Santa Lucia Ranger District

Family hiking San Rafael Wilderness

Springtime backpacking on the Manzana Creek Trail , San Rafael Wilderness

Date: November 28, 2023

Know Before You Go!

  • Santa Lucia Ranger District: 805-925-9538 x 0. The office in Santa Maria is open Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Closed weekends and federal holidays.
  • The office is located at 1616 N. Carlotti Drive, Santa Marica, CA 93454.
  • Check weather conditions before you head out into the forest. Locations: Santa Maria/Santa Ynez Valley/San Luis Obispo/Pozo/Astascadero The National Weather Service
  • Contact www.recreation.gov to make or cancel a camping reservation or call 1-877-444-6777.
  • Parks Management Comnpany - www.campone.com or email: customerservice@pmcparks.com

Forest Orders

Storm Damage Forest Closure Orders

Forest Order 05-07-00-23-12 Special Closure - Storm Damage Recovery: Effective August 31, 2023 - August 31, 2024

Forest Order 05-07-00-23-15 Special Closure Public Health & Safety: Effective October 31, 2023 - January 31, 2024

Forest Order 05-07-00-23-15

  • Special Closure Order Map - Exhibit B-1 (Santa Lucia Ranger District)
  • Special Closure Order Map - Exhibit B-2 (Santa Lucia Ranger District)
  • Special Closure Order Map - Exhibit B-3 (Santa Lucia Ranger District)

Many of the areas that were closed for public health and safety concerns following powerful winter storms that inflicted significant damage across the Forest have reopened.

Two new Forest orders are now in place that will keep severely compromised roads, trails, campgrounds, and day-use sites closed to the public while Forest engineers, partner groups, volunteers, and contractors work on repairs as funding becomes available. Road crews and resources from other national forests in California have been assisting with road clearing and maintenance projects to reopen additional areas once they have been repaired.

Target Shooting Prohibition

Firearms Prohibition Forest Order: Effective February 15, 2023 through December 31, 2024

Forest Order 05-07-53-22-05 West Cuesta Fire Use Restrictions. This Order is effective from September 16, 2022, through September 15, 2024.

West Cuesta Ridge Rd (TV Tower Rd)

Forest Order 05-07-53-22-11 La Brea Road Closure Expires: 9-2-2023

Foreset Order 05-07-00-22-02 Camping 14 day stay - Expires 1/13/2024

Rock Front Ranch OHV Area

Rock front Ranch OHV Area is open to non-motorized use only - hiking, equestrian use and bicycling (no electric bikes).

Open Campgrounds

Temporarily Closed Campgrounds

American Canyon Campground - There is currently no access to American Canyon CG via the Avenales Ranch. A reservation system is being developed and will be in place for next year’s hunting season.

Open OHV Staging Areas/OHV Camping

Open Day Use Areas Figueroa Mountain

Open Roads

  • Hi Mountain Rd
  • Sierra Madre Rd to McPhearson Peak
  • Figueroa Mountain Rd is open from Los Olivos to Cachuma Saddle
  • 7N07.3 – 7N07.5 / Happy Canyon Road (from Cachuma Saddle south to Forest Boundary)
  • 8N02 / Zaca Ridge Road
  • 8N02A / Zaca Peak OHV Road
  • Sunset Valley Rd to Davy Brown Campground and Nira Campground and the Manzana Creek Trailheads East and West.
  • Cerro Alto Campground Rd
  • West Cuesta/TV Tower Rd

Open Hiking Trails

  • Davy Brown Trail from Figueroa Mountain
  • La Jolla Trail - Figueroa Mountain
  • White Rock Trail - Figueroa Mountain
  • Munch Trail - Figueroa Mountain
  • Willow Springs - Figueroa Mountain
  • Manzana Creek Trail West to Manzana Schoolhouse
  • Manzana Creek Trail East to Manzana Narrows
  • Cerro Alto Trail
  • East Cuesta Ridge Road (hiking or bicycles only - no vehicles) and trails off of Hwy 101 - Cuesta Grade
  • Adobe Trail - Off of Hwy 166
  • GiffordTrail - Off of Hwy 166
  • Willow Springs Trail - Off of Hwy 166

Midland School Hiking Trails - Figueroa Mountain Area

Open Figueroa Mountain OHV Trails

  • 29W02 Catway OHV Trail - Open
  • East Pinery - Open
  • 8N02A / Zaca Peak OHV Road - Open

Open La Panza OHV Trails

  • 15E05 Howard’s Bypass OHV Trail
  • 15E07 Powerline OHV Trail
  • 16E22 McGinnis Creek OHV Trail
  • 116E04 Queen Bee OHV Trail
  • 16E16 Mare Springs OHV Trail
  • 116E21 Burnout OHV Trail
  • 6E02 Las Chiches Cut-Off OHV Trail
  • 18E02 La Canada Trail
  • 18E05 La Panza OHV Trail
  • Navajo Flat OHV Staging Area
  • 16E23 Navajo Bypass OHV Trail
  • 16E24 Tower OHV Trail
  • Turkey Flat OHV Staging Area
  • 28S02A Benchmark OHV Road

Road Closures

Santa Lucia Ranger District OHV Trails and Roads open for non-motorized use

Forest Order 5-07-00-23-11 Campground Closures

  • American Canyon Seasonal Campground
  • Baja (Rock Front OHV Area)
  • Barrel Springs Campground
  • Brookshire
  • Buck Springs (Rock Front OHV Area)
  • Friis (Pozo/La Panzan OHV Area)
  • Horseshoe Springs
  • La Panza Campground (Pozo/La Panza OHV Area)
  • Paradise (Rock Front OHV Area)
  • Wagon Flat Campground

Permanently closed campgrounds

  • Colson Campground

La Brea Area road and trail closures 

La Brea/Colson area past the Colson Campground (Forest Road 11N04).

La Brea Area campground closures

  • La Brea Area: Barrel Springs, Wagon Flat
  • Buckhorn Ridge OHV Area - Bear Canyon Campground

Buckhorn Ridge OHV Area Rd and OHV riding Area/trail closures

  • Buckhorn Ridge OHV Area  (Buckhorn Ridge, Horshoe Spring Spur, Bear Canyon Loop and Bear Canyon Campground). 
  • Kerry Canyon OHV Trail/Area is temporarily closed until further notice.


Alerts & Warnings

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