Respect Wildlife
- Snakes. Several species of snakes inhabit this area, however only rattlesnakes pose a threat. Although rarely encountered by visitors, they may appear any time. Be careful when hiking on rocks during the warmer months. Rocks are favorite places for rattlesnakes, providing them with a place to warm up in the sunshine and a quick retreat into the crevices. If you meet up with a "rattler", give it plenty of room and allow it to move out of your way.
- Insects. Mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies are present and can be a nuisance. Ticks are known to transmit Lyme Disease and rocky mountain Spotted Fever. An insect repellent (with active ingredient DEET) is definitely a worthwhile addition to your pack.
- Important Websites. Information on insect and rodent-borne diseases that might be in our local backcountry.
- California Department of Public Health
- West Nile Virus Website
- Prevent Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
- Santa Barbara Coastal Vector Control District - main page
- Center for Disease Control - Information on Lyme Disease.
- Mountain Lions - There have been recent sightings of mountain lions on Santa Barbara Front Country trails. Please familiarize yourself with these safety tips at the California Fish & Wildlife site.
- Bears. Many black bears make their home in the forest. They are most often found foraging for berries and tubers in riparian areas. During the fall they move up to the oak woodlands looking for acorns. Hungry bears will walk through camps and pick up packs and food bags, ripping them apart if they smell food. If the bears become accustomed to obtaining food from backpackers, they will develop a habit of approaching humans. In order to avoid confrontations, we urge the following steps.
- Do not approach any bear, especially a cub. Do not feed bears or try to retrieve food from them.
- Keep your camp clean and and counterbalance everything that has an odor, including soap, toothpaste and freeze-dried food
- Leave packs empty on the ground with all zippers and flaps open so that visiting bears can nose through them without doing any damage.
- If a bear approaches your camp, make noise to try to scare the bear away. If the bear does not retreat, you should.
- Pack out any trash. Never bury it. Bears will dig up trash, including empty cans.
- Report any bear damage to the Ranger.