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Submitted Camp and Trail Reports

Submitted Camp Reports

Chorro Grande Camp Survey - 04-28-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Chorro Grande Camp
Date:	04-28-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	One fire box and one stone fire ring were setup at the camp. A bit of snow was left on the ground the first day. I could hear significant wind gusts in the trees during the night, however the campsite is very well sheltered from the wind so it was not a problem.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Plenty for filling water bottles
Weather Conditions:	60F during the day and low 30s at night

Oak Flat Camp Survey - 04-26-2025 - by Zach Teske

Link:	Oak Flat Camp
Date:	04-26-2025
Surveyor Name:	Zach Teske
Camp Description:	Camped here on our way back from Sespe Hot Springs. Camped at the site right off the trail and did not cross the river as we got there late and right around dark. Appears to be more sites across the river with picnic benches. No bugs and good swimming holes!
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Deep and flowing. Some pools 5 to 6 feet deep.
Weather Conditions:	Rain. High 50's, low 40s

Willet Camp Survey - 04-25-2025 - by Zach Teske

Link:	Willet Camp
Date:	04-25-2025
Surveyor Name:	Zach Teske
Camp Description:	Camped adjacent one of the old homestead cabins. There were to sites with picnic benches (observed 2 total). Portion of the trail closer to the junction with the Willett Hot Springs trail is washed out and have to hike in river bed for a few hundred yards and can be a little difficult to navigate. Also, lots of campsites adjacent the creek in the sandy areas based on the observed fire pits.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Knee deep in some areas, flowing well.
Weather Conditions:	High in mid-50s, low 40's, Partial Rain

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Submitted Trail Reports

A list of all the trail reports or surveys submitted by users. Please add a report if you visit the Los Padres.
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Alamar Trail Survey - 04-27-2025 - by Horner

Link:	Alamar Trail
Date:	04-27-2025
Surveyor Name:	Horner
Trail description:	Trail overall is severely overgrown, washed out in some spots, and in need of maintenance. -Alamar Saddle to Unnamed Camp at the bottom of the switchbacks (34.68899, -119.60778) is overgrown with whitethorn ceanothus but mostly followable with alternating periods of smooth sailing, crawling, and everything in between. The tread on some of the switchbacks and steeper slopes is very faint and narrow. -Unnamed Camp to Bill Farris is severely overgrown and slow going with lots of crawling. -The creek crossing just south of Bill Farris washed out (trail crosses a tributary that comes in from the east). Trail was difficult to pick up here, it looks like water/debris got very high and gouged out new banks, taking out any crossings or trail markers that were here before. This crossing looks very similar to damage I observed in Montecito after the 2022/23 storms. Stay high here and do not cross the main creek. -Bill Farris to Dutch Oven involves less crawling as the trail moves higher into slower growing vegetation types. Still brushy and still needs work, but the chaparral here is easier to move through. There are many small washouts in this section where brush on the uphill side pushes hikers off the tread. Spot treading would be very helpful in this area. -Dutch Oven to Rollins to Lower Alamar/Tin Shack is severely overgrown and difficult to follow. There are a few sections where you can pick up the trail and make decent time, but we spent most of this section wandering the creek bed looking for signs of the trail. In some places the riparian vegetation is so thick and the banks are so high that the only logical path was the creek bed. I would estimate over 50% of the trail is completely gone between Dutch Oven and Lower Alamar. We planned for slow going and it was even slower than expected. Never exceeded 1 mile per hour. It took our group of experienced backpackers and bushwhackers a full day of very hard work to travel downhill from Alamar Saddle to Dutch Oven, and most of an additional long day to reach Lower Alamar. All camps had good flowing water. Every inch of the Alamar Trail needs maintenance. With that said, it is still somewhat followable in sections that are above recent high water levels. We couldn’t help but marvel at the effect that quality trail building and maintenance can have - even in the worst of the brush, a wide trail corridor that was cut in years past is still visible to the attuned eye. While crawling through whitethorn is always tough, it is still significantly easier and faster to crawl along the trail than to travel off trail in the thick chaparral.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Last Chance Trail Survey - 04-19-2025 - by Laura Clay

Link:	Last Chance Trail
Date:	04-19-2025
Surveyor Name:	Laura Clay
Trail description:	Hiked in 4/19 with intent to stay at Jackson Camp. After splitting from the Santa Paula Canyon Trail, things became increasingly difficult and after crossing the water at Cross Camp, the trail wasn't terrible but there eventually became so many instances of losing the trail and bushwhacking that we gave up short of camp and hiked all the way back to the trailhead. Plenty of water in the creek right now though
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Very tough to find after Cross Camp

Hurricane Deck Trail Survey - 04-17-2025 - by BJ

Link:	Hurricane Deck Trail
Date:	04-17-2025
Surveyor Name:	BJ
Trail description:	Did Manzana loop from Lower Manzana to Potrero, then Hurricane to Schoolhouse. It was very strenuous. Weather was overcast and 60 degrees, and with a pack I don't think I'd recommend even a small amount warmer or cloudless. Saw zero humans from start to finish on this portion. The uphill is rigorous. Trail was decent enough, though the final 2 miles going down to the schoolhouse was completely overgrown and the ground gave way. That was the worst maintained of the trail. Plenty of poison oak. No water of course. Did this April 15 2025. First solo backpack. I expected to see rattlers on the trail, but I never did. Continued from schoolhouse on day 2 on the Manzana trail down to the lower manzana start. 37 water crossings.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Hurrican Deck Trail from Potrero

Sespe River Trail Survey - 04-17-2025 - by Daniel J. Hall

Link:	Sespe River Trail
Date:	04-17-2025
Surveyor Name:	Daniel J. Hall
Trail description:	Went only from Piedra Blanca Trailhead to Bear Creek. Trail is in generally good shape and easy to follow. No blowdowns across the trail, nor catastrophic rutting or slides. However, there are a few areas where the brush is starting to grow over the trail. For more detail, see captioned photos at https://tinyurl.com/258mpag9
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Manzana Trail West (Lower) Survey - 04-16-2025 - by BJ

Link:	Manzana Trail West (Lower)
Date:	04-16-2025
Surveyor Name:	BJ
Trail description:	Did Manzana loop from Lower Manzana to Potrero, then Hurricane to Schoolhouse. It was very strenuous. Weather was overcast and 60 degrees, and with a pack I don't think I'd recommend even a small amount warmer or cloudless. Saw zero humans from start to finish on this portion. The uphill is rigorous. Trail was decent enough, though the final 2 miles going down to the schoolhouse was completely overgrown and the ground gave way. That was the worst maintained of the trail. Plenty of poison oak. No water of course. Did this April 15 2025. First solo backpack. I expected to see rattlers on the trail, but I never did. Camped at schoolhouse, had my pick of spots as there were only 3 people there. Skinny dipped in the creek, which was nice after the grueling day 1. Fire pits at each site, and a shovel at many so you could smother. Logs stacked at many of them, but they were mostly too big to fit in the pit, or freshly cut and didn't burn well. Still managed a fire for an hour or 2. Hung my food bag for bear proofing, but never really saw any signs of bear activity on the trail. Continued from schoolhouse on day 2 on the Manzana trail down to the lower manzana start. 37 water crossings. I kept my Tevas on all day so as not to constantly change shoes, but that ended up giving me substantial blisters and near the end I slipped on some rocks and fell face first, full immersion into the creek. Fortunately only had 1.5 miles to go after that so didn't have to be soaked for too terribly long. The trail is not easy to follow at places, mostly after creek crossings. Some tags here and there- shoutout to Brad whom I met on the trail and was placing some markers for people- I know I needed it! Lots of poison oak. Quite pretty, and plenty of flowing water- some of the crossings were up to my knees. I saw a total of 4 people and 1 dog on the trail day 2 (Manzana) but far more cars in the parking lot at trailhead.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Schoolhouse to Lower Manzana

Horse Pasture Trail Survey - 04-13-2025 - by Sam Graves

Link:	Horse Pasture Trail
Date:	04-13-2025
Surveyor Name:	Sam Graves
Trail description:	Crossing Tassajara Creek from Marble Peak trail is easy with a shallow wade and slow water. From then on the trail is designated only by occasional cairns and pink tape. The general contours could be followed but there was no clean, obvious trail. Rough going with little maintenance, deadfalls, and a stagnant spring running down the ravine which is crossed and crisscrossed repeatedly. We got close to the Tassajara Cutoff before deciding we were spending too much time navigating and turned back to Marble Peak Trail. Also, for anyone coming from Arroyo Seco be aware that the Horse Pasture Bridge is washed out; you'll need to wade in water that can get deep for some folks (up to my waist and I'm a little over six-foot).
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Pothole Trail Survey - 04-13-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Pothole Trail
Date:	04-13-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Trail description:	The trail is in good condition. The only note is that if a person is hiking ccw then there is a small intersection at the top of the ridge on the descent to the cars that shows a faint trail and a trail with flagging. DO NOT follow the flagging!! This leads to a dead end and having to bushwhack across the hill to find the other trail. The flagging should be removed. No water except for along Aqua Blanca. Very little wildflowers. Missed the bloom by a month or so. Some lupine and poppies.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	pretty good condition

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Why Hike The Los Padres

Thank you for taking the time to visit Hike Los Padres. This website was developed for adventurists, explorers and enthusiasts of both the Northern and Southern portions of the Los Padres National Forests.

When visiting the Los Padres always remember to pack extra water for any trip! Many Trails listed may be unmaintained, always plan ahead, check weather report, know your risks and level of ability.