Author: Addison Jerlow

LPFA: For the Trails!

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Hi Friends, 

We hope everyone enjoyed a few days off last week, and found the time to get out and explore the forest. Some pristine November days were to be had out there, especially in the Sespe Wilderness. As I’m sure you’re aware by now from the dozens of emails filling your inbox, today is GivingTuesday, a big day for fundraising in the non-profit community. And at LPFA, a HUGE day to support the trails in the Los Padres Forest.

This year, our goal is to raise $15,000 for maintenance and repair of the Condor Trail in Ventura County. We’re halfway there. But we need your help to make it happen. What will this fund exactly? It will fund a full 10-day backcountry Working Vacation on the upper reaches of the Piedra Blanca Trail. An overgrown, washed out, and downed tree-covered trail in need of the LPFA trail maintenance special. It will also fund several smaller volunteer projects above and below this section of trail, to ensure we can gain access to the sections most in need of work. By the end of 2026, you’ll be able to get from Piedra Blanca Trailhead to the top of Pine Mountain without crawling, ducking, or pack-hoisting, but we need support to make that happen!

We say Condor Trail, not Piedra Blanca Trail, because this project is part of a larger mission: to restore the trails of this essential Los Padres route from Lake Piru to Highway 33. This isn’t a one off project, but a multi-year initiative, and we’re in the home stretch. Since 2022, LPFA has maintained the Pothole Trail, Agua Blanca Trail, Alder Creek Trail, Sespe River Trail, Piedra Blanca Trail, Reyes Peak Trail and Boulder Canyon Trail. Over 30 miles of trail restored to standard. 30 miles of trail open and accessible for the public to enjoy. 30 miles of trail free of brush, downed trees and poison oak, and waiting for your footsteps.

This GivingTuesday, please consider supporting the trails that support you. With a gift to LPFA, you will ensure these trails stay maintained, open and accessible for the public to enjoy.

For the trails, 

LPFA 

Support the Trails!

Los Padres Fire Restrictions Lifted!

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Doesn’t get much better than a warm campfire with friends on a cold night in the Los Padres….

Hello Friends,

We bring good news for backcountry travelers: Fire Restrictions have been lifted across the Los Padres Forest. Thanks to the storms last week, backcountry season has arrived earlier than usual this year and campfires are now allowed. Just in time for dropping nighttime temperatures and the long, cold, and star-filled nights that accompany this time of year ~ Hurrah!

Make sure to do your research before planning trips and look out for any superseding orders that disallow campfires (ie the Santa Barbara Frontcountry and West Cuesta Ridge). And please remember to be fire-safe and grab a free campfire permit to keep on you while out in the forest. With all this rain, the forest is looking more like early spring than November right now. Backcountry season is NOW!

LPFA

LPFA volunteer trail crews keep our trails open and ready to enjoy! On the Alder Creek Trail, part of the Ventura County Condor Trail. Photo, Brandy L.

We’re here for the trails. The veins of the Los Padres that transport us from our daily life back to the places that feed our being. Places where life is stiller, clearer and breathtaking. Sespe Creek, Pine Mountain, Alder Creek. Places where water flows, birds sing, and trees older than us stand tall and proud. We need the trails. And they need us. They need care, footsteps, and support. 

At LPFA, we know that trails don’t maintain themselves. We’ve seen too many disappear from lack of vital funding to maintain them. We’ve spent too much time crawling in the brush, following a bear path we thought was the trail, fighting through wild rose, whitethorn ceanothus and poison oak, only to find the next section of trail in worse shape than the last. We’re here to ensure our trails stay open and accessible for all to enjoy. To ensure our trails provide more Type 1 fun, than Type 2 or 3. To ensure these veins of the backcountry keep pumping and providing the pathways for us to return to the forest, time and time again. 

This GivingTuesday, show your support for the trails that support you.

For the Trails!

Is in November or February? Here’s to the trails that take us home….

LPFA x Piedra Blanca Trail

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Nothing quite like a sun-soaked view down the Piedra Blanca Trail.  photo, Jeri H.

LPFA x Piedra Blanca Trail

Does a trail get much more inviting than this? Piedra Blanca magic. photo, Jeri H.

A major goal for LPFA in 2026 will be continuing work on the Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca Trail. This trail is not only part of the Condor Trail, but is one of only two National Recreation Trails (NRT) in the Los Padres Forest and sits high on the short list of the most iconic LP trails. NRTs are designated at the federal level and must demonstrate that they represent their region, support a diverse community, and are one of the best trails in the country. 

You’d be hard pressed to find a trail more representative of the Los Padres than the Piedra Blanca Trail. In just over 16 miles, it passes through a Wild & Scenic River, otherworldly rock formations, rich chaparral diversity, towering mixed conifer forest, and unobstructed panoramic views. But, this trail needs some serious work. The middle section is thick with brush, bramble, and downed trees, as well as several slides and washouts with consequential falls. We’ve been chipping away at the brush over the past few years, and now it’s time to finish the job. With your support this GivingTuesday, LPFA will get this nationally-recognized gem of an LP trail back into hiking shape!

Support the Piedra Blanca Trail!

And While We Have You….

The time to order your 2026 Los Padres Calendar is NOW! Each year, LPFA puts together a calendar featuring all the sights, seasons, and stunning diversity of the Los Padres Forest. It’s a great way to experience the beauty of the Los Padres every single day. And even better, all proceeds from calendar sales go directly toward trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest. So next time you’re hiking a well-groomed trail, thank yourself for picking that Los Padres calendar for only $20…..

Calendar, PLEASE!

In case you missed it, a recording of LPFA’s Condor Trail Talk is now on the LPFA YouTube page! What a great night this was. Thank you to all our donors and supporters who made it happen. So good to see so many folks come out in support of the Condor Trail. This talk features an hour long, photo-filled slideshow of Addison Jerlow’s FKT thru-hike of the trail in March 2025, followed by a Q&A with Addison and the author of the Condor Trail Guidebook, Brian Sarvis.

To the Condor Trail!

LPFA’s fall Working Vacation is right around the corner! Join us December 5 – 14th for a car camping Working Vacation on the Pothole Trail near Lake Piru. This project has been in the works for some time now, and we are absolutely thrilled to be breaking ground on a reroute of the lower Pothole Trail! Come out and help make it happen. Haven’t volunteered before? No problem! We’ll train you on the job. There’s nothing better than workin’ trail all day, then sitting back while LPFA provides some cold drinks and dinner for you and all the new friends you made on the way.

To the Pothole Trail!

Lots of water flowing in the forest. And it’s only November….

LPFA Working Vacation, GivingTuesday & Seasonal Gates

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

The Santa Ynez River flowing strong again over the Sage Hill Crossing. photo, Chris O.

Hi Friends,

The Los Padres got a good and early soaking over the last 5 days. So early, in fact, it set the record for the most rainfall the Santa Barbara area has seen in November in recorded history. This storm seemed to focus heavily along the Santa Ynez Range, with rainfall totals in the mountains averaging about 11 inches, and San Marcos Pass (the lightning rod of LP rain accumulation) coming in just below 15 inches. Nordhoff Ridge saw over 10 inches, Cone Peak as well, and much of the backcountry and San Luis County LP got at least 5 inches. All in all a healthy and welcomed start to the season.

As tough as it is to do after a few days stuck inside, the best thing for the health of trails is to give them time to dry after significant rainfall. If your foot sinks down, turn around…. or something like that. With all that precip, we’re likely to see a few issues along the trails over the coming days. When you’re hiking around — after the trails dry out — let us know at INFO@LPForest.org if you come across any downed trees or trail damage and we’ll get out there to fix it up as soon as we can!

LPFA

For GivingTuesday this year, LPFA has our sights set on an epic network of trails through the Sespe Wilderness. We are raising funds to maintain the Ventura County section of the Condor Trail! The CT route through the Ventura backcountry begins at the Pothole Trailhead near Lake Piru, travels through the heart of the Sespe Wilderness, and heads up and over Pine Mountain to Ozena Station on Highway 33. Trails included in this project are: Pothole Trail, Agua Blanca Trail, Bucksnort Trail, Alder Creek Trail, Sespe River Trail, Piedra Blanca Trail, Reyes Peak Trail and Boulder Canyon Trail.

Got a favorite? Our goal is to maintain as many of the most overgrown, washed out and downed tree-covered sections of this route as we can in the next two years. If you use any of these trails, please consider donating to the LPFA 2025 GivingTuesday campaign, and share this fundraiser with your friends and family. Donations like yours are what keep us out in the forest, working hard, and ensuring these trails remain safe and open for all to enjoy.

Donate to the VC Condor Trail!!!

LPFA has spent a ton of time on the Ventura County Condor Trail the past two years, completing nearly 30 miles of trail maintenance to standard. Help us keep this project going strong! From left: Piedra Blanca Trail, Reyes Peak Trail, Alder Creek Trail with volunteers putting in the good work.

From up on the Pothole Trail….

POTHOLE WORKING VACATION, DEC 5 – 14

The fall LPFA Working Vacation will be from December 5 – 14th on the Pothole Trail! This is a project years in the making and a bit different from our typical Working Vacations. LPFA will be car camping and BUILDING NEW TRAIL by way of a reroute of the first 1.5 miles of the Pothole Trail! If you haven’t joined a Working Vacation in the past, they are an absolute blast. LPFA provides the food, drinks and tools and volunteers come out to work the trail, share some laughs, and have an all around great time.

If you couldn’t tell already, we are absolutely stoked to break ground on this project. Sign on up and let’s get out there!

Take me to the Pothole Trail!

SEASONAL GATES SWING SHUT

With the first major storm system of the year, many gates in the forest have closed for the season. Some gates are opened/closed on established dates (Grade Valley, Pine Mountain), others are opened/closed around weather events – open during dry times and closed when rain is forecast (West Camino Cielo, First Crossing). At this point, all dirt roads in the forest are likely closed for the season. But, we recommend doing your homework ahead of time. Here are a few resources:

Resources

  • The Forest Service has a page dedicated to road and campground closures. It may not be exactly up to date, especially following the shutdown, so give the Ranger Stations a call to confirm. Their phone numbers are also listed on the page.
  • HikeLosPadres.com has a page with status and location of the gates that often provide (or deny) the most access. If you have any updates or would like to see gates added, let us know INFO@LPForest.org.

Seasonal Gates

  • Grade Valley Rd
  • Santa Barbara Canyon Rd
  • Frazier Mountain Rd 
  • Rancho Nuevo Rd
  • Dough Flat Rd
  • Lockwood Creek Rd
  • Scott Russell Rd
  • San Emigdio Rd

Temporary Closures

  • First Crossing
  • West Camino Cielo (at Winchester Canyon)
  • Sage Hill Crossing
  • Sierra Madre Rd

The Santa Barbara high country after the storm. No snow accumulation, but lots of early season green….

LPFA Trail Update & Fall Projects

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Looking for fall colors? The Sespe Wilderness has some of the best the LP has to offer. Photo, Liam Searson

Hello Friends,

We hope you’ve found some time to get out into the forest and enjoy the changing colors and cooling temperatures – FALL IS IN THE AIR! Not to jinx it, but it seems like backcountry season has come early this year. It’s a great time to be in the Los Padres! LPFA’s professional and volunteer Trail Crews have been busy getting the LP trails into shape for the season. Read on to check out what we’ve been up to and what else is to come….

LPFA

  • LPFA’s professional Trail Crew spent a good amount of the summer months rebuilding and even rerouting portions of the San Ysidro Trail. This awesome feat was due to invaluable funding and support from the Montecito Trails Foundation. San Ysidro had been closed since January 2023 but is now open once again. Go check it out!
  • The Trail Crew then spent more than a month working on the Blue Canyon Trail on the other side of the Santa Ynez Mountains. It’s looking a lot better now, and we’re planning to get out there again soon to finish the job….
  • LPFA trail volunteers worked across the forest on two National Public Lands Day projects on the Buena Vista Trail and Reyes Peak Trail. These two very different trails have one thing in common, they are in pristine condition thanks to volunteer trail maintenance!
  • LPFA led the Dunn School on a graffiti removal and trash cleanup project at Lizard’s Mouth that removed 15 bags of trash and cleaned up 8 large graffiti projects in the area. These projects are funded by our SB Frontcountry Graffiti Removal Fund. Help us out and please consider donating in order to keep the anti-graffiti charge happening!
  • LPFA also partnered with the Santa Paula Canyon Crew to clean up trash and graffiti across the length of Santa Paula Canyon. We have a special fund to support cleanups in this over-loved canyon, donate to keep this important work coming!

Work by Forest Service partner groups like the LPFA is the main thing keeping the Los Padres trails passable for those who enjoy them. And as an LP enthusiast, you’ve seen just how bad these trails get without proper maintenance. Thank you for the support as we work to keep these trails open for all to enjoy!

Support the Trails!

Island Views abound up on the Mission Pine Trail. Photo, Steve C.

Reyes Peak Trail: Nov 14 – 16

Join LPFA for a long weekend on the Reyes Peak Trail, November 14 – 16th! We will be continuing work from Haddock Peak to Haddock Camp and hopefully knocking out the last 1.5 miles of this iconic LP trail. For this overnight trip, we’ll be backcountry camping up on Haddock Peak where we’ll enjoy some of the best views the LP has to offer. Project locations don’t get much better than this! Sign on up to join the party.

Reyes Peak Signup!

Mission Pine Trail: Nov 21 – 23

LPFA will be car camping for a long weekend at McKinley Saddle at the edge of the San Rafael Wilderness! Join us November 21 – 23rd for an epic weekend in the LP high country on the Mission Pine Trail. We’ll be brushing the trail toward Mission Pine Spring Camp and enjoying crisp fall views of the Santa Barbara backcountry. 4WD vehicles are required, but we’ll do our best to carpool up for those without one who want the join. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Mission Pine Signup!

Ain’t that a beautiful trail corridor? From the LPFA Trail Crew in upper Blue Canyon

LPFA Used Gear Sale is Sunday!

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

 LPFA Used Gear Sale: THIS SUNDAY! 

Hi Friends, 

In case you missed it, the 9th Annual LPFA Used Gear Sale will be this Sunday, October 19th, from 10am – 12pm at Tuckers Grove Park, site 2. The sale features lightly used outdoor gear including backpacks, tents, sleep systems, cookware, clothes, shoes, skis, snow shoes, surf fins, car racks and more ~ if you need anything for the outdoors, we’ll probably have it! And of course, no LPFA Used Gear Sale would be complete without a ton of backpacking gear too, including a range of new and used packs from Gossamer Gear that will be sold for HALF PRICE.

Don’t miss out, come by on Sunday and check it out! And remember, 100% of the proceeds go directly towards trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest.

See you Sunday ~ and be on time!

LPFA

 2026 Los Padres Calendar: Call for Photos! 

We are taking photo submissions for the 2026 Los Padres Wall Calendar! Each year, LPFA puts together a calendar featuring all the sights, seasons, and critters of the Los Padres. The past two years have seen some of the best photos we’ve had in the over 10 years we’ve been doing this. So, send in your photos to be featured in next year’s calendar! If your photo(s) gets chosen, you’ll get credited and shipped a free calendar.

Please send up to 15 photos (Google Photo Album link preferred) to INFO@LPForest.org by November 2nd, 2025. Send in those photos!

If you’re ready to order next year’s calendar, you can pre-order them now! All proceeds from calendar sales go directly towards trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest.

2026 Calendar, PLEASE!
  • Oct 24-26, North Cold Spring Overnight – Join us for a Halloween-themed volunteer trail project based out of Forbush Camp! We’ll be spending 3 days working the North Cold Spring and Blue Canyon Trails. Great camp, great trails, great time. And coming for the day is OK too. This one is gonna be a blast! 
  • Nov 7-9, La Jolla Trail Restoration – We’ll be spending 3 days restoring the La Jolla Trail on Figueroa Mountain that burned in the 2024 Lake Fire. Help us fix the trail, clean up Ballard Camp and enjoy a BBQ dinner after the project!  We’ll be car camping at Davy Brown Campground for this one. Join for the day or stay the night, both are OK!
  • Oct 16, 6:30pm, Faulkner Gallery – Santa Barbara Public Library – The Fire Lookouts & Aircraft Warning Observation Posts of the Los Padres National Forest will be the topic of this month’s Trail Talks at the SBPL. From the first Lookout on Zaca Peak, to the few that still remain today, join our longtime volunteer and LP guru Bob Burtness as he shares images and stories of these unique backcountry structures.
  • D13 General Deer Hunting season opened this past weekend. D13 is mainly in Ventura and Kern Counties, but does spill a bit into SB, SLO, and LA counties as well. Expect car campgrounds and trailheads to be busier than usual until the season closes on November 9th. Check out a map of the region here. 
  • The Pfieffer Falls Trail in Pfieffer Big Sur State Park has reopened after 2 years of being closed to visitors due to a damaged bridge. 
  • Highway 1 in Big Sur at Regent’s Slide is now expected to open by the end of March 2026. January will mark 3 years since the highway closed to through traffic.
  • LPFA is raising funds to remove graffiti in the Santa Barbara Frontcountry! Areas will include Lizard’s Mouth, West Camino Cielo and East Camino Cielo. Help us out and donate to the cause!

Volunteers removing graffiti on the Hot Springs Trail last week with LPFA and the Montecito Trails Foundation

LPFA Used Gear Sale, Call for Photos & October Projects

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

The LPFA Trail Crew, supported by Montecito Trails Foundation, put the finishing touches on the San Ysidro Trail in September. The trail is now OPEN after almost 3 years of being closed due to storm damage in January 2023. A lot of time, sweat and funding went into the new sections of trail, check out the story here.

Hi Friends, 

For those of you wondering what the government shutdown means for the Los Padres, we have a few answers for you: 

  • Campgrounds, Day Use Areas, and gates that were open will remain OPEN across the forest 
  • Visitor Centers at Big Sur Station and Wheeler Gorge will remain OPEN to the public during normal operating hours 
  • Forest Service offices will be CLOSED to the public until the shutdown ends (including their phone lines) 

And, LPFA volunteer projects will continue during the closure! We kicked off the fall season with some incredible National Public Lands Day projects over the past two weekends and have a ton of great opportunities and events in store over the next month. Read on below and we’ll see you in the forest soon! 

LPFA 

 LPFA Used Gear Sale: Sunday, October 19th 

There’s still time to donate to the Sale!

This Thursday, October 9th we’ll be taking donations at TWO locations: Captain Fatty’s Brewery in Goleta and Topa Topa Brewing on Colt St. in Ventura. Stop by on Thursday from 4-7pm and find the LPFA table to donate your gear!

Our Used Gear Sale features new and used backpacks from Gossamer Gear, as well as donated gear ranging from tents, to clothes, to stove fuel, to skis. This sale has it all!

100% of the funds raised from the sale support trail maintenance projects in the Los Padres Forest.

We’re looking for any outdoor gear and clothing in good condition. If you have any lightly-loved camping, backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, really ANY outdoor gear that needs a new home, please consider donating it. Clean out your gear closet and help the trails all at the same time!

The LPFA Used Gear Sale is Sunday, October 19th from 10am – 12pm at Tucker’s Grove Park, site 2.

Got questions? Email us at INFO@LPForest.org.

 2026 Los Padres Calendar: Send in Your Photos! 

LPFA is taking photo submissions for our 2026 Los Padres Calendar! Each year we put together a high-quality wall calendar featuring all the seasons, wildlife, views, and activities of the Los Padres Forest. Send us your best shots from across the forest (preferably from the last 12 months) for a chance to be featured in the 2026 calendar. Original artwork is great too! We’re looking for vistas, sunsets, mountains, flowers, rivers, wildlife, recreation, waterfalls…. ALL THINGS LOS PADRES! 

Please limit your submissions to 15 photos and send a Google Photo Album link to INFO@LPForest.org by NOVEMBER 2, 2025. If your photo(s) makes the calendar, we’ll credit you and send you a free calendar! 

Already know you’ll need 1, 2 or more calendars for the LP-lovers in your life? Go ahead and pre-order them through the link below!

2026 Calendar Pre-Order!

Come Out and Volunteer!

Santa Paula Canyon Cleanup: OCT 11

Join us this Saturday, October 11th for a large-scale clean up of Santa Paula Canyon! Thanks to donations from you all, LPFA and the Santa Paula Canyon Crew are making a push to remove trash and graffiti from this incredible canyon throughout the next year. With the rainy season on the way, we want to get as much of the canyon cleaned up as we can. Click below for more details and to sign up for Saturday!

SPC CLEANUP!

Spooky Trail Project: OCT 24 – 26

Ready to Get Spooky with it? LPFA will be leading a spooky season-themed trail project at Forbush Camp the weekend of October 24-26th. Costumes required! We’ll be celebrating the season with some work on the North Cold Spring and Blue Canyon Trails. If you can’t stay overnight, coming for the day is OK too! But, you’ll miss the costume contest and Los Padres spooky storytelling…. Check out more info and sign up below!

SPOOKY SIGN-UP!

La Jolla Trail Restoration: NOV 7 – 9

LPFA will be leading an overnight car camping project to restore the La Jolla Trail on November 7 – 9th! This trail burned in the 2024 Lake Fire and is still in need of repair. We’ll be car camping at Davy Brown Campground and working the trail each day throughout the weekend. If you can only join for the day, same deal! Sign up below and we’ll work out the details closer to the project….

La Jolla Trail, PLEASE!

Anyone else get out into the forest to check out the thunderstorms we’ve had this past month?  Anyone notice the green grass popping up? From LPFA’s project on the Reyes Peak Trail two weeks back….

Gifford Fire Closure Revision & LPFA Fall Trailworkin’

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

It’s a great time of year for early morning hiking at higher elevations. From up on Pine Mountain….

Gifford Fire Closure Order Revised

With the Gifford Fire holding at 131,614 acres and 97% containment, the Forest Service has issued a revised closure order. This means many areas are now reopening—while some remain closed. Make sure to read the full order and linked map for yourself, but here’s a quick summary of impacted areas:

NOW OPEN

  • NIRA and the Manzana
  • Santa Barbara Canyon and the Sierra Madre east of the Aliso Trail junction
  • Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area
  • West Cuesta

STILL CLOSED

  • Entire SLO backcountry east of Cuesta Grade (Santa Lucia, Garcia, Machesna Wildernesses, and East Cuesta)
  • Santa Barbara backcountry SE of Hwy 166 south to the Sisquoc (including the Sierra Madre between Hwy 166 and the Aliso Trail junction near McPherson)

We know many of you have been waiting for this news—it’s great to see more of the forest reopening. Remember that it’s hot out there, A-Zone South hunting season lasts another two weeks, and water is starting to dry up. And of course, please follow all current regulations for where you’re headed! That being said, the Los Padres fall season is fast approaching and the LPFA has a few projects lined up to kick off the season. Read on to see what’s happening….

National Public Lands Day is September 27th, 2025. This day is about getting out, enjoying the great outdoors and GIVING BACK to your public lands. This is one of the best days of the year, and LPFA will be celebrating with TWO projects on back to back weekends in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

REYES PEAK TRAIL: SEP 26-28

LPFA will be partnering with Ojai Ranger District Recreation Staff to lead a 3-day project on the Reyes Peak Trail. There will be TWO elements to this project. We are looking for folks who want to help brush and crosscut downed trees that are blocking the trail AND folks who want to hike/run gallons of water out to Haddock Peak. Sound like fun? Sign on up! 

We will be car camping on Pine Mountain Friday and Saturday nights to get an early start each morning. If you want to come for the whole time, GREAT! If you can only come for a day, that’s great too! Sign up below and we’ll work out the details in the coming weeks…. 

REYES PEAK PLEASE!

BUENA VISTA TRAIL: OCT 4

LPFA will be leading a day project on the Buena Vista Trail within the Santa Barbara Frontcountry. This lovely trail connects to the Romero and San Ysidro Trails and is in need of some brushing. Parking is tight so we’ll be meeting in Montecito at 8am that morning, then carpooling to the trailhead. Plan to work until around noon before heading back for lunch and some colds drinks. 

This is a great project for those interested in learning about trail maintenance and working on a trail close to home. No backpacking gear needed! Plus free lunch. It will be a hoot, so please sign up below and we’ll keep you in the loop as details take shape….

BUENA VISTA SIGNUP!

Even More LPFA Events!

LPFA Talks Condor Trail, Sep 25

LPFA will be presenting on the Condor Trail on September 25th in downtown Santa Barbara! Don’t miss this in person event featuring presentations by the current FKT-holder, Addison Jerlow and the author of the Condor Trail Guide, Brian Sarvis. We’ll also have a raffle, happy hour, and fundraiser for work on the Condor Trail…. Can’t make it? Donate to fund work on the Condor Trail!

Get Your Tickets!

LPFA Used Gear Sale, Oct 19

The 9th Annual LPFA Used Gear will be Sunday, October 19th at Tucker’s Grove Park! This sale is a great opportunity to re-up your gear in time for the Los Padres backcountry season. The sale will feature an array of used gear, plus new and used gear from Gossamer Gear. 100% of the proceeds from the sale go directly towards trail maintenance in the Los Padres. We are looking for donations for the sale this year. If you have any lightly-loved gear, consider donating it! Reach out to us at INFO@LPForest.org.

Donate Used Gear!

Santa Paula Canyon Cleanups, Ongoing

LPFA is still fundraising to keep Santa Paula Canyon Clean! Thanks to the volunteers and the Santa Paula Canyon Crew who have been making these cleanups possible. Please consider donating to graffiti removal and trash cleanups in this beautiful LP canyon! We’ll be launching more large-scale projects once the weather cools back down….

Keep SPC Clean!

Backcountry Ridges for Days… photo RHumphrey

Los Padres Roadless Areas and the Condor Trail

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Looking back along the Condor Trail a few hours before reaching its northern terminus in March 2025. photo, AJerlow

Public Comment Period Opens for Rescinding Inventoried Roadless Area Protections

A view down Agua Caliente Canyon, part of the Los Padres Inventoried Roadless Areas. photo, AJerlow

A 21-day public comment period has opened for the USDA Secretary’s plan to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. This rule was passed to establish prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting in inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands. There are over 635,000 acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) in the Los Padres National Forest, including familiar areas such as Grade Valley, Pine Mountain, Agua Caliente Canyon and Mono-Alamar Canyon. IRAs help protect critical wildlife and habitat, as well as provide recreational opportunities for hikers, bikers, OHV users and equestrians. The last day to comment is September 19, 2025. Submit your public comment today (include your name and zipcode!).

Submit a Comment

Lots of dodging (or rather, embracing) storms on the Condor Trail in early spring. But between-storm views are hard to beat! photo AJerlow

LPFA Talks Condor Trail

We’ll be hosting an event discussing the Condor Trail in downtown Santa Barbara on Thursday, September 25th! The Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the 420-mile Condor Trail was set this past spring by none other than our very own Program Manager, Addison Jerlow. Addison will be sharing photos and stories from his journey, including info on gear and logistics for planning a successful thru-hike of the Condor Trail. We’ll also hear a presentation by Brian Sarvis, repeat Condor Trail thru-hiker and author of the Condor Trail Guide, on the sections and history of the Condor Trail.

This event will also be fundraising to support trail maintenance on the Condor Trail! Tickets and donations raised will go directly toward work on the Piedra Blanca and Reyes Peak Trails in the Ventura County section of the Condor Trail. So if you can’t make the event, but want to support work on the trail, consider donating to the cause! Check out the link below to get more info, grab your tickets, or donate today….

Details & Tickets!

One of the most coveted Santa Barbara Backcountry views….. photo ECarroll

  • Representative Salud Carbajal reintroduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act in August. If approved, the act would add 250,000 acres of wilderness to the Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument, as well as designate the Condor Trail as a National Scenic Trail.
  • Tunnel Trail will be closed from the Tunnel Road Trailhead until Jesusita Trail for an SCE Stream Restoration Project starting September 8th. Upper sections of the Tunnel Trail may still be reached via East Camino Cielo, Jesusita or Rattlesnake Canyon Trail. For more information and a map of the closure visit sce.com/MissionCanyon.
  • There is one more closure of Highway 33 scheduled for September 19 – 22 as CalTrans works to repair a bridge near Wheeler Gorge.
  • The Wheeler Gorge Campground will remain closed until January 2026 as the Forest Service constructs effective stream crossings for the roads in the campground to reconnect 13 miles of habitat for endangered Southern California Steelhead. Check out some alternative car-camping options nearby during the closure!

The annual LPFA Used Gear Sale is right around the corner and we’ll be collecting donations for the sale in a few weeks! If you have any lightly-loved gear you no longer need, consider donating it to LPFA….

LPFA Summer Updates and Volunteering!

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

There sure are a lot of wild oats in the meadows this summer. Don’t forget your gaiters….

Hi Friends, 

It’s been a busy summer here on the Los Padres. The heat puts a damper on things, but we’ve still been able to get out on Piedra Blanca Trail, Matilija Trail, Santa Paula Canyon Trail and more across the forest. We also spend lots of time planning the fast-approaching fall trail maintenance season. It’s going to be a great one this year. In the meantime, we have an upcoming backcountry project on Mission Pine Trail, an ongoing battle against graffiti and trash in Santa Paula Canyon, and lots of forest updates to share. Read on for the details…. 

LPFA 

SANTA PAULA CANYON FUNDRAISER

LPFA and the Santa Paula Canyon Crew have been hard at work cleaning up trash and graffiti in Santa Paula Canyon this summer. We’ve led one large scale clean-up, multiple smaller cleanups with graffiti removal, and installed trash cans at the trailhead that get emptied twice a week. We also have plans to begin tabling at the trailhead to help educate visitors on responsible, sustainable recreation in the canyon. We need help funding this initiative! We are halfway to our $1000 goal. Please consider donating to fund future projects to keep Santa Paula Canyon clean! 

SUPPORT A CLEAN SPC!

LPFA and the Santa Paula Canyon Crew at our cleanup event earlier this month. The canyon is now 240lbs of trash lighter! Photo, Caleb G.

MISSION PINE VOLUNTEER WEEKEND

Looking for a long weekend getaway to the Los Padres high country? We’ve got you covered. Join LPFA August 1 – 3 on the Mission Pine Trail! We will be leading crosscut and brushing work on the Mission Pine Trail between McKinley Saddle and Mission Pine Spring Camp. This will be a dispersed car-camping project based out of McKinley Saddle. We don’t get to drive up there very often, so don’t miss out! Details are still taking shape, but sign up below and we’ll follow up over email leading up to the project…. 

MISSION PINE, PLEASE!
  • The Los Padres National Forest welcomed a new Forest Supervisor, Dr. Kimberly Winter, earlier this month. Dr. Winter comes to Los Padres from the U.S. Forest Service’s National Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she served as director of Conservation Education. After several months of different acting supervisors, we are happy to see the position filled and look forward to working with Supervisor Winter to improve and sustain recreation opportunities across the forest.
  • The Madre Fire, which started on July 2nd and burned over 80,000 acres, has wrapped up. Currently the largest of the season in California, the fire started just north of Highway 166 and burned a small section of the Los Padres, but mainly burned the Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve and Carrizo Plain National Monument. The National Monument remains closed to visitors at this time.
  • Cal-Trans is moving forward with their plan to close Highway 33 to the public for a safety and drainage improvement project. Dates have been announced for three extended weekend closures: Aug 15-18, Aug 22-25, Sept 19-22. The worst part about this news is that construction is expected to continue on and off through Winter 2028-29…..
  • A-Zone South Hunting Season kicks off on August 8th and lasts until September 21st. This is the main deer hunting season in the Los Padres and includes the Monterey Ranger District as well as the southern Los Padres west of Highway 33 and south and west of the Sespe. Please read up on the regulations and view the A-Zone map if you’re heading into the forest this season. And if you’re visiting the Los Padres for something other than hunting during that window, expect increased hunter activity in the area.
  • The Monterey Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association (FFLA) is raising funds to replace the roof of the Chews Ridge Fire Lookout that was damaged last winter. This is one of the last active fire lookouts on the Central Coast and still plays a crucial role in wildfire detection. Consider helping out the FFLA and the Los Padres get the tower back into working order!

Still lots of life in the Santa Barbara frontcountry! Hope you’re finding some time to enjoy the forest in the cooler parts of the day….