Arroyo Burro Trail South - Los Padres National Forest
Trail Distance 4.42 Miles

The trail begins slightly more than a half mile after you begin your hike up the Jesusita Trail. The trail sign is under a large oak and is situated right before you would head up onto a long plateau if you were continuing on the Jesusita.

I noticed the sign for the first time in Fall, 1999. Curious about what was beyond I abandoned my planned hike, which was up to Inspiration Point, and began to investigate. The Arroyo Burro Trail was the first I ever hiked in these mountains and I was very interested to discover where it would lead me today.

The trail crosses the creek and heads up the west side of the canyon wall. A decade ago an old bulldozed path could be followed up to a higher crest where you could then continue along, yo yo’ing up and down on the ridgeline until you reached the end of the powerlines and the beginning of the upper trail. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

A hundred yards up the hill the trail disappeared at a wide asphalt driveway. I was at a bit of a loss where to head next then I spotted another trail sign up the road. I headed over to it, thinking there must be a path hidden in the brush just beyond it, but when I got there I couldn’t find the trail. Slowly it dawned on me that the driveway, which headed steeply up the hill, was the trail—or at least that’s what you were supposed to follow.

As I trudged up the hill I questioned whether this was the route but sure enough, when I reached the top, there was another trail sign, a reminder that, indeed, the trail easement did go this way.

I’ve come back several times since this, exploring more of the upper trail. The route from here on isn’t what it used to be like, and the necessity of having to follow the asphalt takes a lot away from the experience, but I like it up here. But then, I am prejudiced: getting up onto the upper Arroyo Burro Trail is like coming home and it evokes very special memories.

The ridgeline you reach, once you have gotten up this extremely steep road, separates San Roque and Barger canyons. There are sweeping views in all directions and I can see why the road leads here. Were I rich enough I would want to have my home perched on one of the knolls which dot the ridge.

The route continues to follow the asphalt for several hundred more yards, and is level, so you have time to catch your breath and look out on the coastline. Just as the road starts to drop down into Barger Canyon there is another trail sign. Here, you will finally get back on a real trail. This cuts across the west side of the ridgeline, leading to a large, open meadow. What you will be doing is paralleling the ridge but just off it. There is a dirt road which goes straight up the ridge and I suppose you could just follow that but I don’t think you are supposed to, even though no signs tell you not to (that could change).

Beyond the meadow, the trail heads up into the chaparral until it reaches a dirt road. You turn right and follow this a hundred yards to a point where you are back on the main ridge. From there you will go left and until you reach the end of the powerlines you will be going up and down a series of short steep hills leading up the main ridge.

On one of my afternoon explorations I was fortunate enough to spot a bobcat sitting at the bottom of one of these hills. It was staring into the bushes just off the trail, kind of a like most cats do when they’ve spotted something in the grass and are stalking it. I watched it for more than ten minutes. It remained motionless until it caught onto my presence, then it slowly made its way on up the road and disappeared into the chaparral.

When I reached the point where it had gone in the brush I could see the small path it had followed. There it was, sitting under a ceanothus bush, barely ten yards away, staring at me. I watched it for what seemed like a long time then I moved on, letting it be. On the way back down I spotted it again bounding down the road. What a treat.

By the time you’ve reached the end of the powerlines your legs will probably be pretty tired. There are a lot of ups and downs. But there is a great rest stop just ahead of you. The upper trail begins right after the last tower. There are several switchbacks leading to an outcropping of Sespe red beds and the perfect place to take a break. You can tell plenty of others have too. There are carvings everywhere. This is also a good spot to end your hike unless, of course, you can’t resist more switchbacks and lots more uphill.

The trail moves from the Sespe into layers of Coldwater Sandstone and really begins to gain elevation. Seven hundred feet of switchbacks bring you to a second series of outcroppings, several of which make good rest spots. Right after this the trail levels out, goes through several meadows, then begins cutting west across the mountainside until you reach the east fork of San Antonio Creek. The trail drops down into the canyon, follows it upstream for a bit then crosses to the west side of the canyon and rises rapidly for 800 feet to East Camino Cielo. Unfortunately, the canyon section is private property, making it illegal for you to hike all the way up to the crest.

RAY FORD - http://www.sboutdoors.com/arroyo-burro-trail.html

Directions: From Santa Barbara Hwy 101, 10 miles NW on Hwy 154, 7 miles East on Paradise and park near the gate where Arroyo Burro Road intersects Paradise Road (do not block gate). The trailhead is 1/4 mile up Arroyo Burro Road on the other side of the river on the right near the large cottonwood trees.