Ballard Camp South Los Padres National Forest

Submitted Camp Reports

Ballard Camp Survey - 04-02-2023 - by holly h

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	04-02-2023
Surveyor Name:	holly h
Camp Description:	Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of water running through camp. The recent rains also brought down many trees, shrubs along the trail and in camp. Upper camp is still a mess. Not much available flat ground. Didn't proceed to the other camp sites. Passed a hunter who intended to head up to Zaca ridge, but he said he had to turn around (storm damage?).
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	strong flow, clear water
Weather Conditions:	60's and sunny
Images:	view of upper camp from trail upper campsite Birabent Creek at camp

Ballard Camp Survey - 05-01-2022 - by BP

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	05-01-2022
Surveyor Name:	BP
Camp Description:	Nice hike from Figueroa Mountain Rd down to Upper Ballard Camp. Flowing water, with plenty to pump. Two campsites. One is pretty nice with a grill, fire pit and open space for a tent. The other has a grill only and the ground is uneven.  Lots of bugs, but they didn't seem all that interested in me. Between my two dogs they got three ticks that I removed with a tick key when I got home. The hike down creek from Upper Ballard Camp was overgrown in some spots but hikeable.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Clear and about a foot deep in some places.
Weather Conditions:	Clear, sunny, high of 70.
Images:	Pool near camp Campsite

Ballard Camp Survey - 12-11-2021 - by Matt Daily

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	12-11-2021
Surveyor Name:	Matt Daily
Camp Description:	Trail down to Ballard from Figueroa Mountain Road is in great shape!
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Creek flowing nicely - clear, good quality water
Weather Conditions:
Images:

Ballard Camp Survey - 11-13-2021 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	11-13-2021
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	ticks throughout. LOWER ballard dries less than 100 meters uphill from the actual camp area. UPPER ballard flowing. No grills/fire pits @ lower ballard. trail between lower ballard & 8N02A overgrown.
Weather Conditions:	warm even to sunrise

Ballard Camp Survey - 11-10-2019 - by James Wapotich

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	11-10-2019
Surveyor Name:	James Wapotich
Camp Description:	The two campsites at Ballard Camp are where Upper Ballard Camp is shown on the Google map. The location shown here is for the original Ballard Camp which is no longer there. The creek is flowing all the way down to just before the site of the original Ballard Camp, and is still running clear like it was springtime.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Ballard Camp Survey - 03-17-2018 - by Nate

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	03-17-2018
Surveyor Name:	Nate
Camp Description:	Ballard Camp was in great condition, however, the trail beyond Ballard Camp was quite overgrown.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	The water was over a foot deep in places and flowing well
Weather Conditions:	Light rain and snow

Ballard Camp Survey - 12-08-2017 - by Jasonn Beckstrand

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	12-08-2017
Surveyor Name:	Jasonn Beckstrand
Camp Description:	Trail to camp needs brushing and tread work.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	good clean water at the camp. Nice pool to dunk in below the camp
Weather Conditions:	Clear, but smoke is moving in. 75F
Images:	First Campsite Nice set of pools

Ballard Camp Survey - 11-10-2017 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	11-10-2017
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Did a day trip to the meadow where Ballard Creek enters Birabent Canyon. Trail is pretty overgrown at places. Water is flowing nicely from Upper Ballard Camp down through the junction of the La Jolla Spring canyon. It goes underground from there down the canyon. Ladybugs everywhere at the upper camp and some banana slugs too.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Water flowing nicely through canyon and camp
Weather Conditions:

Ballard Camp Survey - 07-14-2016 - by J DeVine

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	07-14-2016
Surveyor Name:	J DeVine
Camp Description:	Overnight trip with my son.  Hot this time of year and this 1.8 miles down to the camp with a pack (and back up to the car next day) seems longer than 1.8 miles but can be easily done in an hour.  Pretty views from the trail of Birabent Canyon and the upper portion of the trail must be beautiful when the wildflowers are out. The second campsite you come to is better than the first because it has a clearing and there are a bunch of nettles just off trail and in the first campsite.  In the second campsite there is a fire ring, standing cast iron grill (how the heck did this heavy thing get down here?) and shovel, but we did not have a fire due to restrictions and just ate pack food.  We could have filtered water in the creek, but we had packed in 6 liters. We tried to go down the trail/creek to explore Original Ballard Camp but had to turn back after a couple tenths of a mile due to overgrown poison oak.  Not much to do here as you are in the middle of a narrow canyon shaded by trees. Bring bug spray. Flies/gnats during the day. Mosquitoes at night.   Â
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Water was flowing and pools several inches deep
Weather Conditions:	Sunny 87 degrees/exposed at trailhead/shady in camp. About 60 degrees at night.
Images:	Trailhead Trail Second Campsite

Ballard Camp Survey - 01-24-2016 - by James Wapotich

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	01-24-2016
Surveyor Name:	James Wapotich
Camp Description:	The location shown on the HLP map is where the original camp was located, i.e. at the confluence of Alamo Pintado Creek and the side creek fed by La Jolla Spring. The camp is now located where the trail first meets the creek when coming down from Figueroa Mountain Road. The are two sites for the camp, both along the creek.Â
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Ballard Camp Survey - 07-26-2015 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	07-26-2015
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	Ballard Camp had great water and was nice and shady even with the temps being in the low 90's.  This is certainly an option for summertime camping since it has year round water.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Ballard Camp Survey - 07-09-2015 - by Hike

Link:	Ballard Camp
Date:	07-09-2015
Surveyor Name:	Hike
Camp Description:	Water flowing nicely through Ballard camp. As discovered in an online post from Santa Barbara EdHat: http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=155504
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Leave A Camp Report

Survey / Report Form