Well marked with nice views and even saw some water fowl. Following the trail counter-clockwise is the easiest route. There’s some shade on the mountain-side of the lake but none on the opposite side. Take water and pause to see the wildlife. A flush toilet is available near the dam and parking on the street was not a problem. If you’re up for more of a challenge be sure to hike up the volcano to enjoy those views.

Nature will always get a (5 star) but this was more of a (3)*Was this hike worth the hype?*The Carlsbad Ecological Reserve/Lake Calavera/Volcano, while it was agriculturally and ecologically interesting, it’s not a hike I’d personally take again. I hiked with a group for a total of 7 miles. We explored both the ecological and agricultural routes, and the highlight was definitely hiking up a small volcano and included Lake Calavera  which added some variety to the terrain. That said, the hike wasn't particularly scenic compared to others in San Diego.*Could you get lost out here*One of the biggest drawbacks is the almost non-existent trailmarkings. The only signage are the Carlsbad Ecological Reserve entrances and Lake Calavera. There are numerous off-shoot trails that can be confusing, especially for solo hikers. While the trails are visible, none are labeled, which can make navigation frustrating if you're unfamiliar with the area. It’s easy to feel flustered, especially if you’re aiming to follow a specific route.*What about solo hikers?*One advantage is that the reserve is embedded in a community. There are multiple entrances to the reserve and if you walk west or east long enough, you’ll eventually run into residential areas. So while you might feel off track, you're unlikely to get truly lost.*Bucket list or not?*There are 10 other hikes on the bucket list before this one. But only this one has the volcano. And if you choose to do this hike go the ecological preserve route that includes the Palm Oasis and tomato vineyards and two basic creek crossings.If you're an agriculturalist, ecologist, or botanist, this trail will be a thumbs up. I tend to take a lot of photos of plant life, especially on hikes I don’t plan to revisit. That said, I wouldn’t consider this a family-friendly hike—it's not aesthetically “wow” and lacks the visual appeal many families might prefer.*Good to know - AGAIN*-Bring water, electrolytes, food, and a flexible attitude—especially if you're going solo. -Street parking is free, and sometimes there’s access through the high school, though that lot can be locked. -Anytime of the day works for this hike.- More populated near the lake and volcano, less populated on the other trails.- It's a real volcano but don't expect one that looks like HawaiiIt’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.

So we have been hiking around lakes/ beaches since covid happened. This was our third lake in San Diego. We went around 3-4 pm. No crowds and it was beautiful and serene.

First visit to the area. Lots of trails to choose from, crisscrossing all over. The lake not as big as thought. Back drop peak impressive to see and climb (looks steep didn't attempt). Trails muddy after recent rain, wear waterproof shoes. It was a nice day.

This was a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a sunny February day. The conservation authority is to be commended for its important work, which will be very interesting to revisit in a few years as it matures. Be careful when hiking the trails, not just due to the presence of bikes on many of the trails, but because the trails are poorly marked or not marked at all. We also found it difficult to orient to any landmarks, even though we had downloaded the trails on our smart phone. Make sure to take at least 1 litre of water per person.