This is a great hike about four miles give or take. It's an actual loop. It's great if you want to have a great run or a jog to have a great workout. It's also fun if you want to bring your kids or dogs. read more

The hike was not difficult and provided some gorgeous views wild flowers We took the lower trail to start and lived it read more

Grass Mountain & Lover's Loop - Great hike with beautiful views - Hiking Near Me - Los Olivos, California

Nice 2 hour hike that gets your heart rate up. You slowly wind your way up a mountain and then slowly wind your way down. Nothing challenging that requires real hiking gear. I did it in gym shoes and no walking stick. Nice views and good exercise. read more

Discovered this hike on my birthday this year in August and was a wonderful way to spend the morning! Very accessible from downtown Los Olivos. A beautiful hike and very easy aside from the slow and steady incline on the way up. Make sure to bring sunscreen as it is extremely sun exposed. Views are expansive. read more

I'm not fond of the Grass Mountain hike but liked its three contrasting sections that created three varied experiences through river, grass meadows, and poppy fields. Start by signing in and getting a free permit at the trailhead's self-serve kiosk. Because the permit is free, the paperwork is likely done to prevent lawsuits because the trail cuts through Midland School property. With multiple paths snaking through the area, head up the creek and then follow the only possible trail to the bare-looking Grass Mountain. The creek portion is easy and semi-shaded, then the trail gets harder and sun-exposed. A 4.6-mile roundtrip hike with 2400' elevation change is typically considered hard but the second half of this hike is indisputably hard. The final mile to the apex has a vicious 1600' elevation gain. The severity means Grass Mountain is not a good hike for people that like grass (aka pot). Some poppies (again, not the opium kind) were in bloom in a field a quarter-mile below the acme (not the Looney Tunes version of Amazon). As the flowers are dependent on water, the only major rain in the last month occurred ten days earlier. Unfortunately, I went on a 97-degree day with little wind which I suggest only people in above average condition attempt in such weather. Not entirely bare, the mountain has a few oak trees that provided periodic shade which likely abated getting heat stroke. Oddly, the mountain has few bushes except for the peak where the vegetation blocks a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. My best advice is to check your water when reaching the tree with the hole in the trunk. If your water is over half gone, you didn't bring enough to summit. At this location, the peak is another 1400' in elevation and you're a little under halfway to the top. read more

Absolutely love this hike. Especially a scenic hike when the flowers are in bloom. Unfortunately when we came there were no flowers but I will definitely be back when they do. Love the streams that flow in the area. You can hear them nearby and even go down and have a splash in them. Some areas of the trail are quite tricky so be careful and take your time. Highly recommend this trail if you're in Los Olivos. read more

Grass Mountain & Lover's Loop - Beautiful hike - Hiking Near Me - Los Olivos, California

Great hike, really kicked my butt. I was out here for a rocket launch and didn't have a lot of time to plan. Just went with my camel back and some energy bars. Trail gets steep and really saps your energy. Not a lot of shade so bring sunblock or hat. Views are worth the hike. read more

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This hike was billed as a tough climb, but well worth the effort. It certainly was a grinding climb, but make sure you stop and enjoy the stunning scenery near the top. You will often find yourself on some steep angles, but just dig in and take it all in. Gloves (for the descent), plenty of water, and proper shoes are advised. Poles would have prevented the 4 or 5 slip and falls I had on the way down. This hike is a gem! Do it! read more

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Amazing hiking trail (we did the 4 miles loop) and fairly easy with kids. The views were spectacular in March and it kid of felt like we were somewhere in Ireland for parts of the hike. I would imagine that it would be a bit less comfortable hiking in the summer heat though. read more

Please take to heart Danielle's review. The 3 miles up to Grass Mountain from the Trailhead is strenuous and proper shoes, plenty of water and awareness of the heat index are invaluable! The Main Trailhead Access Point at Birabent Bridge Trailhead on Figueoroa Mountain Road. Please note this access point DOES NOT orginate on the school campus, classes are in session for the majority of the year. The Trailhead is 1.7 miles past the Midland campus on Figueroa Mountain Road. In 2008 the school worked together with the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, The Trust for Public Land to permanently protect the historic and nearly 3000 acres that are an ecological haven while meeting local, statewide and federal conservation objectives for water quality, wildlife habitat, agriculture, and scenic open space preservation. read more

Poppies are out right now and are beautiful! Not as many as there was in 2016 but still beautiful. Hardest hike ever but the views at the top are very rewarding. Wear shoes with good traction and hiking sticks are helpful especially when descending. read more

Nice hike to the ridge, but as noted elsewhere, this is a total ass kicker once you move from the ridge to the actual mountain. You do almost 1400 feet of vertical in about a mile; it is straight uphill and then straight steep uphill; in iPhone terms, that's 130 plus flights of stairs in maybe 2500 steps. I had to go to my tick tock baby step rhythm to finish it, and there are a number of spots where you believe you can see the summit, but once around a bend or a rise you realize you are wrong! Felt so good and super alpine with the remains of the poppies and the lupine still in bloom, plus the scraggly rock almost like scree. Highly recommended if you enjoy having to push yourself a little (not talking about you Patagonia models, I mean weekend duffers like me.) read more

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Great Trail for practicing steep hikes. It seems like last half mile never ends, but it does.

I had never heard of this hike until it blew up on Instagram in mid-March when the poppies were in full bloom. We recently got out there to do the hike and it was very scenic. The poppies were awesome, of course. This hike is strenuous and we saw many people give up before they even around the halfway point! There are no switchbacks, so it is straight up the entire way. This also made the hike down very hard, and there was lots of slipping and falling due to the loose, rocky trail. Roundtrip this hike was 4.7 miles, it took 3.5 hours, and burnt a little over 2000 calories. Be sure to pack yourself plenty of water, and a big lunch to eat at the summit. Oh and one last thing, you need a permit to do this hike, since it is on private property. We heard that you had to get the permit from the Midland school (which we did) but there is also a box at the beginning of the trail. The permit is free and must be displayed on the dashboard of your car. read more

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Fantastic and full of wildflowers! Great Memories and bootie kicker! I earned my lizards mouth at Figueroa mtn!