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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….

Gifford Fire: Updates & Closure Information

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Night #1 of the Gifford Fire – as seen during a LPFA Volunteer Trail Project on the Mission Pine Trail, photo David F.

Hello Friends, 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or out on vacation, then no doubt you’ve been following the progression of the Gifford Fire. The Gifford Fire started on the afternoon of August 1 near the Gifford Trail along Hwy 166. It quickly spread into the Los Padres in both a southerly direction into Santa Barbara County as well as north into San Luis Obispo County. Now 10+ days later, Gifford is the largest California wildfire this year having chewed up nearly 125,000 acres and currently stands at 33% containment. 

During the initial days of the fire, Gifford made a strong push into Santa Barbara County, burning east along the Sierra Madre, over Miranda Pine, down into Pine Canyon and ultimately into the San Rafael Wilderness. Fortunately, favorable conditions and previous fire scars (La Brea 2009, Spanish 1999) helped check the fire. At the moment, it seems that the southern flank of Gifford within Santa Barbara County has been stopped. Knock knock.

Meanwhile, most of Gifford’s progression has been directed north into San Luis Obispo County, where it continues to burn. There have been a few previous wildfires within the SLO Backcountry (Madre 2025, Logan 1997, Hwy 58 1996, Las Pilitas 1985) which have helped slow down the fire but unfortunately Gifford is burning many areas of the Los Padres which have no recorded burn history. NOTE: We’re sadly running low on portions of the forest which have not burned.

While fire crews have accomplished a solid containment perimeter around much of the fire, most of the current fire activity is on a north-west trajectory through the Garcia Wilderness. The weather forecast is looking good for fighting the fire and crews have been working day & night to finish containment lines around the fire, especially off Hi Mountain Road. There are active firing operations designed to box the fire into the Garcia and hopefully prevent any further progress into the Santa Lucia Wilderness. We are very fortunate to have nearly 5,000 personnel helping to assist with the fire fight. THANK YOU EVERYONE INVOLVED! Lets wish them all safety, good luck and favorable weather! 

GIFFORD CLOSURE

In response to the Gifford Fire, the LPNF has issued an emergency closure order which covers the entirety of the Santa Lucia Ranger District and a section of the Mt Pinos west of Santa Barbara Cyn along the Sierra Madres. This includes a closure of Figueroa Mountain, NIRA Trailhead, the Manzana/Sisquoc and obviously all of the SLO Backcountry:

For more closure information click here.

IMPACTED TRAILS / CAMPS

We’ve received quite a few emails asking about the status of camps and trails burned by Gifford. Here’s a quick and incomplete list. 

Trails: Avenales, Stony Creek, Caldwell/Trout Creek, Sellers Potrero, Kerry Cyn, Indian, Willow Spring, Adobe, Rock Front OHV…. 

Campgrounds: Miranda Pine, Brookshire and others…… 

For more information and maps covering the Gifford Fire, check both CalFire as well as InciWeb. Note that evacuation orders and warnings are changing daily, if not hourly.

  • The first of three extended weekend closures of Highway 33 by CalTrans for bridge repairs begin this Friday, August 15th. The closure dates are: Aug 15-18, Aug 22-25, Sept 19-22. During these dates, there will be no public access along Hwy 33 between Ojai and Wheeler Gorge. The Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center will be closed on these weekends, but campgrounds and trails further up the 33 are open to access from the north. 
  • The Wheeler Gorge Campground will be closed until January 3, 2026 for reconstruction of creek crossings within the campground. This project will restore 13 miles of connected stream habitat for Southern California Steelhead. While the campground is closed, consider camping at alternative nearby campgrounds including Rose Valley, Middle Lion, Pine Mountain or Reyes Peak!
  • A hiker has been missing along the southern Big Sur coast since August 5th. He is believed to have been hiking in the Ragged Point area and was last seen wearing a white shirt, bright blue shorts and a multicolored or tie-dyed pastel backpack. Help spread the word and call the SLO County sheriff with any information.
  • The Canyon Fire ignited southeast of Lake Piru on the afternoon of August 7th. The fire burned over 5,000 acres just outside of the Los Padres but is now at 96% containment with all evacuation orders lifted.

View of the Gifford Fire over Lopez Lake burning the Garcia Wilderness taken August 12 at 11:30am. Click photo for live shot.

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….

Santa Paula Canyon Cleanup Fund

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

LPFA needs help raising $1000 to remove trash and graffiti from Santa Paula Canyon! These funds will offset the costs of trash cans, paint and clean up supplies (paint sprayers, batteries, trash bags, grabbers, gloves etc). This is just the start of our graffiti and trash clean up initiative to target high-use and heavily impacted recreation locations across the Los Padres.

Santa Paula Canyon sees A TON of use this time of year. Our goal is to clean it up, as well as provide outreach on trail and at the trailhead to keep it clean moving forward. Continuing to provide support, outreach and education to trail users may be the only way to sustain recreation in this area. With more and more visitors each year, we need to provide more and more support.

Help us get this initiative started!

Donate to Clean SPC!

The lower falls is popular with swimmers, hikers, and taggers alike…

Los Padres Fire Restrictions, Trail Updates and Forest Protections

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

There’s plenty of places to explore once the heat sets in! Head up high, know your water sources (check HLP), and follow the weather closely to find a cool window for a summer trip in the LP. Photo, Brian D.

Hi Friends, 

Well, the summer heat has arrived. Fire restrictions went into effect across the Los Padres Forest on June 18th and are set to last until January 31st, 2026. This means no open fires, campfires or charcoal fires are permitted outside of developed recreation sites or designated Campfire Use Sites, as well as no smoking. However, stoves are still permitted in the backcountry and you can grab your fire permit here.  

After two wet winters, this last one was a dry one with the LP receiving roughly only half of our normal rain amounts. Daily highs in the backcountry have been pushing 100 degrees recently, with nighttime lows sitting comfortably above 60. The Los Padres can be thoroughly enjoyed without a campfire this time of year. This is a great opportunity to check out the night sky, play games under headlamp, or head to bed early and get some rest after that long hot hike to camp. 

The view from the hike back down along your freshly cleared trail sure makes the hot hike up and day cutting brush worth it, right? …..right? Photo, Zach C.

PIEDRA BLANCA

LPFA volunteers wrapped up work on the Piedra Blanca Trail this month and boy is it looking GOOD! This was LPFA’s 6th trip on this section of trail in the past 2 years and we are happy to say the trail is now in great shape from Piedra Blanca Trailhead to Pine Mountain Lodge Camp. Thank you to all of the volunteers and donors who made these trips possible!  

These projects were almost entirely funded by individual donations. Please consider donating as we continue to navigate the ongoing restrictions on federal funding. Every dollar helps! And if you have a trail you want to see worked on, come on out and volunteer, get to know LPFA, and get trained to lead your own trail projects. Let’s make it happen. 

Donate to Clear Trails!

SANTA PAULA CANYON CLEANUP: JULY 5TH 

Nothing says 4th of July weekend like some time by the creek! Join LPFA and the Santa Paula Canyon Crew on July 5thfor a trash sweep of Santa Paula Canyon. We’ll be walking the length of the trail to the Punchbowl to remove graffiti and clean up any trash leftover from July 4th festivities. This is a great opportunity for those looking to spend a day hiking and giving back to one of the most impacted canyons in the forest. 

With swimming season in full swing, we’ve definitely seen increased visitation, and unfortunately increased trash and graffiti, at Santa Paula Canyon. Thanks to volunteers, this canyon gets swept every week or two. And two new trash cans at the trailhead are helping a TON. A positive presence in the canyon helps even more. Sign up below for a fun day of hiking, cleaning, and swimming in SPC! 

CLEAN UP THE CANYON!

Help us keep this LP gem clean and free of trash and graffiti!

BIG BUT NOT SO BEAUTIFUL 

At this point we’ve all heard about the One Big Beautiful Bill and what it may mean for public lands across the country. LPFA supports public access to the Los Padres Forest through trail maintenance, outreach and education. Because of that, we will not support the selling off of public lands. The Wilderness Society has made a map of National Forest and BLM lands that could be sold if the bill is passed (it has already passed the House!). If you zoom into the Los Padres, it includes almost all non-wilderness portions of the forest. 

Dark green shows portions of the LPNF that could be eligible for sale including large swaths of the Santa Barbara and Ojai Frontcountry, as well as Pine Mountain and the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Areas that could be up for sale include: 

  • the Santa Ynez Recreation Area
  • the Santa Barbara Frontcountry
  • the Ojai Frontcountry, 
  • Pine Mountain
  • Sierra Madre Mountains above Cuyama Valley
  • Alamo Mountain and Mount Pinos
  • Figueroa Mountain
  • West Cuesta Ridge
  • Timber Top

The List Goes On and On…..

We encourage those concerned to find their Senator and give them a call. Here is a list of the phone numbers of every Senator. Emails and petitions often get filtered out, but phone calls can make a huge difference in how your representatives vote. We know that Los Padres enthusiasts live across the country. Wherever you may be, give your Senator a call and help keep the Los Padres Forest open for all, forever. 

FOREST UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES 

  • Join the Santa Barbara Trails Council at Baron Ranch this Sunday, June 22nd for a day of trail work! They’ll be meeting at the Baron trailhead at 8:30am and working on the beloved Arroyo Quemado Trail (AQT). Click here for more info and the sign up link. 
  • Highway 33 is expected to be closed on and off for extended periods this summer/fall season. CalTrans has not provided any dates yet but we’ll be ready to share them once they do! 
  • A-Zone South Hunting Season is right around the corner here in the Los Padres. Archery season begins on July 12th, but the more popular General Season begins on August 9th and lasts until September 21st. Still a ways out but fast approaching! If you aren’t a hunter, try to plan your Los Padres adventures around this season, and remember to wear bright colors if you do head out into the forest…. 

Hard to believe it’s already been 351 days since the Lake Fire…..

LPFA x National Trails Day

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

It’s that time of year to starting taking your LP adventures to higher elevations. Cooler temps and panoramic views abound….

National Trails Day is June 7th this year, and LPFA has 3 projects going on to celebrate. This day is about getting outside, connecting with the Los Padres community, and giving back to the trails. We have you covered from Ojai to Santa Barbara, frontcountry to backcountry. Our busy spring trail work schedule slows down a bit as summer sets in. However, we’ll still be leading projects at the higher elevations of the Los Padres between the heatwaves, so look out for announcements for our Summer 2025 Trail Work Series in the coming weeks. Until then, we hope to see you at one of our National Trails Day celebrations! 

LPFA 

 Join LPFA for National Trails Day! 

Epic sunsets on our last overnight Piedra Blanca Trail project in February 2025. Photo, Jeri H.

Piedra Blanca Trail Overnight: June 6 – 8

Join LPFA as we continue maintenance on the Piedra Blanca Trail! We will be leading a 3 day backcountry trail maintenance project June 6 – 8 to finish brushing the final quarter mile of trail before Pine Mountain Lodge Camp. Come out and help us brush this trail, enjoy some epic views of the Sespe Wilderness, and take advantage of the cooler temps at higher elevations this time of year. Click the button below to sign up or get more info! 

Piedra Blanca Overnight!

LPFA Trail Crew admiring the great volunteer work on the North Fork Matilija Working Vacation. Photo, Andrew J.

Matilija Trail: June 7

Join LPFA for a day project to continue our work on the North Fork Matilija Trail! LPFA recently completed a 5-day Working Vacation on this trail, not to mention a year of work leading up to that trip. We are now closing in on getting the trail open to Middle Matilija Camp. RSVP to VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org to get more details and come join the party! 

North Fork Matilija!

Hot Springs Trail: June 7

Join LPFA and our partners at the City of Santa Barbara Parks Department’s annual National Trails Day event! Volunteers of all experience levels are invited to learn about trail restoration while working on the historic Hot Springs Trail. Tools, instruction, and lunch will be provided! These events are always a blast. See you there…. 

Hot Springs Trail Day!

Forest 411 

After two wet winters, we finally hit a dry streak. Most of the water sources across the forest are still flowing, but they’re looking a lot lower now than they were at this point in 2023 and 2024. Make sure to check in on HikeLosPadres.combefore your next backpacking trip to estimate water likelihood, and don’t forget to leave a report for others when you get back!