19 or Nineteen Oaks Camp South Los Padres
1709 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
19 Oaks Camp is located on the Santa Cruz Trail (27W09)
The hike begins at Upper Oso Campground in the Oso Canyon, 34.55729, -119.77116. After going around a locked gate, follow a wide motor cycle road for under three quarters of a mile. The trail is fairly low angle and covered…
Abel Canyon Camp South Los Padres
1726 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Abel Canyon Camp is located on the Sisquoc Trail (30W1) in the San Rafael Wilderness. Abel is one of the more remote and seldom visited camps. It's located under a thicket of oak trees just above a perennial seep along the Sisquoc River. The camp can be quite dark and dank due…
Alamar Saddle Camp South Los Padres
5650 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
This camp is located 2/10 of a mile south of the Alamar Saddle on a side loop of the Buckhorn Road (9N11). Alamar Camp is located at the junction of the Buckhorn and Alamar Trail (26W06), and is not far from the peak of Big Pine Mountain.…
Alcove Camp South Los Padres
3750 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Located at the bottom of a cliff and surrounded by oak trees, Alcove Camp is a great for spot pitching a single tent. The camp has nice spot with soft sand right under the cliff that is totally sheltered from the rain. Views of the San Rafael Mountains from camp can be excellent.
Alder Creek Camp - Santa Barbara County South Los Padres
2800 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Since the closure of Romero Camuesa Road (5N15.1) to vehicular traffic, Alder Creek Camp has become much more remote than it once was. Although only about 1.2 miles from the North Franklin Trailhead, the camp now must be accessed 8.8 miles away at the…
Alder Creek Camp - Ventura South Los Padres
2520 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Access the Alder Creek Camp from Alder Creek Trail (20W11) from the trailhead at Dough Flat trailhead. Dough Flat is 17 miles north of Fillmore on unimproved Forest Road 6N16 (Oak Flat/Cow Spring Road). Vehicle access to Dough Flat Road only.
Special…
Alejandro Camp South Los Padres
1600 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Special features:This camp lies amidst numerous large oaks and is surrounded by a two strand barbed wire fence designed to keep out range cattle in the area.
Historical highlights: This site was apparently named after Alejandro Ontiveros who established an early hunter retreat here. The land…
Ant Camp South Los Padres
2700 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Ant camp is a small trail camp located on the trail junction of Bucksnort Trail and the Aqua Blanca Trail in the Sespe Wilderness, the camp is at 2700 feet elevation. The camp is well named because the site is alive with ants. It is…
Ballard Camp South Los Padres
2080 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
The camp is named after William N. Ballard. He was the station agent at the Ballard stage coach station which he established in the early 1860's until his death around 1870. The camp was established as a hunting camp on Birabent Creek which was named for a early homesteader in the canyon. Mr. Ballard…
Balm of Gilead Camp South Los Padres
2000 ft. • San Luis Obispo County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
The Balm of Gilead camp gets its name from the Balm of Gilead trees that grow in the area. This is a trail camp.
Access: Located northeast of Arroyo Grande via the Pozo-Arroyo Grande county road and the Trout Creek Trail (31S01) and Seller's…
Barrel Springs Camp South Los Padres
1000 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Historical Camp
This is no longer a car camp, you can still hike or bike into the camp. The spring is no longer working, so now accessible water at this camp unless the creek is flowing. The camp has plenty of tables and fire rings.
The campground is located east of Santa Maria via the Tepusquet Road, Colson…
Bear Camp South Los Padres
1400 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Bear camp is located on the Bear Canyon Trail (31W05). This is a small trail camp.
Bear Creek Camp South Los Padres
2820 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Bear Creek Camp is located on the Sespe River Trail about 4 miles downstream from the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. Once an old car camp, the camp now sits near the creek on a sandy beach area shaded by sycamores and cottonwoods and interspersed with interesting red…
Beartrap Camp South Los Padres
5000 ft. • Ventura County • Mt. Pinos Ranger District • Trail Camp
Beartrap camp is located in the shade of large incense cedars along Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail, about 5 miles from the trailhead at Reyes Creek Campground. According to local lore, the camp got its name because the Reyes family…
Big Cone Camp South Los Padres
1680 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
The camp is located on the Santa Paula Canyon Trail (21W11). The camp is near the falls and gorge of Santa Paula Creek. Named after the Big Cone Spruce trees in the area.
Big Cone Spruce Camp South Los Padres
3800 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
The camp is near some very Iarge big cone Douglas Fir trees which are numerous in this part of the canyon. Located on the Big Cone Spruce Trail (28W04), up the canyon from just above Manzana Narrows Camp.
Big Pine Camp South Los Padres
6,100 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Big Pine Camp (aka Big Pine Spring Camp) is located about 1/4mile down off the Buckhorn Rd on the western flank of Big Pine Mtn in the San Rafael Wilderness. Big Pine Camp has a very reliable spring which helps fill up a large metal sub-terranean spring tank. In order to access the water you must…
Bill Faris Camp South Los Padres
4200 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Bill Faris is a small camp on Alamar Creek between Alamar Saddle and Dutch Oven. There are about 5 icecan stoves in camp. The camp used to be pretty nice but after the Zaca Fire the huge pine tree in camp died and has since become a hazard to the camp. Most people are now camping in the small meadow…
Blue Canyon Camp South Los Padres
1700 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Blue Canyon gets its name from the blue-green serpentine formations found along its 5 mile length. The canyon runs directly along the Santa Ynez Fault. This is a relatively narrow canyon with several overnight camps along it. Blue Canyon Camp is about a quarter-mile from the…
Blue Jay Camp South Los Padres
3550 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
A small camp lopcated halfway between Bluff and Poplar Camp on Indian Creek.
Ray’s Notes
Bob Burtness NotesAdministration: Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara District
Bluff Camp - East Fork Santa Paula Canyon South Los Padres
4600 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Bluff Camp gets its name from the very large, awe inspiring, red sandstone formations surrounding the site. The camp sits just outside the southern edge of the Sespe Wilderness boundary. While seldom visited, it does still get occasional upkeep from the more adventures backcountry enthusiasts. Traditionally,…
Buck Creek Camp South Los Padres
4200 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Buck Creek Camp is located on the Buck Creek Trail (18W01) in the Sespe Wilderness
Buckeye Camp South Los Padres
1700 ft. • San Luis Obispo County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Buckeye Camp is located on the Caldwell Trout Creek Trail (15E06) in the Garcia Wilderness.
Cedar Creek Camp South Los Padres
5,080 ft. • Ventura County • Mt. Pinos Ranger District • Trail Camp
Located on a bench between the South Fork Cedar Creek and an unnamed drainage, Cedar Creek is a fantastic camp under a lush forest of incense cedar and ponderosa pines.
There are three fire-rings within the camp and enough room to play some frisbee or spread out should you have a larger group.
Being…
Chorro Grande Camp South Los Padres
6400 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Chorro Grande Camp is a small primitive trail camp located on the Chorro Grande Trail (23W05) 4.3 miles from Highway 33. The camp is nestled among large conifer and oak trees. Temperatures are usually cooler here than than the more exposed lower trail and snow is not uncommon…
Cienega South Camp South Los Padres
3480 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Cienega South Camp is a primitive trail camp located on the Santa Paula Canyon Trail(21W11) just after the junction with the Santa Paula Peak Trail (20W16).
Cliff Camp South Los Padres
1800 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
The camp was established by a Forest Service trail crew as a trail camp while they were rebuilding the Sisquoc River Trail 3OW12 after the 1968 flood.Located between the Sisquoc River and a tall cliff face. Hawks often nest in cavities in the face of the cliff.
Coche Camp South Los Padres
3350 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Historical Camp
Coche Camp is a small primitive trail camp located on the Santa Cruz Trail (27W09) in the San Rafael Wilderness. According to local legend, Coche means pig and must have meant that at one point…
Coldwater Camp South Los Padres
1600 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Coldwater Camp is a small primitive trail camp on the Manzana Trail (30W13) located in the San Rafael Wilderness
Coltrell Flat South Los Padres
2312 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Coltrell Flat is a small camp along the Sespe River Trail about 10.5 miles downstream from Piedra Blanca Trailhead. Located at the old homestead site of George Cotriell, this camp sits in a large group of Live Oak trees at the edge of an impressive meadow about…
Cottam Camp South Los Padres
1600 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
In 1915 Russel and Albert Cottam obtained a special use permit on the meadow where Blue Canyon Creek and Forbush Creek join to flow north to the Santa Ynez River. Originally, the camp was known as Lower Blue Canyon Camp, but later was renamed Cottam Camp. The brothers built a cabin and corrals and…
Cottonwood Camp - Sisquoc Trail South Los Padres
3400 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Cottonwood Camp is located along the Sisquoc Trail (27W07). It is most frequently accessed from either Santa Barbara Canyon or as part of a longer trip from Nira Campground. There are three camps within Cottonwood: a lower camp, which is across the creek,…
Cove Camp South Los Padres
1750 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Located on the south side of Agua Blanca Creek on a stream terrace. A bend in the creek forms a shallow cove. Large oak trees shade the camp. It is located about 1 1/2 miles down stream from the Big Narrows. It is a good place to camp and day hike up to explore and swim the Big Narrows pools. It…
Cow Spring Camp South Los Padres
3700 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Located at the end of the Squaw Flat abandoned road, the camp was the beginning of the Alder Creek Trail (20W11) that descended to Alder Creek. North of the camp, along the trail are large exposures of deep red Sespe sandstone. There is a small seasonal waterfall at the head of Stone Corral Creek.…
Cross Camp South Los Padres
1800 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
A small primitive trail camp located on the Last Chance Trail(21W09).
Cuchudas Camp South Los Padres
1700 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Chuchudas Camp is located on the Horse Canyon Labrea Trail (31W09) in the San Rafael Wilderness.
Deal Junction Camp South Los Padres
1300 ft. • Ventura County • Mt. Pinos Ranger District • Trail Camp
A small primative trail camp located at the junction of Deal Trail and Rancho Nuevo Trail in the Dick Smith Wilderness.
Dinsomore Camp South Los Padres
2090 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Dinsomore Camp is located on the Buckhorn Trail (27W12) at the junction of the Upper Buckhorn Creek and the Buckhorn Creek. This very primative trail camp is shaded by large trees.
Don Victor Camp South Los Padres
3400 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
A small and very remote trail camp located off the Loma Victor Road (7N05), the Don Victor Trail starts here. The camp was once an old homestead owned by Don Victor in the 1920's, you can find the ruins of his old cabin near by.
Dutch Oven Camp South Los Padres
3700 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Dutch Oven Camp was supposedly named after a dutch oven pot that was left at the camp and stayed there for some time. The camp was probably created due to it being just below the junction of the
East Fork Lion Camp South Los Padres
3440 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
This camp was formerly known as Spruce Falls. A short distance up stream is a small waterfall. The area surrounding the camp was burned over by the 1971 Bear Fire but vegetation has erased most of the fire scars.
Northeast of Ojai via State Highway 33 for 141/2 miles, Rose Valley Road (7NO3)…
Falls Camp South Los Padres
4720 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Falls is a small trail camp located near Lower Bear Camp on the Upper Sisquoc Trail (30W12) in the San Rafael Wilderness
Fish Creek Camp South Los Padres
2000 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Located at the junction of Fish Creek and Manzana Creek, Fish Creek Camp is a few miles upstream from NIRA along the Manzana Trail. Legend has it that the camp used to be about a half mile downstream but was moved to its current location…
Fishbowls Camp South Los Padres
5200 ft. • Ventura County • Mt. Pinos Ranger District • Trail Camp
Fishbowls Camp is located near the headwaters of Piru Creek upon Pine Mountain within the Sespe Wilderness. Named after the series of bowl shaped swimming holes that are upstream from camp, Fishbowls has year round water and is nestled amongst pine trees and sandstone outcrops. The camp is along…
Flores Flat Camp South Los Padres
2300 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Flores Flat Camp is located in between the Santa Cruz Camp and Kellog Camp on the Santa Cruz Trail (27W09) in the San Rafael Wilderness
Gridley Springs Camp South Los Padres
2400 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
A small primative trail camp located on the Gridley Trail(22W05) in the Ojai Ranger District.
Haddock Camp South Los Padres
6080 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Haddock Camp, technically pronounced 'hay-dock' but commonly called 'had-dik', is located along the upper Piedra Blanca drainage along Pine Mountain in the Sespe Wilderness. The camp is set amidst towering pine trees in a grassy small flat surrounded by white rock crags. Haddock is most commonly…
Happy Hollow Camp South Los Padres
4,318 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Barbara Ranger District • Trail Camp
Happy Hollow Camp is located in the bowl on the crest of Little Pine Mountain. If you walk around the perimeter of Happy Hollow, you’ll notice that there are no outlets from the top, meaning that all water flows to the center of the bowl. It’s very interesting and a unique feature…
Happy Hunting Ground Camp South Los Padres
3183 ft. • Santa Barbara County • Santa Lucia Ranger District • Trail Camp
Happy Hunting Ground Camp is about 9 miles from NIRA on the upper section of the Manzana Trail, after it climbs away from Manzana Creek towards Hurricane Deck. Situated in a small meadow and surrounded by a few oaks, this camp is…
Hartman Camp South Los Padres
2489 ft. • Ventura County • Ojai Ranger District • Trail Camp
Hartman Camp is located along the Sespe River Trail about 9.5 miles downstream from Piedra Blanca Trailhead. This site has long been in use, first as a USFS Guard Station in the 1920s and later as a car campground in the 60s and 70s. Now what remains is a pleasant…
