Tag: Forest 411

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

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….

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!

LPFA Trail Updates and Opportunities

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Anyone else catch an epic Los Padres view recently?

Greetings Friends, 

It’s been a busy December here at LPFA. We’ve been all across the forest from Lake Piru to Figueroa Mountain and Santa Barbara Canyon to the Santa Barbara Frontcountry. Hopefully you’ve found some time to join us on a project or take a trip into the forest to enjoy these cooler, shorter days and clear, expansive nights. It’s a great time of year for reflection and a trip to the Los Padres is the perfect way to do just that. 

LPFA volunteers spent 9 days working the Alder Creek Trail in the Sespe Wilderness, including taking slides like this one from disastrous to inviting.

Speaking of reflecting….

Let’s take a look back at the LPFA Working Vacation on the Alder Creek Trail last month! If you’re looking for a recently-worked trail to explore, then the Alder Creek Trail has your name on it. LPFA volunteers spent 9 days clearing this trail as it descends from the Stone Corral to Alder Creek. Some sections were so overgrown that it took 12 people a full day’s work to get one tenth of a mile opened…now that’s some thick brush! Thank you to the volunteers who braved the 19 degree nights and mockingly hot days to help open up the Alder Creek Trail! 

There once was a jungle through which hikers would crawl….

….now thanks to LPFA volunteers, it’s no trouble at all!

If you head out that way, you’ll surely notice where we stopped work. Well that spot is exactly where we’ll start up again in Spring 2025 with an LPFA Working Vacation based at Alder Creek Camp! Dates are still TBD depending on the winter we get, but we’re looking at the second half of March to continue our work. Hope you can make it…. 

Happy Trails, 

LPFA 

 UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES 

A super-group of volunteers ready to tackle the Agua Blanca Trail, Alan C.

FRIDAY, 12/20: 

TUNNEL CONNECTOR

LPFA is picking our Santa Barbara Frontcountry Projects back up again. Come join us for work on the Tunnel Connector Trail this Friday! We’ll be brushing the trail up from the junction with Rattlesnake Trail. Email us for more info or to sign up! 

SATURDAY, 12/21: 

MATILIJA TRAIL

LPFA has been leading tons of projects on the Matilija Trail over the past year. We’ve heard the road is opening soon and are doing our best to get the trail open too, but we could use some help! Email us for more info or to sign up for Saturday. 

SATURDAY, 12/28: 

AGUA BLANCA TRAIL

Alan Coles has been leading some really awesome projects on the Agua Blanca and Pothole Trails, doing everything from slide-clearing to crosscutting. The next one is December 28th and you won’t want to miss it. Sign on up!

 FOREST 411 

  • Although seasonal-closure gates usually lock around December 1st, the GATES ARE STILL OPEN. Whether that’s a good or bad thing in terms of our winter weather outlook, we leave up to you. What we do know, is that we still have road access to tons of places we usually would not. So don’t wait around, get out there! If any significant precipitation does arrive, be prepared for those seasonal-closures to take effect…. 
  • Fire restrictions remain in effect across the forest. Campfires are only allowed in designated campfire use sites (ie, car campgrounds). Stoves are still allowed while backcountry camping! Make sure you have a valid California Fire Permit before your next adventure. 
  • Interested in sharing your experiences recreating in the Los Padres? What if we said you could get paid to do so? Check out this opportunity hosted by the USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station and researchers at Kansas State University who are studying recreation in Southern California forests. 
  • There are a few 2025 Los Padres Calendars left. Get them before they’re gone! All proceeds go directly toward trail maintenance in the Los Padres, and you get a sweet calendar with awesome shots of the Los Padres for yourself or a friend. Better yet, get one for yourself and give one to a friend…. 

Is that you, Whitney? The Los Padres gets its clearest views this time of year. Pick a peak on that map of yours and see what it can show you….

Backcountry Season is NOW! – Los Padres Forest

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Spring has sprung or is springing across the Los Padres…

The grass is green, the big mountains are covered in snow, the creeks and rivers are flowing strong and the mountains should be calling ~ we hope you are answering….

Prime backcountry season is now! 

LPFA SPRING TRAIL WORK UPDATE

A big focus of the LPFA these past couple months has been working to clear and maintain trail access within the San Rafael Wilderness, specifically out of NIRA. The LPFA Trail Crew has been hammering on the upper reaches of the Manzana Trail while we’ve simultaneously led multiple volunteer projects on sections closer to the trailhead. While most of our work has been along the Manzana Trail, we’ve also been working the Potrero Trail and along the Hurricane Deck Trail between Potrero and the Schoolhouse.

Our goals in the San Rafael for this season are to finish restoring the Sweetwater Trail, open up the Potrero – Western Hurricane Deck – Lower Manzana lollipop and maintain the Manzana Trail from NIRA to as close to South Fork as we can. 

Lots to do, lots of fun to be had, lots of opportunities for you to answer the call and help on an upcoming volunteer project…. 

We hope to see you out there!

Manzana Trail Working Vacation

Happy Hunting Ground Camp ~ April 6-14

Join us at Happy Hunting Ground Camp within the San Rafael Wilderness as we restore the Manzana Trail. Happy Hunting Ground is a backcountry camp nestled between pines, oaks and rock outcrops along the eastern edge of the Hurricane Deck formation. This will be a typical LPFA Working Vacation complete with pack support and all food and tools will be provided. Happy Hunting Ground is located 10.7 miles upstream from the NIRA Trailhead along the Manzana Trail. Each volunteer will have to backpack in all their own personal gear while the mules will bring in the kitchen setup, food and tools for the week. We’ll be focused on restoring the Manzana Trail from Happy Hunting Ground down towards South Fork Station. The trail work will include crosscutting downed trees, tread repair, some rockwork and brushing. We could also use help with cooking and campground maintenance too, if that’s more to your liking. While we’d love to have you for all 10 days, there are absolutely options for shorter stays. If you’d like to join, please email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org or click the link below. We’ll be sharing details over the coming weeks. Happy Hunting Ground is an amazing place! It will be fantastic spending time at camp, helping the forest and hanging out with friends. Hope to see you there….

Sign Me Up – Trail Volunteer!!!

Potrero Trail: March 22-24

Join us as we continue work along the spectacular Potrero Trail within the San Rafael Wilderness. We’ll be camping three days at Potrero Camp and working up from there. Feel free to help all three days or come for a day! It’s all good. To sign up or with questions please email or click here.

St. Patty’s on the Manzana: SUNDAY

We’ll be out on the Manzana this Sunday on St. Patricks Day working to make the first mile of the trail stock passable. Should be a fantastic day! We’ll be meeting at NIRA at 0900 and should be off the trail by mid-afternoon. Please RSVP via email. Oh, and don’t forget to wear green! 

And while we have you… a few more volunteer events!

Frontcountry Volunteer Days

We have regular volunteer days scheduled across both the SB and Ojai frontcountry trails. We’ve been working every Thursday and Saturday in Ojai and have a Trailwork Tuesday project on Rattlesnake Canyon in SB scheduled for Tuesday March 19. To signup or learn more please email or click here.

Forest 411

• Highway 33 has reopened providing access into the heart of the Ventura Backcountry, the Sespe Wilderness and most importantly the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center. Quick heads up that we’ll be hosting our annual Wheeler Gorge Open House on Saturday May 11. Get it on your calendar! 

• Due to a significant landslide near Barlow Camp, the Pine Ridge Trail may be impassable to Sykes dependent on water levels. Please contact the Monterey Ranger District or the Big Sur Station with questions. 

• The Forest Service is accepting public comments through March 31 on the Piru Creek Wild & Scenic River Comprehensive River Management Plan. Check it out here. 

• The Santa Barbara Ranger District has extended the campfire ban across the Santa Barbara Frontcountry. To learn more click here. 

• The Forest Service has revised the 2023 Storm Damage Recovery closures. Some trails have reopened, some remain closed. Click here to see the order and full list of closures. 

• Earlier this month the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Forest Service’s planned Tecuya Ridge Shaded Fuelbreak Project. You can read information about the project here and about the recent ruling here. 

• The Forest Service is set to receive nearly $38,000,000 as part of the Thomas Fire recovery settlement. The funds should be used to “repair roads, trails, bridges and recreation sites damaged by the fire, as well as ecological recovery activities such as native plant restoration and invasive plant treatments.” For more information click here. 

• The Forest Service is planning a series of prescribed burns along Camino Cielo above Santa Barbara starting in March. Information can be found here and here. 

• Camping will be temporarily banned at San Carpoforo Beach along northern SLO County. More information – click here. 

• What a wonderful winter of rain we’ve had this year and two years in a row! Most of the forest has received well over normal rainfall totals and we should be looking at a nice summer with plenty of pools for cooling off. Great news! Enjoy the spring everyone and don’t forget to sign up to volunteer on some of the upcoming trail projects.

Los Padres Hunting Season & ERP

Posted on by Ari Songer

Hello Friends, 

Lots going on across the Los Padres at the moment! We’ll cover much of that down below in Forest 411 but first lets talk about deer hunting season. The busiest and geographically largest deer season in the Los Padres is A-Zone South which opens this weekend Saturday August 13 and lasts through September 25. A-Zone covers most of the Los Padres basically from the Sespe up through Big Sur and while A-Zone has been open for archery over the past month or so, it’s this weekend that it opens for general rifle season. If you’ve not been out for opening A-Zone weekend, it’s certainly the busiest weekend of the year here in the Los Padres and you should expect to see hunters camping at most of the trailheads, turnouts and campgrounds that provide access into the forest. If you have plans to hike, backpack, ride or visit the forest this weekend, be aware that it might be very busy within A-Zone and if you’re not a hunter then you might want to rethink your plans and head elsewhere. If you are heading into A-Zone, be sure to wear brighter colors than you might normally wear and be courteous of the other forest-users. If you’re starting up a trail and come across some hunters, it’s always a good idea to ask where they are going and let them know where you are going so as to prevent any surprises further up the trail. Most of the hunters are very knowledgeable about the Los Padres and have been enjoying the forest for generations. Expect a busy weekend throughout A-Zone, be respectful, remember the current fire restrictions and of course everyone be safe out there.

Ecological Restoration Project (ERP)

The big news across the Los Padres has been the introduction of a proposed forest-wide fuels management project called the Ecological Restoration Project or ERP. At the moment ERP is within the scoping phase of the proposal and the Forest Service is currently inviting and encouraging the public to comment and share thoughts on the project. Information about ERP is available at the project page here as well as more information here, here, here and here. There is a lot of information flying around about ERP and we strongly encourage you to watch the FS webinar from earlier this week and attend an upcoming webinar that ForestWatch is leading. There are a couple takeaways you should keep in mind as you educate yourself on this project: 

  • There are two main sides to the fuels management debate (manage vs leave alone) and both sides believe they are doing what is best to protect the long-term health of the forest. 
  • The proposed ERP treatment acreage is staggeringly large but understand that the FS is looking to approve potential future treatment within that acreage. There are no plans to immediately treat that entire area, it would take decades to complete. The FS is essentially requesting the right to treat those areas as they see fit and when needed. 

Please do your research, educate yourself, talk it up, ask questions and be sure to share your opinion with the Forest Service.

The LPFA Ojai Chapter Adopt-A-Highway Volunteers unfortunately hit the jackpot during our July cleanup of Highway 33.

FOREST 411

• The LPFA Trail Crew and Trail Volunteers just wrapped up an incredible July where we maintained over 6 miles of Los Padres trails despite the oppressive heat. This was thanks in large part to grants we received from the National Forest Foundation, NFWF and donations from folks like you. We’re not sure we can replicate that success in August but we’re going to try. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED! 

• Late last month the Santa Barbara Ranger District issued an order to close the Upper Santa Ynez Recreation Area to all motorized vehicles. While the area has been closed to vehicles since 2016, this is the first formal closure the FS has issued. In addition to closing the area to vehicles, the closure also includes closing both Mono and Rock (Lower Caliente) Campgrounds due to nearby hazard trees and structures. The FS is hoping to reopen the area in FY 2023. Stay tuned….. 

• In response to repeated illegal camping along Highway 1 through Big Sur, Monterey County passed a new ordinance which has increased fines for illegal camping to $1,000. This ordinance is effective along Highway 1 between the Carmel River and the SLO County Line. 

• In case you’ve missed any of the recent LPFA talks or online programs, they are all posted and available to watch on our YouTube Channel. Check em out and don’t forget The Evil Root Ball Empire while you’re there….. 

• Earlier this summer the Forest Service received the go-ahead from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to begin fuels management efforts on two Mt Pinos RD forest health projects. No time table has been set for when the actual work will begin. 

• Did you hear the one about the four motorcycle riders who got lost and used InReach to have SAR deliver them food, water and maps? At the time they were illegally motoring in the San Rafael Wilderness and across the Sisquoc Wild & Scenic River? If only there was a way to track down their contact information…… 

• The Angeles NF is currently requesting comments to the River Values Assessment for the Piru Creek Wild & Scenic River. Piru Creek is located on the border of the Angeles and Los Padres. Be sure to check out the assessment and use your voice to comment. 

• For those of you in Ventura County or in case you’re looking for a way to avoid A-Zone, the Ventura Monthly shared an article about the Thomas Fire recovery and some summertime trails in the area worth exploring. Have at it…. 

• Last but certainly not least, the NY Times published a great article about ancient trees in the Los Padres and the study of historic droughts as they relate to tree rings. Not only is the content within this article super interesting, but the layout and artwork is fantastic. A+
AMAZING – Doesn’t quite look the same does it? photo LPNF Archives

UPCOMING EVENTS

A few upcoming dates, events, projects, presentations or things you might want to know. If you have any forest-related events to add to this list, let us know and we’re more than happy to pass along!  

Aug 13: SW Herpetologist Presentation, Wheeler Gorge VC, 10am
Aug 13 – Sep 25: A-Zone South General Hunting Season
Aug 17: Highway 33 Adopt-A-Highway, LPFA
Aug 18: Staying Safe on Trails w/ SBSAR, SB Library Talk
Aug 20: Saving the Condors Presentation, Wheeler Gorge VC, 10am
Aug 30: LPFA Trail Work Tuesday, TBD
Sep 2-5: Pine Ridge Trail Work, VWA
Sep 2-4: Big Sur Trail, VWA
Sep 13: LPFA Trail Work Tuesday, TBD
Sep 15: Tales of SB Backcountry w/ JWapotich, SB Library Talk
Sep 24: National Public Lands Day TBD, LPFA
Sep 30: Carrizo Trail Work, VWA
Oct 22: LPFA Party, Paradise Road
Oct 29: LPFA Used Camping Gear Sale
Oct 13-16: De Angulo Trail Work, VWA
November 2022: LPFA Working Vacation TBD, LPFA
Feb 4 2023: Volunteer Wilderness Ranger Training