Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a captivating, inviting community that is located in a natural, beautiful setting along California's Pacific coast. The city is located 90 miles north of Los Angeles and 100 miles south of San Luis Obispo The temperate climate and refreshing ocean breezes, very similar to the Mediterranean, have distinguished this area as "the jewel of the American Riviera." The landscape includes mountainous terrain, preserved forests and wilderness areas, and stretches of undeveloped coast, allowing this scenic area to have miles of quiet, secluded hiking trails. Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara includes 116 day hikes within a 65-mile radius of the city. Most trails are located in natural, undeveloped areas, including 80 miles of coastline, the Santa Ynez Mountains, and the Santa Ynez River Valley. A few trails through urban areas are included as well. A wide range of hikes accommodates amateur to avid hikers, ranging from coastal beach walks to steep canyon climbs. Highlights include oceanside bluffs, beaches, tidepools, wetland preserves, sculpted gorges, rock outcroppings with caves, numerous waterfalls, secluded pools in mossy canyons, mountain ridge trails, historical sites, and stunning overlooks of the Pacific. Straight-forward directions and clear maps accompany every hike. Companion guides include Day Hikes Around Ventura County, Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo, and Day Hikes On the California Central Coast.

By Robert Stone

OJAI AREA Ojai Area Map (Hikes 1–19) 1. Potrero John Trail 2. Rose Valley Falls 3. Lion Canyon Trail to West Fork Lion Camp and East Fork Lion Camp 4. Piedra Blanca Formations: Piedra Blanca Camp and Twin Forks Camp Gene Marshall–Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail 5. Sespe River Trail 6. Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail 7. Murietta Canyon 8. Matilija Creek Trail 9. North Fork Matilija Creek Trail to Matilija Camp and Middle Matilija Camp 10. Rice Canyon–Wills Canyon Loop: Ventura River • Rancho El Nido Preserve 11. Wills Canyon–Chaparral Crest Loop: Ventura River • Rancho El Nido Preserve North of Ojai Map (Hikes 12–17) 12. Cozy Dell Trail to Cozy Dell Canyon 13. Pratt Trail: tewart Canyon to Valley View Camp 14. Pratt Trail to Foothill Trail–Cozy Dell Road Loop Stewart Canyon • Cozy Dell Canyon 15. Shelf Road: ignal Street to Gridley Road above Ojai 16. Fuel Break Road–Shelf Road Loop Stewart Canyon to Gridley Canyon 17. Gridley Trail to Gridley Springs Camp Downtown Ojai Map 18. Horn Canyon Trail 19. Sulphur Mountain Road Recreation Trail SANTA BARBARA and SOUTHERN COAST Carpinteria • Summerland • Montecito Map (Hikes 20–42) 20. Rincon Point and Rincon Beach Park 21. Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and Seal Sanctuary 22. Tarpits Park: Carpinteria State Beach 23. Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park 24. Franklin Trail: Meadowview Trailhead to Sutton Creek and Upper Ridge Overlook 25. Toro Canyon Park 26. Toro Ridge Trail 27. Loon Point 28. Polo Club Trail–Toro Canyon Creek Trail 29. Reservoir Trail: Summerland Greenwell Preserve 30. Coffin Family Trail 31. Summerland Beach • Lookout Park 32. Ennisbrook Nature Preserve 33. Hammonds Meadow Trail Miramar Beach • Hammonds Beach • Butterfly Beach Santa Barbara Front Range Map (east): (Hikes 34–42) 34. Romero Canyon Loop 35. Buena Vista Overlook 36. San Ysidro Canyon to San Ysidro Falls 37. San Ysidro Canyon–McMenemy Trail Loop San Ysidro Canyon to Hot Springs Canyon 38. Hot Springs Canyon–McMenemy Trail Loop Hot Springs Canyon to San Ysidro Canyon 39. Lower East Fork Cold Spring Loop to Montecito Overlook Cold Spring Canyon 40. Upper East Fork Cold Spring Trail to Montecito Peak Cold Spring Canyon 41. West Fork Cold Spring to Tangerine Falls Cold Spring Canyon 42. West Fork Cold Spring to Gibraltar Road Cold Spring Canyon Santa Barbara to Goleta Santa Barbara to Goleta Area Map (Hikes 43–66) Santa Barbara Front Range Map (west): Hikes 43–53) 43. Parma Park–East Trails 44. Parma Park–West Trails 45. Rattlesnake Canyon Trail: Rattlesnake Canyon Park Downtown Santa Barbara Map 46. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 47. Mission Canyon Powerline Road 48. Tunnel Trail to Mission Falls: Mission Canyon 49. Seven Falls and Inspiration Point: Mission Canyon 50. Stevens Park: Lower San Roque Canyon 51. Lower Jesusita Trail: Lower San Roque Canyon 52. Jesusita Trail to Inspiration Point from San Roque Canyon 53. Arroyo Burro Trail: San Roque Canyon 54. Honda Valley Open Space Park 55. Shoreline Park 56. Elings Park: The Sierra Club Trail 57. Douglas Family Preserve 58. San Marcos Foothills Preserve 59. San Antonio Creek Trail: San Antonio Canyon Park 60. More Mesa 61. Obern Trail 62. Goleta Beach and the UCSB Lagoon 63. Coal Oil Point Reserve 64. Coronado Butterfly Preserve and Ellwood Main Monarch Grove 65. Ellwood Bluffs: Santa Barbara Shores County Park and Sperling Preserve at Ellwood Mesa 66. Los Carneros County Park Goleta to Gaviota Goleta to Gaviota Map (Hikes 64–75) 67. El Capitan State Beach 68. Aniso Trail: El Capitan State Beach to Refugio State Beach 69. Arroyo Hondo Creek Canyon: Arroyo Hondo Preserve 70. Arroyo Hondo Canyon to upper East Ridge: Arroyo Hondo Preserve 71. Beach to Backcountry Trail: Gaviota State Park 72. Yucca–Las Cruces Loop Trail: Gaviota State Park 73. Gaviota Peak with a side trip to Gaviota Hot Springs: Gaviota State Park 74. Tunnel View–Trespass Trail Loop: Gaviota State Park 75. Nojoqui Falls: Nojoqui Falls County Park UPPER COUNTRY and SANTA YNEZ RIVER VALLEY Santa Ynez River Valley Upper Country Map: East Camino Cielo Road and Santa Ynez River Valley (Hikes 76–92) 76. Lizard's Mouth: West Camino Cielo Road East Camino Cielo Road 77. Fremont Ridge Trail 78. Knapp's Castle from East Camino Cielo Road 79. Arroyo Burro Loop 80. La Cumbre Vista Point 81. Angostura Pass Road 82. Montecito Peak: Cold Spring Trail from East Camino Cielo Road 83. Forbush Flat: Cold Spring Trail 84. Blue Canyon 85. Jameson Lake 86. Agua Caliente Canyon and Hot Springs Paradise Road 87. Knapp's Castle from Paradise Road and Snyder Trail 88. Aliso Canyon Loop Trail 89. Lower Oso Canyon 90. Oso Canyon to Nineteen Oaks Camp 91. Matias Potrero Trail 92. Red Rocks Pool • Gibraltar Dam: High Road–River Trail Loop Lake Cachuma area Lake Cachuma area Map (Hikes 93–97) 93. Lower Tequepis Trail: Tequepis Canyon 94. Tequepis Trail to West Cielo Ridge: Tequepis Canyon 95. Mohawk Mesa Trail: Lake Cachuma 96. Sweetwater Trail to Vista Point: Lake Cachuma 97. Sedgwick Reserve Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area Figueroa Mountain Map (Hikes 98–105) 98. La Jolla Trail: Figueroa Mountain Road to Upper Ballard Camp 99. Pino Alto Nature Trail 100. Davy Brown Trail: Upper Trailhead Figueroa Mountain Road to Davy Brown Campground 101. White Rock–Munch Canyon Loop 102. Davy Brown Trail: Lower Trailhead Willow Spring Loop from Davy Brown Campground 103. Davy Brown Trail–Munch Canyon Loop from Davy Brown Campground 104. Lower Manzana Creek Trail to Coldwater Camp 105. Upper Manzana Creek Trail to Fish Creek Camp NORTH COAST Santa Barbara to Santa Maria North Coast Map (Hikes 114–116) 106. Jalama Beach County Park 107. La Purisima Mission State Historic Park 108. Ocean Beach County Park Santa Maria Map 347 109. Point Sal Overlook: Point Sal State Beach 110. Guadalupe–Nipomo Dunes Preserve to Mussel Rock 111. Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area 112. Black Lake 113. Black Lake Canyon INLAND PLAINS Carrizo Plain National Monument Carrizo Plain National Monument Map (Hikes 114-116) 114. Soda Lake 115. Wallace Creek Interpretive Trail 116. Painted Rock Trail Companion Guides Non-profit trail organizations Index