed the hills. took my time. went with
My Senior dog. wasnt that hard. Did about 4 miles.
Lots of people if you don’t mind.

On what seems like a never ending quest to tire my somewhat high energy dog out, I have taken to Unilocaling dog parks and dog friendly parks with hiking trails. I had Peters Canyon Trail bookmarked for a few months and forgot that I bookmarked it till I moved to the area and pulled up my bookmarks and noticed that it was a mile and a half away from me. Cool!
I had planned to go in the early morning because I saw Ryan C’s review that you are exposed to the sun for most of the trail. Well, that did not work out, I got here around 10 am on a Saturday in early March and at first it was not too hot but take Ryan’s advice. It gets pretty warm on that trail especially since you are exposed to the sun most of the time. My poor dog was panting like crazy but she was so excited and happy to be on the trail, I doubt she cared. I made sure to keep her hydrated.
So this hike is more of like a 3.5 for me but I bumped it up to 4 stars because it is nearby and it does offer a pretty decent work out. The trails start where the porta potty bathrooms are. Like many people said, there are several trails here and a lot of shortcuts if you do not want to do a full trail. I came the Saturday right after it had rained so most of the trail, since it is 85% dirt trails were muddy. There were a few hills but honestly not that killer, I felt it in my calves as I was going up but did not feel it the day after or anything so that tells you how much of a workout the hills are. Then again I did not do the whole trail, it was getting way too hot and I was running low on water for me and my dog.
Parking: So I guess it costs $ 3 to park at the actual Peters Canyon Regional Park, but if you follow the address that Unilocal gives you for the trail it takes you to a gated community where the trail starts. Parking is free on the street but it does get crowded and can be hard to find parking, but I had no problems since I was willing to walk a little further.
Crowd/​Crowdedness: Yes, there are a lot of people here, not as much as other hiking trails I have been to like Eaton Canyon. For the most part people are pretty nice; I saw a lot of families and a lot of people walking their dogs. Most of the dog owners I have encountered were good with their dogs, keeping them under control and leashed. Expect it to be somewhat crowded if you come here over the weekend, I do not think there was any part of the hike where I was not in the vicinity of another person.
Luckily I did not run into any snakes, but there are signs warning people of them. Beware, there is also Poison Oak here and if your dog has a high prey drive, keep them on a leash. Bring water, it does get really hot on the trail. It is not a particularly hard trail to conquer, I mean the hills give a nice workout but I was not hurting the day after or during really. The views are okay, as for feeling like you got away from the Irvine bubble of generic houses and commercial buildings, ehh I suppose. It is all right, I will keep coming back because it is so close by and my dog seems to love to go hiking and explore.

Yes, they do have a pretty small parking lot, but you should get there early to avoid the heat. If you get there early, between 7 – 7:30am, you will be able to take in the aroma of the surrounding trees and flowers. The smell is there regardless, but the aroma of the outdoors is a lot stronger the earlier you go. After 10:30am you can start to feel the heat, no bueno. Parking is $ 3 for the whole day.
I picked up a park map by the park ranger’s office, but the map was close to useless. The only thing I did like was how it showed the different hiking trails based off difficulty, but it was difficult to differentiate the trails on the map. If needed, I just looked at Google Maps for guidance.
The park itself is gorgeous. The level of trails is great for people who are beginners to experts. Trails are long enough for a great run.
If you’re coming from LA or anywhere outside of the area, make sure to look for directions avoiding the toll roads.

Very good hike! About 5 miles for the loop and lots of hills involved.
The trails are wide and well kept.
It can get pretty hot since there is little shade
On the weekends, there are lots of people but it’s not too crowded since there are several side trails you can take.
There might be a drinking fountain at the beginning. Otherwise, you’ll have to take water
I like to come run here on cool, overcast days

Love love this place. I really enjoy hiking by the ocean but heard good things about this place so decided to check it out.
It was worth it. We did a 6 mile hike. What I liked was there was a little bit for everyone. Some areas had step hills but you could go around them if it was too much for you. We didn’t. We went straight up and the view from the top is amazing.
The lake is 99 percent dry which is sort of depressing but it was still a great hike.
Very busy hiking place. Tons of people hiking. There is periodic benches to rest and there is two places for restrooms.
Took us 2 plus hours to make it through the entire hike. Really enjoyed the day.

Thank you Ryan C for this amazing recommendation. Today was awesome as I experienced one of the better hikes in the OC.
Good advice to go early and avoid the heat. I parked on the Southside of the canyon and avoided the 3.00 parking fee. But street parking is very limited.
The trails are great and depending on your experience level you have options to the the easier flat trails or a more hill type option.
I spent about 2 hours hiking almost 6.25 miles for a complete loop that took me on a visual memorable experience. Saw a dried lake, the city of Newport Beach, lots of cactus and plenty of fellow hikers as this place is popular for a good reason.
Take a look at my pictures and you’ll see why this place is awesome!

A big tip: GO EARLY. There are some places that offer some relief from the sun, however you’re exposed for 95% of the rest of the trails. Early arrival also means that you’ll be more privy to the spots near the entrance of the walk for easy access. The later you go, the harder it is to find a spot for your vehicle and it’s sometimes best to just wait it out until someone leaves.
This was a challenging one with a variety of hills and slopes to explore. They even have a small creek that I’m sure is much nicer when we actually have water with a small bridge going above it. I liked that the paths branched off to different areas depending on what you wanted to do. Most of them loop around making it hard to get lost, but they do have a longer version that’s a couple miles for those people looking to get those steps in! With hills come views, so it’s nice at the top. While on the lower areas, you get to check out some of the nice houses along the way.
We brought our dog and he was fine for the first ¼ of the hike, but then was dying from the heat afterwards. Since there weren’t a ton of shady spots, we had to cut out early. So if you are bringing your pooch, bring LOTS of water for them and let them rest, cause those hills are kinda killer… maybe even a little umbrella to give them a little bit of relief so you can go further.
There are a few portable toilets if you need to do your business — but once you’re on the trails, it’s all nature duties from there.
Fun place, but I’d go when it’s cooler and maybe much earlier in the morning. I’d probably avoid during the summer cause I’m like Indiana Jones and effing hate snakes!

I’ve hiked this a dozen times now. I like the ease of getting here and unlike Santiago nearby, this has more hills. I park on Peters Canyon Road usually where it’s free and then walk up Eucalyptus Trail which leads to Eaton Canyon Trail, the hardest of the trails here. At the bottom of the last hill, I turn around and go back. Otherwise, you’re on Peters Canyon Trail, which is just flat and good for running… but I don’t run.
There aren’t any shady trees here so make sure to bring lots of water. This is a great trail for families or for walking your dog. It’s a short 4 mile hike if you do the whole thing.

Not the most extravagant hike but convenient and challenging for those who seek it.
Overall | 3.5 stars. My two visits here were was when I was running with a friend. Not a lot of shade and can be quite hilly. The most iconic would probably be Big Red, the hill that’s directly leads from bottom to top. You have a nice view of OC/​Tustin but nothing too special like a waterfall or scenic sky high view. However still a good place to be outside.
TL;DR Tips:
* «Big Red» is to the left of the portapotties (if you’re facing it)
* Parking can be found on Pioneer Way

Great place to burn some calories and dream about living in the nice houses that surround the area. There are different trails that you can hike, easy to medium. Some areas have steep hills, but once on top, you’ll enjoy the view. Parking can be rough as there isn’t a parking lot, but instead you park on the side of the streets (but it is free).
When it rains, the park rangers duck tape the trails off, but many locals still hike away. Shade is sparse. Bring water or you’ll be sorry!

Nice hike if you’re looking for something as a beginner to do or a nice stroll around the hills of Irvine/​Tustin! I also like coming here for trail running cause there are some pretty good uphills. I see people bringing their dogs a lot, but not carrying water for their pets. I feel bad for the dogs ’cause they look so thirsty plopped in the shade! I don’t know how, but I’ve encountered many people on here who say they’re lost. Not sure how that can be ’cause it’s not that big here and there’s also a random neighborhood w/​really nice houses in the middle of nowhere.
Other than that, at the top there is a bench overlooking the area for a good picture session. There are some porta potties as well! It’s a nice hike, there is a certain point at top where you can spot the infamous Irvine orange hot air balloon and some of the buildings from The District!