In a previous blog, I wrote about my top 5 things to do in the North County. One of the items on my list was a visit the local volcano.

 There are only three of them in southern California and we have one right here in Carlsbad. This 513 ft volcano is extinct and poses no harm to the many surrounding neighbors, but a very, very long time ago, it did blow!! The lava cooled, solidified, and over time the surrounding minerals eroded away leaving behind what is known as a volcanic plug. I participated in a "geology hike" last month, which was so interesting because this is an area that I hike in at least once a week-I had no idea that what I was seeing on the hillsides was really lava (and other stuff)!! Known as Mt Calavera, the volcano sits within the boundaries of Preserve Calavera. While the preserve itself is in Carlsbad, its surrounding neighborhoods include Oceanside and Vista.

The preserve is only 2 miles away from the Pacific Ocean--neighbors have great access to, and views of, the preserve.

Some lucky folks are able to walk out their front door and head down the trail for views of bunnies, lizards, birds, geese, ducks, flowers and more!!

The preserve is such a nice place to escape to--when you get out on the trail, you feel like you're miles away from the hustle and the busy-ness of life.

This is an introduction to the area... there's so much to talk about, like the Carlsbad, Vista and Oceanside communities that benefit from being adjacent to the preserve. More to come...