Buellton, California

Tunnel Trail is a great way to get to the top of La Cumbre Peak. You get to the trailhead by taking Tunnel Road until it dead ends at a large water tower, there you can park your car and start on foot. You take Spyglass Ridge Road up which is a paved fire road until it becomes dirt when you get o...

Hike up the 3.5 mile trail to an unbeatable vista that will leave you smiling! This hike has a steady uphill climb from the trailhead off of Tunnel Rd into Los Padres National Forest. Keep in mind this trail can get pretty crowded on weekends, so you're best to be at the trail early in the mornin...

Santa Barbara is known for its incredible terrain. Paragliding at Elings Park is an amazing way to take in the gorgeous local scenery from an entirely new perspective. You’ll get your blood and adrenaline pumping as you challenge yourself to try something new under the watchful, expert eyes of th...

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

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 c...

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 fre...

Begin at the trailhead in the parking area on E. Valley Road. You'll gain some elevation (don't forget your water). You'll know when you arrive at Saddle Rock--you can't miss this conspicuous rock formation. Enjoy the sights from here. If you plan carefully and hike up on a clear day, you may eve...

The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes and nearby Lake Oso Flaco are home to many endangered and threatened species of plants and animals. A beautiful, short boardwalk takes you from the parking lot, over Lake Oso Flaco, and through the dunes before arriving at the ocean. Enjoy the local wildlife and abundan...

Driving on the beach is fun, and there are few places in California where you can legally do it. Just south of Pismo Beach you'll find Oceano Dunes. Pay the $4.00 entrance fee and drive your car right onto the beach. Keep an eye on tides and watch out for deep sand and sneaker waves! You won't be...

There are 2 campgrounds close to Rincón, but Carpinteria State Beach is a little bigger and easier to find a spot. There are 4 campgrounds: Santa Cruz, Anacapa, San Miguel and Santa Rosa. Most of them are RV sites, but if you stay at Santa Cruz Campground you can set your tent right at the beach,...

Hiking along nature trails, swimming, and surf fishing are all possible here, including wheelchair accessible fishing at Ocean Lagoon. Facilities consist of fire rings, restrooms, and showers. Restaurants are not far from the campground, as well. Make your reservation here.

Channel Islands National Park is California's least visited National Park. If you visit, you will see many unique plants and animals, including a rare native fox species, and Torrey Pines, only found here and in a small grove near San Diego. This adventure is not for the inexperienced. There is ...

You can get a wonderfully detailed description of what to expect from the Channel Islands/Santa Rosa Island and how to get there from fellow Explorer Michael Wigle's "Beach Camp on Santa Rosa Island" adventure (which I highly recommend you check out for the information and the photography, so I'm...

The vast diversity of terrain of Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands National Park is matched in uniqueness only by its own flora and fauna, in particular the endangered and endemic Torrey Pine. The best way to view and experience these strange, broad trees is via the Torrey Pines Trail, whi...

The National Park Service describes this hike in the following:  "Strenuous.  A spectacular canyon with wind- and water-sculpted sandstone cliffs, a year-round stream, riparian vegetation, and a spectacular coast at its mouth.  Well worth the effort." I couldn't agree more with the last sentence...

One could a lifetime exploring, and attempting to describe, the beauty of the Channel Islands National Park and Santa Rosa Island in particular: its wildly diverse terrain, endemic flora and fauna, and also the only of the Islands to allow backcountry beach camping. While the opportunities for di...