4 min
Overview
NOTE: The Interstate 5 widening project currently prevent hikers from crossing between the western and eastern halves of the lagoon. You can still hike in from the various trailheads, but a full exploration of the lagoon won’t be possible until they finish the construction project. The San Elijo Lagoon features 7 miles of trail exploring a variety of ecosystems born from the mingling of fresh and seawater. This estuary environment creates a haven for bird life, making San Elijo Lagoon one of the best bird-watching locations in the coastal region of the county. Nasturtium The northern San Diego County coast, popularly referred to as North County, contains six intertidal lagoons. The habitat in these lagoons has become increasingly rare following over a century of development, and now only 10% of the remaining habitat exists in varying stages of preservation and health. Each lagoon provides crucial habitat for San Diego’s panoply of bird life both through the intermingling of ocean and freshwater and San Diego’s strategic position on the Pacific Flyway. This north-south migratory route for birds traveling anywhere between Alaska and Patagonia sits directly over San Diego County, and many birds choose the lagoons as optimal stopping spots. Accordingly, the San Elijo Lagoon and the other five lagoons in North County are popular bird watching locations, especially during the transitional seasons of fall and spring. The health of the San Elijo lagoon is a work in progress. Much of the lagoon appears silted in, giving the appearance of a large marsh as opposed to the more obvious bodies of water at Batiquitos and Agua Hedionda. The nearly 1,000-acre reserve contains about 700 different species of flora and fauna, many of which are rare or endangered. The health of this impressive biodiversity is likely dependent on efforts to restore the lagoon’s intertidal flow. Numerous hydrological barriers, including two major highways and a railway line impede the influx of saltwater from the ocean. A restoration plan 24 years in
Trail Stats
9.9 km
91 m
54 m
0 m
—
Photos
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.
Trail photo
No caption provided.