lagoon

Mr Auld-Thomas and his colleagues named the city Valeriana after a nearby lagoon.

"It was very clear from King Kong to Frankenstein to Creature from the Black Lagoon that all the monsters were the most emotional. The humans were the ones that scared me," he said.

Your next segment takes you to Buena Vista Lagoon.

Walk 5.7 additional miles to Agua Hedionda Lagoon, where you’ll cross two bridges over the water, and then to South Carlsbad State Beach.

The route: Hike to Batiquitos Lagoon, then to Moonlight State Beach, where you’ll be bathed in the scent of the flowers cascading down the steep escarpment above, including lantana, purple sea foam and prickly pear cactus blossoms.