Backpacking

Backpacking 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.

• Anastasia Canyon
• Arroyo Seco
• Arroyo Seco Trailhead
• Big Pines - 1E02
• Big Sur - 3E07
• Black Cone - 3E14
• Buckeye Trail
• Carmel River - 3E03
• Carrizo - 3E10
• Church Creek - 3E05
• Cone Peak Lookout - 4E12
• Cruickshank Trail
• Danish Creek - 2E10
• De Angulo - 2E07
• Gamboa-Stone Ridge - 4E11
• Girard - 4E17
• Hennickson's Ridge - 3E04
• Horse Pasture - 4E05
• Jackson Camp - 2E08
• Junipero Serra Peak - 6E01
• Kirk Creek Trail - 4E17
• Little Sur - 1E02
• Little Sur Camp - 2E09
• Los Padres Dam-Big Pines - 1E02 -
• Marble Peak - 4E07
• Mill Creek Trail - 5E19
• Miller Canyon - 3E04
• Mount Manuel - 2E06
• North Coast Ridge - 3E10
• Pine Ridge Trail from China Camp
• Pine Ridge Trailhead from Big Sur
• Pine Valley - 1E02
• Prewitt Loop - 5E06
• Puerto Suelo - 3E08
• Rattlesnake Creek - 2E11
• Rocky Creek Trail
• Salisbury Potrero - 26W01
• Salmon Creek Trail
• San Antonio - 5E04
• Santa Lucia - 6E01
• Skinner Ridge - 1E04
• South Fork - 3E09
• Spruce Creek - 6E10
• Terrace Creek - 3E22
• Tin House - 2E04
• Turner Creek - 1E02
• Ventana Double Cone - 2E02
• 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
• 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
• Montgomery Potrero Trail
• Ozena - 23W42
• Rancho Nuevo Trail - 24W03
• Stonehouse - 20W35
• 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-Lion Connector - 22W16
• Santa Paula Canyon (Last Chance) - 21W11 / 21W09
• Sespe River Trail
• Sespe Wilderness
• 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.

• Camuesa Connector
• Cold Springs Trial - East Fork
• Matias Potrero
• Matias Potrero Connector
• Nineteen Oaks Camp on the Santa Cruz Trail
• Romero Canyon trail
• San Ysidro Trail
• Santa Cruz Trail - Upper Oso Trailhead
• Upper Oso Trailhead
• 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.
• Davy Brown Campground
• Garcia Wilderness
• Lower Manzana Trailhead
• Machesna Mountain Wilderness
• Manzana Creek to Manzana Schoolhouse WEST (Lower)
• Manzana Trailhead EAST (Upper) Nira
• McKinley Trail
• McKinley Trailhead
• Munch Canyon
• Munch Canyon Trailhead
• Nira Campground
• San Rafael Wilderness
• Santa Lucia Wilderness
• Sulphur Springs
• Sunset Valley Trailhead
• White Rock Trail - Figueroa Mountain area
• Willow Springs Trailhead
• Willow Spur
• Zaca Peak