Canyon Oak Trail – William Heise County Park

Canyon Oak Trail is a moderate 2-mile loop trail in the Cuyamaca Mountains of San Diego County, near the town of Julian. The trail, located in William Heise County Park, winds through forests and chaparral and offers great views of the surrounding landscape.

Canyon Oak Trail Overview

Located about three miles south of Julian in the northern end of the Cuyamaca Mountains, William Heise is an easy day trip from San Diego. The park encompasses about 1000 acres and offers camping and around 8 miles of trails. 

The campground is located at an elevation of 4,200 feet and is the starting point for the trails. The park is home to many oak, pine, and cedar trees, as well as a wide range of other plants and animals, including mule deer, turkeys, gray foxes, bobcats, stellar’s jays, hawks, golden eagles, and even the occasional mountain lion.

Canyon Oak Trail is located on the north side of the park and starts from a trailhead near campsite 103, which has a couple of parking areas nearby. Over the course of the hike, the trail climbs around 300 feet of elevation.

An entrance spur brings you to the main loop, where you can travel in either direction. At the split, we headed to the left and traveled clockwise around the loop.

The Cuyamaca Mountains, with their tall trees and crisp air, felt like a world away from the chaparral-covered hills where we live in coastal San Diego.

If you are looking for a relatively easy, short hike in the mountains within easy driving distance of San Diego, Canyon Oak Trail is a great option. If you are feeling more ambitious, the nearby Desert View Trail brings you to a higher peak and sweeping views of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the east.