Lagoons, canyons and ocean views: 17 North County hikes

The options for hiking in North County include everything from lagoons to canyons and even the remains of a volcano. Maura Fox has written about many of them in the Hike of the Week column, which is celebrating hitting over 100 hikes.

A list of 101 hikes has been published online at sandiegouniontribune.com/101hikes. For the next few Saturdays, these hikes will be published in print in four regional groups. Here are her hikes in North County.

Carmel Valley

Gonzales Canyon

Gonzales Canyon is an open space park located north of Carmel Valley. The 5.7-mile moderate loop travels through the canyon — under the open sunshine and shady eucalyptus and willow trees — and offers views of nearby horse stables and the ocean near the end. There was a mix of terrain, too, which kept me engaged over the course of the roughly two-hour hike.

Carlsbad

Batiquitos Lagoon trail

Admire the vast Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad on this easy trail. The roughly 3.4-mile out-and-back hike follows a flat and wide path along the lagoon’s northern side, offering serene views of the 561-acre body of water. Despite the lagoon’s location next to Interstate 5 and a golf course, the walk offers a unique, natural ambiance that feels wholly separate from the surrounding city life.

Lake Calavera Preserve and the Carlsbad Highlands Ecological Reserve

A vast trail network in Carlsbad lets hikers climb what’s left of one of North America’s smallest volcanoes and take in the wildlife of a nearby lake. This roughly 2.6-mile moderate hike is located within the Lake Calavera Preserve and the Carlsbad Highlands Ecological Reserve. Between the two areas are hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat, including for birds like egrets, herons and ducks.

Del Mar

Carmel Mountain Preserve

This is a roughly 3-mile, moderately difficult hike through the preserve, exploring a semi-loop along some of the preserve’s crisscrossing trails. Along with a gravesite and the Dead Fish Wiggle trail, I also passed by currently-dry vernal pools and some less-than-welcome poison oak.

Coast to Crest Trail: San Dieguito River to Del Mar Fairgrounds

Hike a section of the Coast to Crest Trail on this easy walk near Del Mar. The roughly 4-mile out-and-back hike follows the San Dieguito River as it snakes its way past the Del Mar Fairgrounds and toward the ocean. Given its location alongside Interstate 5, a busy road and businesses, this is more of an urban hike and doesn’t offer much opportunity for quiet. But it makes up for that with lovely views of the river and lagoon, as well as informational signs for hikers to learn more about the area.

Tidal Trail 

The Tidal Trail is an easy 2-mile out-and-back hike in Del Mar and part of the San Dieguito River Park. The area includes a mix of tidal salt marsh, brackish wetlands, saltwater, freshwater and wildlife habitats. The trail runs parallel to El Camino Real, a busy thoroughfare, but the sound of traffic isn’t too noticeable.

Encinitas

Manchester Preserve Loop

A hike through the Manchester Preserve lets visitors enjoy views of sandstone cliffs and nearby North County neighborhoods. The two-mile Manchester Preserve Loop in Encinitas follows a dirt path that winds through native chaparral and coastal scrub vegetation along a canyon floor, plus climbs a few steep hills for a good workout. Though the hike is entirely exposed, a nice breeze came through the canyon and on the hillsides during my hike.

Orilla Trail

This hike explores one of the trails in the San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve. Located in Encinitas, the reserve encompasses 979 acres and is home to several wildlife species, including the mule deer. This 2.75-mile out-and-back hike follows the La Orilla Trail, an easy and mostly flat path that travels through the eastern side of the reserve with several benches for places to rest along the way.

Fallbrook

Los Jilgueros Preserve

This roughly 1-mile loop at the Los Jilgueros Preserve in Fallbrook is great for families. The trail is nearly all flat and wide, making it an accessible option for wheeled-visitors. There are about two miles of trails in the 46-acre preserve. This route passes by a pond with ducks, and sections of the trail are shaded with tall sycamore trees. But don’t feel beholden to the path I followed, since the trails interconnect.

Santa Margarita River Trail

The river is one of the few perennial rivers in Southern California, so you can find water flowing here year-round. The area is gorgeous; I was surprised by how green and lush the vegetation was, even after a hot summer. An easy 5-mile trail winds along — and sometimes through — the river, passing under shady oak trees and offering several benches to stop and enjoy the scenery.

Leucadia

Indian Head Canyon

This roughly 1-mile moderate loop near the northern end of Indian Head Canyon only took me about half an hour, but there is a larger 6.5-mile network of trails within the canyon to be explored next time. It felt like an ideal workout to squeeze in after work — and though there was a bit of marine layer impacting my view of the ocean, I can imagine it would be a quintessential San Diego scene on a clear day.

Mira Mesa

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve: Camino Ruiz Trail

The Camino Ruiz Trail is slightly rocky as it descends the southern side of Los Peñasquitos Canyon. It’s a blast to run down, as the trail dips and winds through the trees. This is a roughly 4-mile loop through the canyon that I’d consider a moderately challenging route. Most of the route was shaded by a tree canopy and the creek crossings helped make the temperature feel cooler.

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve: Peñasquitos Falls Loop

This roughly 3-mile loop in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve is a challenging hike leading to a rushing waterfall and surrounding pools. Located along the Peñasquitos Creek, the waterfall isn’t very large, but it’s special nonetheless, especially situated among the more developed areas of Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa.

Rancho Bernardo

Bernardo Bay Natural Area

The Bernardo Bay Trail and Piedras Pintadas Trail are part of a vast network within the Bernardo Bay Natural Area. Beyond the sights, this hiking area — which is also open to cyclists — is ideal for visitors who want to meander instead of following a strict path. I ultimately completed an easy 2.8-mile loop primarily on the Bernardo Bay Trail, though I also took an unmarked trail up to a mountaintop that overlooked the bay.

Rancho Peñasquitos

Black Mountain Open Space Park: Miner’s Ridge Loop Trail

Hikers can find several trails to explore in the hills behind Rancho Peñasquitos, including these two in the Black Mountain Open Space Park. The Miner’s Ridge Loop Trail is a roughly 2.5-mile moderate loop that follows a well-maintained dirt path, and the Jas Arnold Trail is a 0.2-mile trail that the city of San Diego says is fully accessible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both can be reached from the same Black Mountain Open Space parking lot, so hikers can do both on the same day.

Nighthawk Trail on Black Mountain

Located near Rancho Peñasquitos, this is a roughly 4-mile moderate hike to the 1,554-foot summit. There are elements of this hike I didn’t love — namely, the communication towers and antennas at the peak. But the pros outweighed the cons: it was a tough workout with many steep and rocky sections, but also quick; I was off the mountain within an hour and a half.

Solana Beach

Annie’s Canyon

Try this roughly 1.5-mile loop at the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and through Annie’s Canyon in Solana Beach. I also saw several birds, including a great egret, along with two rattlesnakes presumably mating in the brush along the trail. And if wildlife isn’t your thing, Annie’s Canyon — a slot canyon with high sandstone walls that leads to views of the lagoon and ocean — is a unique feature that adds some complexity to this otherwise easy hike.