Exploring The Los Padres National Forest
1,257 Miles of Trails on 1,762,400 Acres, with 875,000 Acres of Protected Wilderness to Explore.
Thank you for taking the time to visit the Hike Los Padres Community. This website was created with the mission of being a source of shared information on trails, camps, and locations across the entire Northern and Southern portions of the Los Padres National Forest. The more information we all share and catalog, the better we can track the conditions of the forest network and figure out what sections, trails, and locations are safe to use and which need maintenance.
A good portion of the interior of Los Padres National Forest gets very little use by the public, so any information on these areas will ensure that these places remain accessible for future generations of hikers, backpackers, trail runners, equestrians, O.H.V, hunters, cyclists, and explorers. Many of the trails listed may be unmaintained. Know your level of ability, and always remember to bring extra water.
In partnership with the Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA). The LPFA’s mission is to care for the Los Padres Forest, ensuring it thrives and remains safe and open for the people to use and enjoy. LPFA volunteers work to keep trails open, report and assess forest conditions and provide public education on how to use the forest safely. If you are interested in becoming a member or volunteering, please visit www.lpforest.org to learn more.
Over 1000+ Cataloged Locations
Location specific weather reports, recent camp and trail surveys, water data and much more.
Explore the hiking trails of the Los Padres National Forest. Combine trails to make loop trips, discover new trails for backpacking, or find new areas to explore.
205 Hiking Trails
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This updated list on camps enables you to find a new camp to visit anytime; we have included all car campgrounds and trail camps in this section.
293 Camps
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We got you covered on the O.H.V areas, including Google maps view of all trails, slope gains and losses, so you can be prepared for your next off road adventure.
56 OHV Trails
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Recent Water Reports
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Latest Camp Reports
Please click on a report below to view the survey
- Mono Campground Survey - 1-1-1936 - by Los Padres Forest Association
Link: | Mono Campground |
Date: | 1-1-1936 |
Surveyor Name: | Los Padres Forest Association |
Camp Description: | Historic video showing the construction of the Mono Debris Dam from 1936, enjoy!
https://archive.org/details/CCCAtMono1936 |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- 19 or Nineteen Oaks Camp Survey - 05-09-2024 - by Troop 26
Link: | 19 or Nineteen Oaks Camp |
Date: | 05-09-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Troop 26 |
Camp Description: | Camps are in good shape. Grass is fairly high everywhere outside of campsites, and good wildflowers in camp, and along the trail. Lots of water, so much that trail is pretty muddy in the spots at edges of the main spring area. |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | Flowing well into the trough. Plenty of water in the creek too. |
Weather Conditions: | 70's during the day, 40's at night. About 1/2 inch of rain overnight |
- Big Pine Camp Survey - 04-30-2024 - by Loren Butler
Link: | Big Pine Camp |
Date: | 04-30-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Loren Butler |
Camp Description: | Trail down to camp is serviceable but could use work. A very large tree fell directly next the camp picnic table; camp is still usable, but extensive sawyering is required. Happily, the ice box stove is still extent and fully functional. Spring is flowing more than I've ever seen it. |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | Spring flowing at high volume |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Bluff Guard Station Survey - 04-29-2024 - by Loren Butler
Link: | Bluff Guard Station |
Date: | 04-29-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Loren Butler |
Camp Description: | Water everywhere. Buckhorn Road from First crossing in generally good shape, though large slides near the lower Santa Cruz Trail terminus will require serious dozer work before vehicle access possible. Access from SB Canyon similar. "Road" immediately north of Bluff Camp is currently a fast-flowing creek and will require lots of work to repair. |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | Water everywhere |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Fish Creek Camp Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Fish Creek Camp |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Camp Description: | Toilet is in good condition. No rock hopping. Need to get feet wet at the 2 crossings |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Rays Camp Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Rays Camp |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Camp Description: | Camp is in good condition. Creek crossing is calf to thigh deep depending on the spot |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Manzana Camp Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Manzana Camp |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Camp Description: | Good condition and plenty of water |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Manzana Narrows Camp Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Manzana Narrows Camp |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Camp Description: | Camp and toilet are in good condition. Nice and quiet with only one other group. Plenty of water to swim in on a hot day |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Lost Valley Camp Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Lost Valley Camp |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Camp Description: | Good condition and plenty of water |
Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | |
Weather Conditions: | |
- Big Cone Spruce Camp Survey - 04-27-2024 - by Antoine
Link: | Big Cone Spruce Camp |
Date: | 04-27-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Antoine |
Camp Description: | Hiked from Manzana narrows. The trail is faint but findable at the beginning but I lost it around the two bends the canyon gets narrower. There is trees and branches everywhere around. The creek might be the easier way to go up. Once it is passed, the trail is again faint but easier follow. The trail that goes up to McKinley camp is very nice. Just two or three spots with one bush grown in the middle of it.
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Water Source: | Flowing |
Water Source Details: | The creek below the campground is flowing nicely |
Weather Conditions: | |
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Latest Trail Reports
Please click on a report below to view the survey
- Rose Lion Trail Survey - 08-01-2024 - by Neal L
Link: | Rose Lion Trail |
Date: | 08-01-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Neal L |
Trail description: | This trail is in good shape and is easy to follow. There was some minor brush in a few sections, but otherwise just fine. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Good shape and easy to follow |
- Lopez Canyon Trail Survey - 05-06-2024 - by Aaron
Link: | Lopez Canyon Trail |
Date: | 05-06-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Aaron |
Trail description: | What an adventure! Trail conditions are still brutal; lots of downed trees, poison oak, disappearing trail, no signage, oh and even more poison oak! Definitely not a trail for the faint of heart but the change in landscape and isolation are hard to find anywhere in this area. Lots of water in the creek but you’ll have to walk through all the crossings, so plan on wet feet. Would be nice to help get the trail back into useable shape but I’ll have to wait for all my skin to grow back after bushwhacking through poison oak. Also, as a previous commenter mentioned, the trail needs major equipment work to remove some 50 or so downed trees on the trail. Definitely not recommended until the trail gets cleaned up. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Hard to follow |
- Manzana Trail East (Upper) Survey - 04-28-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Manzana Trail East (Upper) |
Date: | 04-28-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Trail description: | Trail is in great shape to the narrows thanks to the trail crews. 15 crossings are ankle to thigh deep. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Good shape and easy to follow |
- Lion Canyon Trail Survey - 04-27-2024 - by Andy
Link: | Lion Canyon Trail |
Date: | 04-27-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Andy |
Trail description: | Went up to Topa Topa from Rose/Lion connector. Trail was in great condition with recent work above the campsites. There is an unmarked spring near the top (5000 ft), perfect timing for filtering and a break. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Good shape and easy to follow |
- Piedra Blanca Trail Survey - 04-27-2024 - by Zachary Caipang
Link: | Piedra Blanca Trail |
Date: | 04-27-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Zachary Caipang |
Trail description: | We did this as an overnight backpacking trip 4/27-4/28. The northern trailhead from at Reyes Creek Campground is unapproachable from the 33 due to Lockwood Valley Road being completely blown out. So we had to start from the southern Piedra Blanca trailhead.
The first 3 miles of the trail is pretty spectacular as you hike through chaparral landscape, crossing the FLOWING Sespe River and spectacular Piedra Blanca rock formations. After Piedra Blanca camp, the trail begins to climb significantly and most of this climbing is significantly overgrown with notable amounts of poison oak between mile 3 and 5. After mile 5 the trail continues to climb towards the pine groves. You get spectacular views of the Topa Topas to the south and Pine Mountain to the north. This section is significantly overgrown as well with spiky trees that cut my arms and face up quite a bit. It’s impossible to go through the trail without pushing past these spiky trees.
We finished the grueling overgrown climb at mile 7 when we made it to the Pine groves at the top of the ridge. We hiked past Pine Mountain Camp all the way to Three Mile Camp (total of 9 miles from the trailhead) where we set up camp. The creek near the campsite was fully flowing averaging 6” in depth in most locations.
We woke up the next morning and made our way down. The overgrowth was tough to get through again but at least we went a little faster due to the downhill. It began to feel hot and arid once we reached the Piedra Blancas. But it was refreshing to cross the cold Sespe river as we made the final walk to the parking lot.
Overall trail was beautiful and the weather was great. The trail definitely needs work from Piedra Blanca camp to Pine Mountain camp as the overgrowth was thick, which made the ascent and descent pretty miserable.
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Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Hard to follow |
Condition details: | Overgrown (poison oak present), Creeks Flowing |
- Big Cone Spruce Trail Survey - 04-24-2024 - by Capt. Wilderness
Link: | Big Cone Spruce Trail |
Date: | 04-24-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Capt. Wilderness |
Trail description: | We took a day hike out of Manzana Narrows Campground attempting to reach Big Cone Spruce Camp. After leaving the “main” trail above Manzana Narrows, the trail to BCSC rapidly deteriorated. It became progressively overgrown with poison oak, some spiky shrub, and brush in general. There was an occasional stone carin, to lead us, but after what would have been the sixth creek crossing we came upon a thicket of trees, rocks, and more poison oak. We turned back at this point. Hats off to hiker in another report from this month that made it all the way to Big Cone Spruce Camp. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Hard to follow |
- Lost Valley Trail San Rafael Wilderness Survey - 04-22-2024 - by Ian Evans
Link: | Lost Valley Trail San Rafael Wilderness |
Date: | 04-22-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Ian Evans |
Trail description: | I spent probably a quarter of the trail pushing through overgrown sections of the trail, coming from the east section of Hurricane Deck down the canyon. Chest to overheard high branches from both sides made it hard to navigate through, and it was particularly bad in rocky sections where you could stumble on unseen large rocks on the ground.
There are some extremely sketchy, steep bypasses around eroded trail sections in the lower canyon. Loose rocks, loose dirt, bad news if you misstep.
I was wearing long sleeves and pants with shoe gaiters, which made it bearable, if not fun.
Vulture Spring was flowing at both the upper crossing (mind the poison oak) and lower down where the trail cuts back.
Lost Valley Creek had decent flow at Twin Oaks, and all along the lower sections.
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Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Needs some work |
Condition details: | Significant bushwhacking required in many sections |
- Lost Valley Trail Ventana Wilderness Survey - 04-21-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Lost Valley Trail Ventana Wilderness |
Date: | 04-21-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Trail description: | I tried to hike on this trail from Escondido Camp to Fish Camp (so that I could pass by pothole slide waterfall, near Fish Camp). After hiking 1 mile from Escondido Camp and reaching the arroyo seco river, the trail became very difficult to follow. It was overgrown with bushes, poison oak, and obstructed by downed trees. At no point was there simply soil underfoot, we were hiking over grass and shrubs. At times I was not even sure I was following the original trail. After a half mile of that we turned back around. I think it would be fun to come back with some strong hikers and machetes and clear the way, but that was an effort I was not prepared for this time around. |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Non existent |
- Manzana Trail West (Lower) Survey - 04-21-2024 - by Turbo
Link: | Manzana Trail West (Lower) |
Date: | 04-21-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Turbo |
Trail description: | Trail is in great shape. Flagging is pretty easy to follow. Trail is pretty well defined. No tick or snake sightings |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Good shape and easy to follow |
- Manzana Trail West (Lower) Survey - 04-21-2024 - by Anonymous Surveyor
Link: | Manzana Trail West (Lower) |
Date: | 04-21-2024 |
Surveyor Name: | Anonymous Surveyor |
Trail description: | Most crossings were thigh deep or less. Trekking poles were helpful for the deeper crossings |
Mode of transport: | Hike |
Trail condition: | Good shape and easy to follow |
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