Work by LPFA’s trail Crew began on the Madulce Trail last week. And there’s more coming up on the Alamar Saddle Working Vacation….
Hi Friends,
It’s the time of year when we start building our annual Los Padres calendar! We’re looking for LPFA community photo submissions to the 2027 calendar from now through November 2, 2026. If you’ve taken some epic Los Padres shots in the past year, consider sending them in! We’re looking for vistas, sunsets, mountains, flowers, rivers, wildlife, recreation, trail work, waterfalls… All Things Los Padres.
If your photo(s) is chosen, you’ll get credited and receive a free calendar. Plus, all funds from calendar sales go directly towards supporting trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest! Check out the submission details below.
LPFA
LPFA Used Camping Gear Sale: Sunday, October 18
The 10th annual Used Gear Sale is just over a week away! Join us at Tucker’s Grove Park, site 2 from 10am – 12pm on Sunday, October 18th to restock your backpacking gear for the upcoming season. The sale features new and used gear from Gossamer Gear, as well as a large and diverse assortment of used backpacking, camping, and other outdoor activity gear.
Have gear to donate to the sale? Patagonia, Ventura is accepting drop offs during open hours until October 11th!
100% of funds raised at the sale support trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest!
- Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail, Oct 11 – Join LPFA on the Wheeler Nature Trail this weekend! This awesome local trail is just up Hwy 33 from Ojai. We’re doing some general maintenance from 8am – 2pm on Sunday. And the weather is looking nice and cool….
- Little Falls Trail, Oct 24 – Join LPFA on this incredible SLO county trail in the Santa Lucia Wilderness! We’ll be working on brushing and crosscutting up from the trailhead in Lopez Canyon. This trail needs some serious work, help us get it opened back up!
Lots of nice oak groves, ferns and shade on the section of the Little Falls Trail we’re working!
- D13 Deer Hunting Season begins this Saturday, October 10th. This zone covers the section of the Los Padres north and east of Hwy 33 and Sespe Creek, including parts of the Sespe Wilderness and Chumash Wilderness. If you have any non-hunting plans in this part of the forest coming up, it might be good to check out some alternative locations, at least for opening weekend. Expect most trailheads and campgrounds in D13 to be full this weekend.
- The closure order for the Monterey Ranger District has been modified to open up some areas of the district not affected by the Timber and Plaskett Fires. Essentially, the trails including and south of the Salmon Creek Trail, as well as all coastal zones and campgrounds, have reopened. The Plasket Fire is now contained and has burned 30,124 acres. The Timber Fire is at 94% containment and has burned 25,232 acres.
- The Santa Barbara City Parks & Recreation Department has launched a community survey as part of its Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Feedback is intended to inform and guide decisions about the future of Santa Barbara’s parks and open spaces. Many of the Santa Barbara Frontcountry trails begin on City land and are managed as open spaces by the City. These areas include Rattlesnake Canyon Trail, Parma Park, Steven’s Park, and the beginning of Cold Spring, Jesusita and Arroyo Burro Trails. If you use any of these trails, consider submitting a survey and joining a community workshop! There are six workshops that begin October 14th and the survey is open until October 31st.
The scene on Hwy 1 from the end of the Plaskett Fire in southern Big Sur. photo, Sam M.
Zone D13 General Deer Season encompasses the southeast corner of the Los Padres Forest. Busy areas include Dough Flat, Mt. Pinos, Frazier Mountain, Pine Mountain, and Grade Valley.
