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Welcome!
From the Mountains to the Sea
Encompassing almost two million acres, Los Padres National Forest spans some of the most ruggedly beautiful landscapes to be found anywhere in California
Many areas of the Forest have reopened for public use with the exception of certain trails, roads and campgrounds that require additional repairs from winter storm damage.
Find out what areas of the Forest have reopened and areas that remain closed
Recent News
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Los Padres to host National Public Lands Day events
Release Date: Sep 19, 2023
Features
Restoring Los Padres’ Native Steelhead Trout Habitat
The anadromous Southern California steelhead (SCS) trout distinct population segment indigenous to Southern California received Endangered Species status in 1997 due to declining numbers. Over the last two decades, the situation for these trout native to Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) has continued to deteriorate, and the species now have one of the highest levels of federal protection.
Stream conditions and steelhead critical habitat were further degraded by the massive Zaca Fire in 2007 that denuded landscapes above traditional steelhead spawning waters and contributed to greater sediment deposition downstream. As SCS stocks have declined substantially from their historic numbers across the LPNF and other part of Southern California, many are now facing extinction.
Protecting Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak
On May 8, 2020, Los Padres National Forest introduced a plan to protect areas of Pine Mountain and Reyes Peak that are at risk due to overstocking and the devastating impacts from disease and insect infestation. The Reyes Peak Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project lays within a federally designated Insect and Disease Treatment Area where declining forest health conditions have put the area at risk for substantial tree mortality over the next 15 years. The primary goal of this project is reduce tree densities to promote forest resilience to drought, insect and disease, and wildfire. To achieve this goal, professional Forest managers will selectively thin specific areas to enhance forest health across 755 acres on Pine Mountain between California Highway 33 and Reyes Peak in Ventura County.
