Madulce Trail

Red Rock Pools is a relatively popular swimming hole located along the Santa Ynez River about an hour outside of Santa Barbara, California. The trail to the swimming hole is relatively short, but more pools can be found if you follow the Gibraltar Trail down to the Gibraltar Dam (an additional 3 miles down the trail). The trail is dog-friendly on a leash. There is a fee for parking at trail...

One of the many hidden gems near Santa Barbara, Knapp's Castle is an abandoned home built in 1916 by George Knapp. Finding the trailhead can be difficult because it's not clearly marked and the road it's starts from is long, winding and narrow. Coming from the 154, turn right on East Camino Cielo and drive three miles east to a small pullout on the right hand side of the road. Across from the p...

Pine Mountain is closed intermittently for the winter season due to snowfall, usually from November through February. Outside of those months, take the Highway 33 north out of Ojai, heading north for about an hour and a half. You’ll see a large turnout as well as a sign reading “Pine Mt Road” on your right side. Take this exit and you’ll find yourself on a windy but enjoyable road for about 20 ...

This waterfall can be fairly dry during the year, so keep your eyes out for a recent rainstorm to get things going. When you start the hike on East Folk Trail, at 0.25 miles, cross over the creek and join West Fork Trail. A little over another half mile, West Fork starts to head uphill, but you can head downhill by turning right onto Middle Fork toward the creek. Cross over the creek and conti...

If you love the mountains above Santa Barbara but hate the crowds, stick to the canyon trails on the east side. The trails running up Cold Spring canyon offer a variety of experiences without all the noise. To find the West Fork of Cold Spring Trail, take the Olive Mill Rd. exit from the 101 freeway heading north. It becomes Hot Springs road at the top of Montecito. Take a left on East Mountai...

Cold Spring Trail Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Santa Barbara, California.