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.
Passes & Permits
The parking fee at day use picnic areas and trailheads in the Lower Santa Ynez Recreation area is $10 a day. This recreation area is managed by the Parks Management Company (PMC) for the Forest Service. PMC sells an annual day use pass that can be used for day use parking in the Lower Santa Ynez Recreation area. For more information about the PMC Annual Pass, go to: www.campone.com.
Recreation Sites
Alamar Trail 26W06
The majority of this trail is located inside the Dick Smith Wilderness and links the Mono Creek drainage to the Sisquoc River watershed at Alamar Saddle. From the southern wilderness boundary, the…
Aliso Loop Trail 28W05
A shady one-mile, interpretive trail along Aliso Creek or try the more strenuous 3.5-mile loop. The walk along the ridgetop offers views of the Santa Ynez River. Loop trail can also be accessed from…
Arroyo Burro Trail 27W13
The trail leaves the Arroyo Burro Road east of Rancho Oso and travels up the north facing slope for 3.5 miles. Near the top of the ridge, it merges with the road again and comes out on East Camino…
Arroyo Quemado Trail 31W18
The Arroyo Quemado Trail 31W18 is a scenic 3.43-mile trail near Goleta in Santa Barbara County. The trail starts at West Camino Cielo Road 5N19 and connects to the Baron Ranch County Park Loop Trail
Buckhorn Road
Take Camuesa Road to the Buckhorn Road which leads to the top of Little Pine Mountain. Camuesa/Buckhorn Roads can be accessed from Upper Oso Campground parking lot 6 miles off Paradise Road. Camuesa…
Camuesa Connector Trail 27W22
Trail crosses the river and meanders four miles up the south slope of the river canyon to tie into Camuesa Rd.
Camuesa Road
Site Closed
An easy route which connects Lower Santa Ynez Recreation Area to Buckhorn Road and ends one mile from Lower Camuesa Primitive Camp. Camuesa/Buckhorn Roads can be accessed from Upper Oso Campground…
Cold Spring Trail 26W10
Also referred to as East Fork Cold Spring Trail, it shares the same trailhead as West Fork Cold Spring Trail (27W16). After hiking 1/4 mile, the Cold Spring trail will split.The East Fork Cold Spring…
Dick Smith Wilderness
Site Open
Dick Smith Wilderness was established in 1984 by the California Wilderness Act. Deep within the Santa Barbara Backcountry lies a knot of mountains topped by Madulce Peak. The Dick Smith Wilderness…
Divide Peak OHV Trailhead
Site Open
Offers views of Santa Barbara coastline, Upper Santa Ynez Valley and San Rafael Mountains. Divide Peak Road is approximately 17 miles on East Camino Cielo from Highway 154. The parking lot for the…