Wheeler Gorge Open House – May 3rd, 2025

For over 20 years the Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA) has hosted annual Open Houses each spring at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center. Our Open Houses are family friendly events where we invite the community to explore the Visitor Center and get an opportunity to learn about our beloved Los Padres National Forest. Local organizations, agencies and forest-friends participate in the Open House by setting up booths to share their achievements and knowledge of the forest. It’s a great chance to learn about the critters, trails, camps, plants and creeks that call the Los Padres home. The Open Houses are also a lot of fun with games, raffles and events designed to entertain forest lovers of all ages. Located just 15 minutes from Ojai, we welcome you to attend our 2025 Open House from 10am – 2pm on May 3rd.

Educational Booths and Exhibits:

Friends of California Condor Wild and Free
Luzonica Birds of the World
Ventura Gem & Mineral Society
Upper Ojai Search & Rescue
Los Padres National Forest, Forest Service
Condor Trail Association
Cloud Climbers Jeep Tours
LPFA
Ultralight Backpacking Tips with Gossamer Gear Ambassador Paul “Beeman” Cronshaw!
and much much more….

Activities and Food:

Chumash Story Telling with Julie Tumamait-Stenslie
Climbing Wall
Smokey Bear
Raffle
Mister Softee Ice Cream
Burger BBQ
Games, Arts & Crafts
Wheeler Nature Trail Hike
and much much more…..

Raffle Prizes Provided by:

Patagonia
REI
Cuyama Buckhorn
LPFA
and more!

For more information please checkout this recent blog post or contact the Los Padres Forest Association at Wheeler@LPForest.org

Latest News…

LPFA Working Vacation Season Ain’t Over Yet! April 30, 2025
The Wheeler Gorge Open House is May 3rd! April 25, 2025
The Smallest Los Padres Email April 18, 2025
LOS PADRES: Sunny Skies Ahead with Strong Chance of TRAIL WORK in the Forecast March 14, 2025

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Los Padres Forest Association

Collaborating with the Los Padres Forest to provide volunteer trail maintenance support, community outreach projects and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Los Padres Forest Association is at Wheeler Gorge.

2 weeks ago

WHEELER GORGE OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY, MAY 3rd 10AM-2PM!For over 20 years LPFA has hosted annual Open Houses each spring at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center. Our Open Houses are family friendly events where we invite the community to explore the Visitor Center and get an opportunity to learn about our beloved Los Padres National Forest. Local organizations, agencies and forest-friends participate in the Open House by setting up booths to share their achievements and knowledge of the forest. It’s a great chance to learn about the trails, camps, critters, plants and creeks of the Los Padres. The Visitor Center is just 15 minutes up Highway 33 from Ojai!Groups and presenters at this year’s event include the Condor Trail Association, Friends of California Condors Wild and Free, Upper Ojai SAR, Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, UL Backpacking tips by Gossamer Gear ambassadors, LPFA talking trail, Chumash storytelling with Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, Luzonica Birds of the World, a CLIMBING WALL and LP climbing tips, BBQ lunch, SMOKEY BEAR, a kids section with crafts and games, and raffle with gear from REI, PATAGONIA and more! See you SATURDAY at Wheeler from 10am - 2pm!#wheelergorgevisitorcenteropenhouse #wheelergorge #lospadresnationalforest #venturacounty #ojai #highway33 #gossamergear #rei #patagonia ... See MoreSee Less

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Los Padres Forest Association

1 month ago

Recreational Realignment of Public LandsThe administration signed a new Order to launch a nationwide program designed to monetize public lands through an expansion of recreational opportunities. This program is called Recreational Realignment of Public Lands (RRPL). While the concept of more recreational opportunities within our public lands is certainly positive, the fineprint within the RRPL program has raised criticism from multiple national watchdog organizations. CLICK HERE to read a complete list of the proposed recreational realignment projects. Here locally, there are two proposed RRPL sites within the Los Padres.RRPL is proposing an expansion of recreation in Ventura County by creating a year-round Golf and Ski destination set within the rugged Sespe Backcountry. ‘Halfmoon Pines’ will be a 4-season resort featuring two 18-hole golf courses, two ski mountains (Thorn Point & Little Mutau), a 25k square foot clubhouse/ski lodge located at Mutau Flat, 518 carbon-neutral villas and a natural hot spring spa resort at Sespe Hot Springs accessed by gondola leading down Johnston Ridge.In Monterey, RRPL will be expanding recreation by building a one-of-a-kind wild animal experience called the ‘Carrizo Springs Adventure Park’. The park will be the largest in existence covering half of the Monterey Ranger District. The headquarters will be centrally located at The Indians with seven gondolas providing access to an array of ecotourism offerings including zip-lines, shark diving and programs like: Plaskett Creek Primates, Tassajara Tiger Sanctuary, Pine Valley Pachyderm Pasture, Pfeiffer Polar Bear Plunge, the aptly named Lion’s Den and the sure to be crowd favorite Crocs of the Arroyo Seco. What’s truly special about Carrizo Springs Park is that there will be no fences. All animals will be free to wander as nature intended across the vast Los Padres Backcountry.While the RRPL program will certainly change portions of the Los Padres, it should accomplish its goal of expanding recreation. For us diehards who love the backcountry, don’t worry, we’ve been assured that all backcountry trails will remain open for those with a valid Adventure Pass.#slooflirpa ... See MoreSee Less

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Los Padres Forest Association is at Los Padres National Forest.

2 months ago

CONDOR TRAIL UPDATE: San Luis Obispo County ✔️For those of you following from home, we got an update over the weekend and our favorite north-bound Condor Trail hiker has now completed San Luis Obispo County. #ExcellentStuff!The SLO section of the CT starts with a short walk along Hwy 166 before leaving the pavement at the Adobe Trail. Up, over, through and back around again into the Garcia Wilderness. Cross Hi Mtn Road, into the Santa Lucia Wilderness, say high to Hi Mtn Lookout, across and down Big Falls into Lopez Canyon. Up Lopez to East Cuesta, across Cuesta Grade to West Cuesta and finally onto Hwy 41 at Cerro Alto. From there you leave the forest for a while and hike down Hwy 41 into Morro Bay. At this point the Condor Trail follows the California Coastal Trail along paths, roads, sand and beach-front-trails before returning to the Los Padres at San Carpoforo just short of the Monterey County line.While there’s a lot of CT trail miles in SLO, it’s relatively fast moving compared to some of the other Counties as a large chunk of SLO either follows roads or better conditioned trails. Most CT hikers really enjoy getting down onto the beach and hiking some miles with their toes in the sand. It’s also a bit different along this section as you’re seeing zebras, elephant seals and, oh yeah, people. To this point you can probably count the people you’ve seen on one hand. That changes quickly once on the northern side of SLO County.That being said, more wilderness and solitude awaits as the CT enters Monterey County and the Silver Peak Wilderness. At this point our 2025 through-hiker has completed over 300 miles with just over 100 more to go. #DoingAwesome !Lets wish em luck on this last chunk of trail and hope for one final celebratory update in a week or so....#condortrail #lospadresnationalforest #throughhike #garciawilderness #santaluciawilderness #californiacoastaltrail #sanluisobispocounty #longbeachwalks #morrobay #himountainlookout #sanluisobispobackcountry #hearstcastle #elephantseals #poisonoak #peopleagain #bushwhack #CT2025 #goodluck #epichike ... See MoreSee Less

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Los Padres Forest Association is at Los Padres National Forest.

2 months ago

CONDOR TRAIL UPDATE: Santa Barbara County ✔️Our friend attempting to set the FKT along the Condor Trail continues to make great progress. About a week ago he completed Santa Barbara County and just sent over a batch of photos. The northbound Santa Barbara County portion of the CT starts along the Tinta Trail, drops down West Dry Canyon and re-enters the Dick Smith Wilderness along the Santa Barbara Canyon Trail (LPFA Working Vacation this week!). Then climbs up to the Madulce Camp and from there jumps over to the headwaters of the Sisquoc River. Follow the Sisquoc for many miles before passing the Manzana Schoolhouse and from there enter the dreaded ‘La Brea Triangle’, which is the portion of the Condor Trail connecting the Sisquoc with Hwy 166 and the end of SB County.For most people, the La Brea Triangle is the most challenging portion of the CT. While there are Forest Service “trails” to follow in this stretch, most of them have not been maintained in many decades and the route is currently a very hard slog bushwhack for 10’s of miles to cross the La Brea Triangle. Then you drop down Willow Spring into the Cuyama River watershed and onto Hwy 166 - which must have felt pretty darn good! While most of the SB Backcountry follows nice trails along the Sisquoc, etc.. almost all the photos that were shared were taken along the La Brea Triangle. Must have been on his mind.Santa Barbara is now in the rear view and up next is the much more open and faster San Luis Obispo section. Our friend remains on schedule to set the FKT. We’ll keep rooting him on and share more when we can. Let’s GO!#condortrail #lospadresnationalforest #throughhike #sanrafaelwilderness #dicksmithwilderness #santabarbaracounty #santabarbarabackcountry #labreatriangle #highway166hereIcome #sisquocriver #bushwhack #CT2025 #goodluck #epichike ... See MoreSee Less

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Los Padres Forest Association is at Los Padres National Forest.

2 months ago

CONDOR TRAIL UPDATE: Ventura County ✔️You may recall that a friend of the LPFA is attempting to complete the Condor Trail in record time, aka Fastest Known Time. We just heard that despite the weather, he’s completed the Ventura County portion of the CT and remains on pace for the FKT. #wootwootThe southern terminus of the Condor Trail is at Lake Piru. From there the CT heads up and over the Pothole Trail into the Agua Blanca and up through the Big Narrows to Ant Camp. At Ant, the CT climbs the Bucksnort and then follows Alder Creek Trail (Working Vacation next month!) down and over onto the Sespe. The CT then goes upstream on the Sespe, past the hot springs to Piedra Blanca and up the recently maintained (thanks LPFA volunteers) Gene Marshall Trail onto Pine Mtn. PML to Haddock and up to Reyes Peak before dropping Boulder Cyn to Ozena. From there the trail crosses Hwy 33, joins the Deal Trail, around to Rancho Nuevo and then connects with Tinta over to West Dry Cyn before crossing into Santa Barbara County. The Ventura County portion is quite a push but might be the easiest of all the county sections as most of the trails are in good shape and ‘relatively easy’ to follow.Sorry about the poor image quality, it’s the best we could get from wherever the photos were sent.So far so good. Up next is Santa Barbara County followed by SLO and Monterey. Condor Trail = EPIC! More to come.....#condortrail #lospadresnationalforest #throughhike #sespewilderness #venturacounty #ojaibackcountry #venturabackcountry #lakepiru 2 #ozena #goodluck #epichike ... See MoreSee Less

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