Hidden Potrero Camp South Los Padres National Forest

• Camp Type: Trail Camp
• Topo Map Link: Little Pine Mountain
• Elevation: 2,769 feet
• Wilderness Area: Non Wilderness Area
• County: Santa Barbara County
• Ranger District: Santa Barbara Ranger District
• Longitude: -119.7385257
• Latitude: 34.56892557
• Water Sources: The spring at Hidden Potrero is pretty reliable. The box is across the road but feeds to the water tanks. One of the tanks provides access to water.
• Length of Stay: 14 Days
• Reservations: Trail Camp

Recent Water Reports:

Date	Surveyor	Water Report
07-13-2023	Anonymous Surveyor	Dry
04-10-2021	Anonymous Surveyor	Dry
03-05-2021	Luna	Trickle
11-24-2020	BD	Trickle
10-18-2020	LPFA	Trickle
06-02-2020	Surly One	Flowing
09-21-2019	Anonymous Surveyor	Trickle
07-14-2019	Anonymous Surveyor	Trickle
04-28-2019	Shaddus Maximus	Trickle
02-22-2019	Jay Wright	Flowing
06-18-2018	Valerie Norton	Trickle
04-14-2018	James	Trickle
10-26-2017	Arliss Crow	Trickle
04-22-2017	Anonymous Surveyor	Dry
03-29-2016	Aaron Songer	Dry
07-24-2014	Los Padres Forest Association	Trickle

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Description:

Hidden Potrero Camp was named after a potrero which is actually located far above the camp on top of the mountain to the south of camp. Hidden Potrero has two benches, two fire rings and great views of the impressive south face of Little Pine Mtn. The biggest drawback of Hidden Potrero is that it is located literally feet from the Buckhorn Rd. Unless you love the sound of motorcycles, this camp is usually too loud for most campers and doesn't see a ton of use. There is semi-reliable water in the storage tanks and trough above the camp. You will need to play with some of the valves to get it to work, assuming there is enough water in the storage tanks. The steep peak just west of camp is called 'The Nipple' and looks down on 19 Oaks Camp. There is cell reception at Hidden Potrero Camp.

Survey Photos:

• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 07-24-2014
  Horse troughs were not surprisingly dry
• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 07-24-2014
  Spigot was flowing nicely
• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 07-24-2014
  The water tanks
• 
  Valerie Norton - 06-18-2018
  water at east end of camp
• 
  LPFA - 10-18-2020
  table
• 
  LPFA - 10-18-2020
  campsite

Submitted Camp Reports

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 07-13-2023 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	07-13-2023
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Bring more water than you think you will need, 5lt was not enough from upper oso camp. Very hot, absolutely no shade until you reach this camp. Saw no motorcycles or tracks.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	July 23'- 88° very hot, very dry, no wind

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 04-10-2021 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	04-10-2021
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	no water was available here. glad we brought in 6L of water
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	cisterns all empty
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 03-05-2021 - by Luna

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	03-05-2021
Surveyor Name:	Luna
Camp Description:	Water was good, wish I didn't carry so much up from Upper Oso.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Decent trickle of clear water into the horse trough. Minimal algae growth
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 11-24-2020 - by BD

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	11-24-2020
Surveyor Name:	BD
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 10-18-2020 - by LPFA

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	10-18-2020
Surveyor Name:	LPFA
Camp Description:	The campsite has been recently cleaned up for an eagle scout project.  The area around the table, fire ring, and tents were racked.  down trees were removed The table was rebuilt.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	water looks clean and moving in and out of the trough
Weather Conditions:
Images:	table campsite

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 06-02-2020 - by Surly One

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	06-02-2020
Surveyor Name:	Surly One
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Trough is full, water still coming in. Leaking but good flow.
Weather Conditions:	80ish

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 09-21-2019 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	09-21-2019
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Trough was full
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 07-14-2019 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	07-14-2019
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Camp was fairly overgrown
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Trough was full, steady trickle was coming from the pipe
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 04-28-2019 - by Shaddus Maximus

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	04-28-2019
Surveyor Name:	Shaddus Maximus
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Nice clear water in the trough just north of the (burnt) picnic table and fire ring. Steady trickle of inflow water from the pipe.
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 02-22-2019 - by Jay Wright

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	02-22-2019
Surveyor Name:	Jay Wright
Camp Description:	Lots of water all over back there after the recent storms.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Trough is full and overflowing
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 06-18-2018 - by Valerie Norton

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	06-18-2018
Surveyor Name:	Valerie Norton
Camp Description:	Looked it over from the road on my way up and stopped to listen to the water (and relax my feet) on the way down. Between the two tables, there seems to be half a bench and 2/3 of a top now. There is a thistle growing out the center of the fire ring. But, oh, that water.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	full trough, a line of mud from the overflow down the hill
Weather Conditions:
Images:	water at east end of camp

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 04-14-2018 - by James

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	04-14-2018
Surveyor Name:	James
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	The trough was full
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 10-26-2017 - by Arliss Crow

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	10-26-2017
Surveyor Name:	Arliss Crow
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Went by on my bike and noticed that the trough was full.
Weather Conditions:

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 04-22-2017 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	04-22-2017
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Just cycled past, didn't stop to check for water in the tanks. Camp is destroyed from the Rey fire only charred bits of things remain.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	Didn't check for water.
Weather Conditions:	Sunny and warm

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 03-29-2016 - by Aaron Songer

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	03-29-2016
Surveyor Name:	Aaron Songer
Camp Description:	The box at the road was empty but the ground was damp. I didn't check the water tanks, but they should have water. The camp is nice and very green right now.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	spring box has no water
Weather Conditions:	cool, sunny, breezy

Hidden Potrero Camp Survey - 07-24-2014 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Hidden Potrero Camp
Date:	07-24-2014
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	We checked the spring at Hidden Potrero and the box was very low but did have water.  There was also water coming out of the spigot in the water tanks.  The camp had a bit of trash strewn around but was in fair enough shape for the middle of summer.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:
Images:	Horse troughs were not surprisingly dry Spigot was flowing nicely The water tanks

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