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    Toro Canyon Park

    4.3 (12 reviews)

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    Park entrance
    Debra R.

    Years ago I hiked the trail here and was unable to remember where it was when I moved back to the Ventura area seven years ago because I couldn't remember the park name and thought it was in Carp. Thanks to Yelp when I searched Summerland, I found it again. Hiking the trail is like finding an old friend on Facebook. I vaguely remembered the gazebo view and the trail but not much else about the place. I now remember the peacefulness, the boulders, the bird chirps and the oak woodland around the scattered picnic areas. The dog park is a new feature. I was also happy to see that they have flush toilets which are a more important feature to me all these years later. It is rare in this area to find any place that's totally natural and even here there are homes on the ridgetop, you overlook distant fields of plastic towards the ocean, and yes, at the viewpoint you can hear the 101 freeway roar. However, I had the benches at the view gazebo to myself, the woodland smells are carried on a gentle breeze, and the mountain views are as spectacular as I remember. I am happy to find this old friend even with its few wrinkles.

    Jasmine L.

    Dog friendly! Address on yelp might leave you confused, so use this one to get to the exact front of the park: 3399 Toro Canyon Park Rd Carpinteria, CA Stopped by here to check out the trails on the way to Santa Barbara. We are early hikers (to avoid the heat of the summer) and accidentally came too early, most parks open at sunrise but this park doesn't open until 8am apparently. Driving to the park was interesting, there was no traffic, very deserted, in the middle of no where feeling. There seemed to be at least a ranger truck plus some maintenance people so that at least was comforting. There is a wire, fenced in area where you can have your dog off leash, it's not very big but its something I suppose. Plenty of parking. There is a trail sign where the trail starts, we walked all the way to the gazebo and it was only about half a mile. It looks like you might be able to walk further on paved road, but we heard coyotes barking and decided it would be safer if we were not so adventurous. There might be another trail at the end of the parking lot, the path did not look very worn and there was a mountain lion warning sign by the gate, so again we erred towards the side of safety. This place really does have that middle of nowhere, wilderness feeling. Its eerily (and peacefully) quiet, but do watch out for fox tails, mountain lions, and coyotes. Due to this place probably not receiving much traffic, I think you might be more at danger here if you're not careful.

    Joyce L.

    No smoking allowed throughout the entire park. SWEET! Clean flushing bathrooms, running water, soap. Dogs have dog park area fenced off and not allowed in bathrooms. Nice for dog people and those of us that prefer the park experience to be dog free and smoke free. We've stopped in quite a few times now this summer. The grandkids love climbing up the huge rocks and enjoying the view from the top. It's a great spot for a picnic, some photo ops or just a short break from driving between LA and Santa Barbara or beyond. We haven't tried out the creek bed yet, but I'm sure we will on a future trip.

    The summit of the road into Toro Canyon Park

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    3 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great place for a picnic. This place is a hidden gem. It's worth the drive to this remote spot.

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    18 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Toro Canyon Park

    This park has a quick trail that leads to a gazebo with a partial ocean view.

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    San Ysidro Falls Trail

    San Ysidro Falls Trail

    4.2(21 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    All Trails rates this hike as moderate by I say it's more towards hard. It is a steady steep…read moreincline for 3+ miles. All trails also says it's only 3.5 miles, that is one way! So your looking at 7 miles round trip. It's rocky but with shade the first 2 miles. After that bye bye shade and hello dry and dusty trail. You will want to wear hiking boots has it's very easy to loose gripping on the rocks and roll your ankle. I called it quits at 3 miles and went back down the trail. I was exhausted from the steady climb. I am not the most in shape person right now but I am fairly active. I just hiked 5 miles last week too. So unless you are in decent shape, be prepared to not make it all the way to the top. Bring plenty of water. As someone else said, walking through the private property portion until hitting the split off of the McMenemy trail is filled with dog poop and abandoned dog poop bags. It seems people don't take their dogs on the San Ysidro as I no longer says dog poop or bags unless they just kick it off the cliff side. On my way back down I saw a Gardner snake just off of the trail path. We started at 10:45 am and arrived back at the car at 1:42 pm.

    Favorite hike in the region. Shaded, cool breeze up the ravine even though we were there in heat…read morewave during our visit. Moderate to easy hike. Loved the creek to put feet in at end and cool down with splash of water. Plenty of little critters, water striders, and other insects to entertain our kiddoes.

    Photos
    San Ysidro Falls Trail
    San Ysidro Falls Trail - Part of washed out trail

    Part of washed out trail

    San Ysidro Falls Trail - Clear cold water

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    Clear cold water

    Montecito Peak Hike - Creek.. I guess?

    Montecito Peak Hike

    4.9(7 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    She came from out of town and said she wanted to do something fun…read more.. The conversation shifted to the hot springs in this neck of the woods... From the tone of my voice... She said I was unenthusiastic about it. But then I thought..... On our way to this place... The first thing that came off weird to me was parking.. Their isn't much parking This is about the only negative thing I have to say... I'm not an avid hiker I really don't go hiking at all In the middle of the day I was walking towards "The peak" Out of all days that could be chosen I found gold The weather was superb... Of course it had it's weird breaks (heat and sun) For the most part it was great And if you want a great experience Choose a day featuring great weather.. The hike up had lots of elevated climb to it I loved it... Their was lots to look at I didn't encounter any strange animals/ indigenous people or what have you I did see a bright blue dragon fly that seemed to follow me Wherever I went... The people along the hike we're friendly and nice We all seemed to share the same thoughts "Lost and confused " Not sure what hikes are to entail But this one would definitely called for strength, calories and hydration... You will need all that.. There was off beaten paths that led to points of scratching my head.. And in those moments I just turned around and went the way I came... While all this was happening I was reminded how far we have come along as humans How tough things were for our ancestors Just how appreciative I am for the life I have

    (I am more than confused with what trail(s) are actually located here, and need to state that sadly…read moreI hadn't hiked here pre-fire and flood.) My first trip I was trying to locate Tangerine Falls, which may or may not be located on the other side of the washed out area of E. Mountain Drive. So once I turned my car around and was heading back to Olive Mill/Hot Springs Road I found a very small place to park. (NOTE: If that small area is full, you can park on Riven Rock Drive.) I began the trail, again fully thinking I was heading for Tangerine Falls. (But even today, as I check Google Maps, they call this: HOT SPRINGS CANYON TRAIL HEAD.) - so doesn't that constitute a name change? As a very beginner hiker the trail starts fast. I had boots and walking poles, which helped my footing immensely, Once I realized I had no idea where I was headed to I asked a few people for help who were on the trail, too. They informed me that now (post fire and flood) the way to access Tangerine Falls is via Gibraltar Road. Lots of dark green trees, lots of black burned trees, too. There is a place where you cross the road and then continue on the trail. After about 1/2 mile, I believe, there are 2 signs that gave direction to HOT SPRINGS trail, and I think there may have been a bridge (since washed out) where you could cross the creek to hike another trails? SEE PHOTO - Not too sure about this though, only inferring from the signs and what *looked like where a bridge may have been. I wasn't confident crossing over fallen trees and logs to cross the creek to literally "see what was on the other side". I did hike just a bit past this sign - and the trail is very narrow and drops off steep to the creek. Since I am a big newbie I turned around from there ASAP, but quite a few people flew right past me. Again, this review is from a newbie hiker. I'm in love with this place regardless and am determined to figure out what exactly is up there still and what trails a hiker has access to. (Cold? Hot? Tangerine? San Ysidro? Saddle Rock? What else?) Since I'm not a local I am putting together piece by piece on my own as I can. Apparently there are hotel ruins up higher as well? Expect more pictures ASAP! And bring water, good shoes, and maybe a trekking pole if you're a newbie like me. :)

    Photos
    Montecito Peak Hike
    Montecito Peak Hike - Wonderful hike to the top!

    Wonderful hike to the top!

    Montecito Peak Hike - Burned tree 5/15/2020

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    Burned tree 5/15/2020

    7 Falls Hike

    7 Falls Hike

    4.3(38 reviews)
    8.3 mi

    Hot Take: La Cumbre Peak is home to the best sunset I've seen on the west coast…read more The 7 Falls Hike is enjoyable, but you really have to take in the splendor of Santa Barbara, in all its glory, on the top of the Peak. There are some picnic tables and benches up there as well, and it's (fortunately) not very crowded at the moment. If you can get up there an hour before sundown, you'll have yourself a heck of a time. One tip: there's no gas within like 20 miles of here, so make sure you tank up before you roll up this mountain!

    Seven Falls is located along Mission Creek, the same creek that once provided water to the nearby…read moreSanta Barbara mission. If you visit from Dec to May you will see 7 little distinct waterfalls, all flowing into small pools, directly one after another. The waterfalls have been attracting visitors since the 1800s. The trail to reach the falls is about 3-miles out-and-back. Navigating the different trails can be a little tricky and involves multiple trails and unsigned forks so you may want to use AllTrails app as your guide. The first mile you'll walk along an uphill paved road with some really nice ocean views. After you pass a bridge and then a trail kiosk you'll take a left at the fork. After passing Mission Creek you'll take another left up a steep and rocky incline. Eventually you'll reach the point where you'll need to take a sharp right and head downhill to the canyon floor. You can use the assistance of a rope that's attached to a tree. Climbing up the first waterfall is pretty easy but the next 6 should only be attempted with caution. It's best to visit from Dec to May, preferably after a good rain. It's a popular destination so it's best to visit early on a weekday. Parking is limited.

    Photos
    7 Falls Hike - 7Falls parking lot

    7Falls parking lot

    7 Falls Hike
    7 Falls Hike

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    Douglas Family Preserve - Pearl and a too-big stick.

    Douglas Family Preserve

    4.8(188 reviews)
    9.8 mi

    We had no idea that this nice easy trail existed when he headed out to Santa Barbara with our 9year…read moreold lab mix for a 4 night vacay. What a great find this place was. Parking is Free and Plentiful -- In early August 2025 we showed up at 6:30pm on a Monday (to hike the preserve). There was tons of parking in the lots that abut The Boathouse, and the lots are always free for the public. There is also free street parking on the street just past the traffic circle. The hike/trail (The Douglas Family Preserve): A nice easy trail, and really fun for the doggos as it is an off-leash area. I'd say that half the people we saw on the trail had a pup, while the other half had no pets. The loop from the ground to the top and back is 1.5miles. There is 150 feet of elevation gain over a distance of about 1/3 of a mile; the rest of the hike is flat (w/ a large mesa at the top with lots of interconnected trails if you want to make the hike more extensive than a 1.5mile loop). Our dog not only enjoyed the walk, but had lots of fun trying to start some small play sessions with other dogs that she saw on the trail. Bonus: this trail uses the same parking lot as Hendry's Beach (Arroyo Burro Beach), which is leash free along the coastline east of the lifeguard tower (to the left of the lifeguard tower if you are facing the ocean).

    It's nice to see how different the ocean views and the vegetation on this trail changes in…read moredifference seasons. I had previously visited in September and this visit it is May. Still a nice day to walk and enjoy the cool ocean breeze, friendly people and dogs on the trail.

    Photos
    Douglas Family Preserve - Me and Cooper

    Me and Cooper

    Douglas Family Preserve
    Douglas Family Preserve - ** Dogs Welcome ** ** on and off leash ** Starting the BarkDay celebration early!

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    ** Dogs Welcome ** ** on and off leash ** Starting the BarkDay celebration early!

    Toro Canyon Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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