Santa Barbara County Trails Council

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Santa Barbara County Trails Council

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We support public access and the safe shared use of our beaches, coastal plains, mountains, and valleys for motor free nature-based recreation by everyone

The Santa Barbara Trails Council is a membership organization that works vigorously on behalf of people of Santa Barbara County to enhance the county’s trail network for over 45 years. We are inclusive in our support for volunteering, collaborating and advocating for trail access on behalf of hikers, runners, bikers and equestrians. To achieve our goals we provide trail related planning, design, mapping, construction and maintenance for city, county, state and federal agencies.

10/16/2026

TRAIL AND HABITAT RESTORATION DAY

Please join us at Baron Ranch this Sunday, 10/18, from 8 am to 1 pm to help brush the trail and beautify our habitat restoration area in preparation for the Island View Endurance Run! 🌱

We'll clear brush, rake grass, spread mulch, water native plants, and make sure our start/finish line and parking area are ready for runners next weekend. We'll provide all tools, and no experience is necessary! To join, please email [email protected].

Please arrive at the gate by 7:45 AM to sign waivers and join a short safety and tool talk. If you have work gloves, bring them along. We’ll also have some available.

What to bring: plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and eye protection (sunglasses are fine). Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Do not wear sandals or shorts.

DIRECTIONS from the South:

1. Hwy 101 North, 2.4 miles past Refugio Road exit, turn right at the road crossing onto Arroyo Quemada Ln., just past a yellow sign indicating “cross-traffic ahead,” before reaching Tajiguas Landfill. There is no northbound deceleration lane, so anticipate the turnoff.

2. Immediately turn left onto Calle Real and proceed approximately ¾ mile until the road reaches a white gate and a street sign that says “End.”

10/05/2026

JUST WEEKS AWAY...RUN, JOG, WALK.

Looking for epic views, rugged terrain, elusive wildlife sightings, and short or long-distance options all under a full moon? We’ve got it all at the Island View Endurance Run on Oct. 24-25! ⛰️🥾🌊

Just over 3 weeks until the legendary trek across the Gaviota Coast. Register for the 12K, 25K, 50K, 100K, or 100M at https://islandviewtrail.run

The Island View Trail Run is a series of events established by the Trails Council in 2016 to provide an extraordinary trail running experience and fund trail maintenance in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

For more than 50 years, the Trails Council has worked to protect, enhance, and sustain Santa Barbara County's public trail network. We work hands-on with local, state, and federal agencies on trail planning, construction, maintenance, and stewardship while also supporting volunteer trail maintenance, recreational hiking, and community health and fitness initiatives.

The trails that host the Island View Endurance Run are the trails the Trails Council works to protect. We encourage all trail users to support the Trails Council's commitment to ensuring future generations can continue to experience the health, adventure, and connection to nature that trails provide.

This event is authorized on National Forest System lands under a special use permit by the Los Padres National Forest.

09/25/2026

FRANKLIN TRAIL IN THE NEWS

On August 29, volunteers headed into the upper reaches of the Franklin Trail above Carpinteria for a collaborative trail work day with Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Los Padres Forest Association, Sage Trail Alliance, and Montecito Trails Foundation. The crew worked along miles 5–7 to cut back overgrown brush and repair tread damage left over from 2023 winter storms.

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up and put in the work to keep our trails open and accessible for everyone to enjoy! 🥾⛰️

The Franklin Trail segment in the Los Padres National Forest has been closed by the Santa Barbara Ranger District (SBRD) since the winter storms in early 2023. They reopened it to the public on September 15th, following recent trail restoration work by volunteers and
trail-supporting organizations. Check out the official order for all the details.

https://santabarbaratrails.org/docs/franklin/Order-05-07-54-26-09-CLOSURE-STORM-DAMAGE-091526.pdf

08/18/2026

Volunteers Needed! 🌲⛰️🌱

You’re invited to help us brush the Franklin Trail in the Los Padres National Forest. We will be working in the upper reaches of the trail from mile 5 to mile 7. We will provide loppers, McLeods, and electric brush cutters to help cut back brush and remove slough from the trail.

WHO: Any Franklin Trail supporter
WHAT: Brush the trail corridor from mile 5 to 7
WHEN: Saturday, August 29th from 7:30 am to 2 pm
WHERE: We will meet in the Carpinteria High School parking lot

We hope to have 12 to 15 volunteers for this event. Please RSVP to help with event planning. We will drive 5 miles over rough surface ranch roads with brush encroaching in many places. We will need to match volunteers with the available transportation. Please let us know if you are willing to drive your high-clearance 4WD truck at your own risk and how many passengers you can take. NOTE: Rides to the 5-mile mark are not guaranteed for people who show up without contacting us and reserving a ride.

What to bring: plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, a hat, gloves, and eye protection (sunglasses are fine). Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Do not wear sandals or shorts.

A free lunch will be provided after the event in Carpinteria.

RSVP: [email protected] or use our contact form

08/08/2026

Mark your calendar for October 24-25!

The Island View Endurance Run is less than three months away, with 12K, 25K, 50K, 100K, and 100 Mile distances offering breathtaking island and ocean views, challenging climbs, and an unforgettable journey through the Santa Ynez Mountains

Register today at https://islandviewtrail.run

An Island View Trail Run event sponsored by Santa Barbara County Trails Council

07/17/2026

- PATHS THROUGH TIME - Please join us for a presentation about Santa Barbara County’s historic trail networks, beginning with Indigenous routes and continuing through Spanish and early American corridors. The event, held at the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History, examines how these trails influence the region today.

The Trails Council’s Executive Director, Mark Wilkinson, will connect the past to the present by showing how historic trails shape today’s recreation, conservation, and community involvement. It will also highlight how protecting and sharing these old routes can improve public access, care for the environment, and foster cultural understanding.

Who: Trail and History Enthusiasts
What: Talk & Talkback Speaker Series
When: Thursday, July 23, 2026, 5 pm – 6 pm
Where: 956 Maple Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013
Cost: $10 for guests | free for museum members
Website: https://www.carpinteriahistoricalmuseum.org/events

06/24/2026

The proposed Santa Maria Levee Trail is a 6.7-mile path along the levee, connecting Guadalupe and Santa Maria. It will create new opportunities for hiking, running, biking, and other outdoor recreation along the river.

Right now, the County of Santa Barbara is studying the alignment and preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project.

The County of Santa Barbara Public Works Department is asking for feedback on whether the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Santa Maria River Levee Trail Project is clear and complete.

🔶 There will be a public hearing at the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building, 511 Lakeside Pkwy, Santa Maria, on June 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM.

🔶 You can share your thoughts by sending written or spoken comments to [email protected] before the public comment period ends on July 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

To read the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), please visit the following link:
https://www.countyofsb.org/4804/Santa-Maria-Levee-Trail

Without strong public support for recreation by residents of Santa Barbara County, special interest groups will prevent the trail from becoming a public pathway.

06/11/2026

Join us for a walk across More Mesa with Assemblymember Gregg Hart and community advocates for protecting More Mesa now and in the future. See you on Saturday, June 13th.

06/10/2026

Last weekend, we celebrated National Trails Day with a rewarding day of volunteer trail work at Baron Ranch! Thank you to Hailey, Paul, Nancy, Kevin, Adam, Erik, Siena, and Mark for helping restore overgrown trail corridors through w**d-whipping, lopping, and raking.

We’re grateful for the trails that connect us to nature, support our physical and mental well-being, and provide opportunities for adventure and community. We’re equally grateful to the volunteers and stewards who dedicate their time to keeping these spaces accessible for everyone.

Restoration and maintenance efforts at Baron Ranch are ongoing following this winter’s heavy rains, and there’s still plenty of work to be done as we gear up for this year’s Island View Endurance Run in October! Stay tuned for future volunteer opportunities and join us in giving back to the trails we all enjoy. ⛰️🌳🥾

06/05/2026

Want to celebrate National Trails Day this weekend? Here’s a chance to give back and show your appreciation for our community trails.

If you’re interested, join us on Sunday morning, June 7, at the trailhead entrance on the Gaviota Coast. Sign up by emailing [email protected] or joining on Meetip (link in bio)

We’ll be brushing the Arroyo Quemado Trail and the Loop Trail. Tools like loppers, rakes, and electric w**d whips will be provided.

The event will take place from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM PDT.

Please arrive at the gate by 8:45 AM to sign waivers and join a short safety and tool talk. If you have work gloves, bring them along. We’ll also have some available for you.

What to bring: plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat, and eye protection (sunglasses are fine). Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Do not wear sandals or shorts.

We’ll start working about three-quarters of a mile from the trailhead and continue up to the Loop Trail. Our tasks include cutting back w**ds along the trail edges and trimming bushes that have grown into the path.

RANCH HISTORY: http://goletahistory.com/the-baron-ranch-at-arroyo-quemada/

WILD AND SCENIC: Baron Ranch provides essential breeding, nesting, and foraging areas for sensitive species and other wildlife present at the ranch, including bobcat, deer, black bear, coyote, mountain lion, rattlesnake, raccoon, migratory birds, frogs, turtles, and several species of raptors.

DIRECTIONS from the South:

1. Hwy 101 North, 2.4 miles past Refugio Road exit, turn right at the road crossing onto Arroyo Quemada Ln., just past a yellow sign indicating “cross-traffic ahead,” before reaching Tajiguas Landfill. There is no northbound deceleration lane, so the turn-off must be anticipated.

2. Immediately turn left onto Calle Real and proceed approximately ¾ mile until the road reaches a white gate and a street sign that says “End.”

IMPORTANT:
Trails are open every day.
No dogs allowed.
Trail Map:http://sbtrails.org/maps/brt/baron-ranch-trail-map-2023.pdf

Address

PO Box 22352
Santa Barbara, CA
93121

Telephone

+18057086173

Website

http://santabarbaratrails.org/

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