Rancho Carillo Trail

This is a very nice 2 mile Loop encompassing the Leo Carillo Ranch Park in Carlsbad. There are several trial heads leading off from various points in the trail, but I found the trail head that shares the drive with Carillo Elementary School. This trail is very dog friendly having several poo bag stands and waste recepticals along the way.

Trail head at Carillo Elementary School

As you can ee from the trail head at this point you can turn left or go straight. There is a convenient map which shows this trail and how it connects through this scenic area to other city trails.

Through the trail it is very wide and changes between dirt and paved trail. Fences line the canyon side.

Canyon View

The area is isloated enough to drown out traffic noise and give you a pleasent stroll around to the entrance of the Leo Carillo Ranch.

Hiker Bridge

Hike down the trail until you get to the bridge. You can continue straight and meet some of the other trails on te map or cross this bridge to begin heading towards the ranch.








Across the bridge the trail again splits into 2 trails going left and to another access point up a steep incline. The lowest left trail clings to the side of the canyon while the upper left trail offers nice vie of the area leading up to the ranch which can be seen from a distance.


The trail curves up and into a residental area. Turn right head up to Carillo Way and follow to te entrance to the Leo Carillo Ranch Park. The Ranch park does not allow does so if you have your dog or the park is closed you can follow a path around the perimeter of the ranch and meet up with the trail on the backside of the ranch.

The ranch has some very nice trails inside and adobe buildings and is home to many many peacocks and peahens. In the residential area I spotted 4 in a resident's front yard.

On the grounds near the pool

The Path leading to the back exit

Follow this path to the back entrance to the park

White Peacock

Enjoy the many peaocks including a white one which make their homes here.

A very proud peacock.





Once you are ready to say good bye to the adobe, and peacocks you can head back to your starting point from the back entrance of the park. Left take you to the school and right will bring you around to the ranch entrance.

The trail continues winding around the ranch back to the parking area.

The trail back

This was a very enjoyable short hike, great for walking the dogs or just a chance to enjoy the area.