Lake Calavera

Overview

Carlsbad’s Lake Calavera Preserve features wetlands, a lake, coastal sage-scrub, and volcanic Mt. Calavera. This oasis tucked into the suburban sprawl of North County offers satisfying diversity for a hike this brief, as well as a few adventurous moments and surprises on the trail. This 3.2 mile lollipop loop visits the most interesting and attractive features of the preserve. Mexican fan palms growing along Hedionda Creek The city of Carlsbad has recently done a lot of work to improve the preserve’s trail network and natural habitats. In the past, local residents often used the park’s lands for off-roading, which led to the creation of a large network of unofficial trails. With the trails came a lot of environmental degradation, and the city recognized that Calavera was getting trashed through overuse. The new boardwalk through the wetlands Recently, the city has put a lot of work into clarifying the trails to minimize continued use of the unofficial trails and to simplify what was, and still is to a lesser extent, a very confusing trail system. That the trail system is a confusing tangle of interconnecting paths is hardly the city’s fault, and to their credit, city officials, with encouragement and support from Preserve Calavera, have placed a number of signs to help simplify the choices. Additionally, the city installed a new boardwalk over the two marshiest portions of the trail near Oak Riparian Park and at the creek crossing just east of the lake. Finally, the city has cordoned off sections of the park to allow the native vegetation to regenerate to a natural state. Kudos to Carlsbad for recognizing the value of a natural habitat. Crossing the creek just outside Oak Riparian Park This lollipop hike begins and ends at Oak Riparian Park to follow the boardwalk through a rare patch of wetlands. Prior to the installation of the boardwalk, this stretch of trail was tricky and inconsistent, and hikers were often at risk of getting wet from stepping in the marsh due to the wonky boards holding up the “trail.” Th

Trail Stats

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