Day Hiking

Day Hiking Areas

• Monterey Ranger District

  Monterey Ranger District offers camping, day hiking, backpacking, beaches, ocean swimming, surfing, fishing, hunting, scenic driving on Highway 1, wildflower displays in the spring and early summer and nature viewing.

• Arroyo Seco Group Campground
• Arroyo Seco Trailhead
• Buckeye Trail
• Cone Peak Lookout - 4E12
• Cruickshank Trail
• Escondido Campground
• Memorial Park Campground
• Pine Ridge Trail from China Camp
• Pine Ridge Trailhead from Big Sur
• Pine Valley - 1E02
• Prewitt Loop - 5E06
• Salmon Creek Trail
• Vicente Flat Trail
• Willow Creek - 5E08
• Mt. Pinos Ranger District

  Mt. Pinos Ranger District offers camping, day hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, OHV riding and camping, scenic drives, nature viewing and winter sports (cross country skiing and sledding).

  There are no cabins on the district, but there are campgrounds and group campgrounds.

• Buck Creek - 18W01
• Buck Creek Trailhead- 18W01
• Campo Alto Campground
• Campo Alto Group Campground
• Cedar Creek / Fishbowl Loop - 22W10
• Chula Vista Trailhead
• Chumash Wilderness
• Deal Canyon - 24W10
• East Tumamait Trailhead - 21W03
• Fishbowls Trailhead - 21W05
• Frazier Mountain Trailhead - 20W03
• Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca (Reyes Creek TH)
• Johnston Ridge Trailhead - 20W12
• Little Mutau Trailhead 20W10
• McGill Campground
• McGill Exploration Trail Mt. Pinos Ranger District
• McGill Group Campground
• McGill Trail - 21W02
• Mt. Pinos Campground
• Ozena - 23W42
• Rancho Nuevo Trail - 24W03
• Reyes Creek Campground
• Stonehouse - 20W35
• Thorn Meadows Campground
• Thorn Point Trail
• Upper Rancho Nuevo - 24W03
• West Tumamait Trailhead - 21W03
• Ojai Ranger District

  The Ojai area includes the Matilija Wilderness and part of the Sespe Wilderness. The Sespe Creek Wild and Scenic River crosses this area.

• Agua Blanca Trail - 19W10
• Alder Creek Trail - 20W11
• Chorro Grande - 23W05
• Cozy Dell - 23W26
• Dough Flat Trailhead - Alder Creek Trail
• Gridley Trail- 22W05
• Horn Canyon Trail- 22W08
• Howard Creek - 22W26
• Johnston Ridge - 20W12
• Lion Canyon - 22W06
• Middle Lion Campground
• Middle Sespe Trail
• Murietta - 24W07
• North Fork - 22W02
• North Fork Matilija - 23W07
• Piedra Blanca Trailhead (Rose Valley Area) Ojai
• Pine Mountain Campground
• Pothole Trail - 18W04
• Potrero John - 23W06
• Pratt - 23W09
• Red Reef Trail Ladybug to Sespe
• Red Reef Trail Sisar Ridge Rd to Nordhoff Ridge Rd
• Reyes Peak Campground
• Reyes Peak Trail
• Rose Valley Campground
• Rose Valley Falls Trail
• Rose-Lion Connector - 22W16
• Santa Paula Canyon (Last Chance) - 21W11 / 21W09
• Sespe River Trail
• Sespe Wilderness
• Upper Rose Valley Lake Day Use Area
• Wheeler Gorge Campground
• Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail
• Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center
• Santa Barbara Ranger District

  Santa Barbara Ranger District offers camping, day hiking, backpacking, fishing, horse riding and camping, mountain biking, hunting, OHV riding and camping, swimming in the Santa Ynez River and beautiful wildflower displays in the spring.

  There are no cabins. Campgrounds only.

• Aliso Canyon Trail and Aliso Loop Trail
• Arroyo Burro Trail
• Camuesa Connector
• Cold Springs Trails - West Fork
• Cold Springs Trial - East Fork
• Jesusita Trail
• Matias Potrero
• Matias Potrero Connector
• McMenemy
• Nineteen Oaks Camp on the Santa Cruz Trail
• Rattlesnake Canyon Trail Santa Barbara
• Red Rock
• Red Rock Trailhead
• Romero Canyon trail
• San Ysidro Trail
• Santa Cruz Trail
• Snyder Trail
• Tunnel Trail
• Upper Oso OHV Staging Area-Buckhorn-Camuesa OHV Rd
• Santa Lucia Ranger District

  The Santa Lucia Ranger District offers a diversity of outdoor opportunities. These lands are yours - to visit, to care for, but most of all, to enjoy. What are you waiting for? Pack up your family and friends and head for adventure in America's Great Outdoors. The Santa Lucia Ranger District offers a variety of recreational opportunities... hiking and backpacking, trail riding by horse, mountain biking, off-highway vehicles, hunting, camping and picnicking, and don't forget vibrant wildflower displays each spring especially in the Figueroa Recreation Area.

  Recreation passes are required for use of certain recreation sites and areas in the forest, and for certain facilities and services. 

  Parks Management Concession Company

  For more information about concession-managed campgrounds and day use areas in the Los Padres National Forest, please visit: www.campone.com.

  Adventure Pass

  On the Santa Lucia Ranger District, the Adventure Pass is only required at the following campgrounds: Hi Mountain, Miranda Pine, Horseshoe, Bates, Brookshire and American Canyon (deer hunting season only). Contact the Santa Lucia Ranger District office for more information about purchasing and using the Adventure Pass at (805) 925-9538 or contact your nearest Big 5 Sporting Goods Store.

  Disperse Camping

  Contact the ranger station for disperse camping information: (805) 925-9538 Mon-Fri, 8:00-4:30pm.
• Adobe Trailhead
• Big Falls Trailhead
• Catway OHV Jeep Trail 29W02
• Cerro Alto Campground
• Cerro Alto Loop
• Davy Brown Campground
• Davy Brown Trail - Figueroa Mountain Rec Area
• Davy Brown Trailhead
• Figueroa Campground
• Garcia Wilderness
• Gifford Trailhead
• La Jolla / Ballard Trailhead
• Lower Manzana Trailhead
• Machesna Mountain Wilderness
• Manzana Creek to Manzana Schoolhouse WEST (Lower)
• Manzana Trailhead EAST (Upper) Nira
• McKinley Trailhead
• Nira Campground
• Pino Alto Day Use Picnic Area
• Rinconada Trailhead
• San Rafael Wilderness
• Santa Lucia Wilderness
• White Rock Trail - Figueroa Mountain area
• White Rock Trailhead
• Willow Springs Trailhead
• Willow Spur
• Zaca Peak Trail - 3W018