Lake Calavera Loop Trail is a 4.8 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Carlsbad, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for trail running and mountain biking and is best used from September until June. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
mountain biking
trail running
lake
views
wild flowers
some nice picturesque views. This Trail provides a roundabout but does not Summit the peak in the middle. Be aware if you are seeking the climb to the top vs a longer walk. However a very pleasant walk. Very doable but also be notified of some steep inclines on occasion. Also some wildlife.
good trail not too hard some places steep interesting fact is an extinct volcano here
I personally love this trail, and all of its turn-offs and different options. I highly recommend this trail for anyone and everyone! I run on this trail a lot and I find that there is a great mix of ups and downs, technical routes, easier buffed out double wide track, and GREAT climbs up to the peak. Having been out on this trail often, I definitely have seen a lot of rattle snakes, however; any given day I have not seen many at one time. For those who have, that is just unfortunate.With all the increased rainfall and sprouting wild flowers, there are A LOT more bees present, especially in overgrown areas, "bee" mindful. I love the several different options climbing up to the peak, all are relatively challenging, but all very doable. There are those who do tend to leave their dog's poop in bags on the side of the trail, which I never have really understood, other than that, pretty clean. It is a relatively heavily trafficked trail, so you must expect those things. Overall, this is a great and fun route to go for a run on, take the family out to, etc. Have fun!
easy walk
Decent nothing I was crazy about. Very flat so great for strollers/younger children. Bad part: so many damn rattle snakes we had to leave 1/4 mi in
WARNING: aggressive bees on the ridge trail leading to the summit.
Some overgrowth but I stepped off at 630am and didn't see any snakes the entire way.
Easy trail, pretty flat, could bring a stroller/kids. Bad part: so many rattle snakes we had to leave :/ dog friendly as well
Great hike. Signage could be better!
This trail is great for dogs. My 5 month Germans sheep are had a great time.
Decent workout. More directional signage would be ideal..... lots of intertwining connecting trails that can be confusing.
Great local spot, lots of good trails.
Angie Lira recorded Lake Calavera Loop Trail
I had so much fun hiking this trail!! I loved it! Great views, many different kind wildflowers around this time of the year (Spring). Just an amazing trail! I love it! I can’t wait to go back to explore more trails.
Make sure to bring repellent. I got eaten alive, should have been smart and brought something I didn’t even think about it. The trail is hard to follow, ended up leading to a concrete path about 5 minutes in and, it wasn’t hard at all. Was looking for a bit more of a challenge. Might be nice to take the kids and a friend. The most challenging part is the very end when you have to go back up a hill it takes you down when you first get there. Lake was more of a swamp haha. Other than that leading up had pretty views. not my favorite trail.
A good place to bike or jog or just enjoy a relaxing walk. The views are really nice from above the lake.
A good breezy place to start. I would say a little bit harder then moderate
Very nice, easy hike with a mild scramble up to the "peak" and some way more intense cliffs than expected. Outstanding panoramic views of Carlsbad. This is quite the hidden gem!
Charlotte Lee recorded Lake Calavera Loop Trail
Lovely right now; wildflowers, full lake, very green. Not too hard, some elevation but not intense. . Limited shade, bring plenty of water.
Liz Jones recorded Lake Calavera
Fun hike. Super beautiful! The weather was perfect, just after a rain so it’s a little muddy but still really nice. Would definitely come back. You can make the hike as long or as short as you’d like depending upon which trail you take. Definitely needed to use my GPS and the map to figure out which way we were going to go though. It is a little confusing but even if you get lost you’re not going to be lost for long.
Taylor La Force recorded Lake Calavera
Awesome spot, just very easy to get lost since nothing is named
Marie Chrisman recorded Lake Calavera
Couldn’t do this exact loop without the map because there are so many side and connecting trails. Fairly pretty though :).
Deanna Baker-Halliburton recorded Lake Calavera
Pretty nice trail. No signs so lots of side trails. Nice moderate workout.
Fun ride, lots of trails to choose from. Some climbing. Being water for a hot day. Nice upfront view of small volcano.
Nice hike today, but certainly agree with the last reviewer to have gps to stick to the Trail. Very few trash cans on the trail.
Nice trail, steep going in and out, but otherwise a great little hike. The lake is small and there are many trails, so use the gps because there are no signs....
Very relaxing and a nice trail. I went right after all the rain so it was beautiful. A few parts were washed out but nothing serious.
I great trail with a lot of options for distance and time. The view from the peak was great today.
There’s a bathroom and fountain (including doggie fountain) at the Tamarack Ave trailhead. Not many a lot of places within the trail to throw out dog waste bags so you may have to walk around with them for a bit. It is kind of easy to get lost, not many signs, but over all a good easy hike. **depending on the route you take to the peak there are some semi steep inclines and declines, would suggest hiking boots if you have them**
