Sespe Wilderness - Hiking and Backpacking Trails

The Sespe Wilderness is a 219,700-acre (88,900 ha) wilderness area in the eastern Topatopa Mountains and southern Sierra Pelona Mountains, within the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF), in Ventura County, Southern California. The wilderness area is predominately located within in the Ojai Ranger District and Mt. Pinos Ranger District of the LPNF. The wilderness area was established in 1992 by the Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act. The Sespe Condor Sanctuary is within the Sespe Wilderness. It was established to promote the propagation and growth of the California Condor, and is closed to the public.

The Wilderness is predominately located in the Ojai and the Mt. Pinos Ranger Districts. One popular destination is the Willett Hot Springs. The Sespe Wilderness is mainly a chaparral covered environment with rock cliffs in various sites. There is a beautiful area called Piedra Blanca, just off highway 33 along the Piedra Blanca-Gene Marshall Trail. The Sespe Condor Sanctuary is also in the wilderness. This site, closed to the public, was established to promote the propagation and growth of the California Condor.