Batiquitos Lagoon

A 610-acre tidal wetland behind the dunes in Carlsbad, Batiquitos Lagoon was restored to a fully tidal salt water system starting in 1997 with help from the Port of Los Angeles. A 1.75-mile trail traces the north shore, flat and wide enough for wheelchairs and strollers, with descriptive signs pointing out what lives in the shallows. The visitor center at the Gabbiano Lane trailhead holds a native plant garden and is staffed by volunteer docents from the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation, who hand out brochures for a self-guided walk. Shorebirds work the water along the whole length of the trail.