GROUP HIKES SCHEDULED FOR NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

A group hike to mark National Trails Day is set for Saturday, taking off from Hosp Grove overlooking the Buena Visa Lagoon.

The free community event, hosted by the city of Carlsbad, features two trail hikes under 2 miles. Hikes will be led by a Hosp Grove trail captain and city staff, who will discuss the local habitat and wildlife. The event runs from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., with informational booths opening at 8:30 a.m.

Highlights include information on the city’s trail network history and future, as well as wildlife photos and information provided by the Center for Natural Lands Management and Buena Vista Audubon Society.

Slader Buck, deputy project leader at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Carlsbad, will discuss day-hiking backpack essentials. Hosp Grove Trail Captain Paige DeCino will talk about wildlife tracking.

At 9:15 a.m., city staff will welcome participants with a short message about National Trails Day, which started in the late 1980s and is organized by the American Hiking Society.

Two group hikes will follow. At 9:30 a.m., a hike led by Hosp Grove Trail Captain Gary Nessim will wind through the grove for about 1.5 miles.

A shorter, less strenuous hike for all ages will start at 10 a.m., led by city staff.

Participants should meet at the trailhead at the west main entrance off Jefferson Street across from the Buena Vista Lagoon. In case of rain, the event will be canceled. RSVP to Elizabeth Hueter Willoughby, trail volunteer coordinator, at elizabeth.hueterwilloughby@carlsbadca.gov.