Mount Calavera's Vocanic 'Plug' - The History of Calavera Hills

The natural open space called Calavera is located in North San Diego County in the City of Carlsbad.  The area is bordered by the cities of Oceanside and Vista and lies approximately 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

The Word calavera means skull, which probably comes from the unusual shape of the area's centerpiece, Mount Calavera. The 513-ft Mount Calavera is not really a mountain at all but rather a 22 million-year-old- volcanic plug. A volcanic plug is a mass of volcanic rock that solidified in it's vent and feeding system millions of years ago. When the volcano becomes extinct and starts to erode away, the "plug" is all that is left behind.



Mount Calavera Volcanic Plug



     Mount Calavera is one of only three volcanic plugs in Southern California.  In the early 1900's, the ancient plug was mined for gravel. The mining was accomplished by stripping away it's west face and continued into the 1930's. What is left is a rather remarkable blemish on the side of the mountain that somewhat resembles the Grand Canyon. Lake Calavera is actually a man-made reservoir owned by the Carlsbad Municipal Water District. The Dam at the south end  was completed in 1940. The You can easily spot Mount Calavera from either northbound interstate 5 at Cannon Rf., or westbound on Lake Blvd., just pass Oak Riparian Park.

There are several hiking trails for use by the public, and some fun Quick mountain bike riding to get out in the open trails and have some fun. Its beautiful and know there is a local spot to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.

The subdivisions that are participant to the Calavera Hills and schools include 16 subdivisions. The subdivisions are Barrington, capistrano, Montara, Mystic Point, Nantucktet, Ravinia, Sheffield, Summerhouse, The Cape, The Cliffs, The Colony, Edinburgh Estates, The Crest, The Knolls, The Trails, The Villas, and the new developement The Foothills.