Exploring The Los Padres National Forest

Over 1000+ Cataloged Locations

Location specific weather reports, recent camp and trail surveys, water data and much more.

Hiking Trails

Explore the hiking trails of the Los Padres National Forest. Combine trails to make loop trips, discover new trails for backpacking, or find new areas to explore.

205 Hiking Trails

• Little Sur Trail
• Lion Canyon Trail
• Stonehouse Trail
• Jesusita Trail
• Madulce Trail

View All 205 Trails →

Camps and Campgrounds

This updated list on camps enables you to find a new camp to visit anytime; we have included all car campgrounds and trail camps in this section.

293 Camps

• Pine Valley Camp
• Buckeye Camp
• Los Prietos Campground
• Rocky Creek Camp
• Manzana Schoolhouse Camp

View All 293 Camps →

O.H.V. Trails

We got you covered on the O.H.V areas, including Google maps view of all trails, slope gains and losses, so you can be prepared for your next off road adventure.

56 OHV Trails

• Ballinger Route 19 OHV…
• Ballinger Route 54 OHV…
• Ballinger Route 10 OHV…
• Queen Bee OHV Trail
• Ballinger Route 49 OHV…

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206 Dirt Roads

• Lime Canyon - Forest…
• Branch Mtn - Forest…
• Cachuma Mtn - Forest…
• Miller Canyon - Forest…

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111 Peaks

• Puerto Del Suelo Peak
• Pine Ridge
• Little Pine Mountain
• South Ventana Cone
• Whiteacre Peak

View All 111 Peaks →

174 Springs

• Chokecherry Spring
• Cobblestone Spring
• Agua Caliente Spring
• Monjas Spring
• Big Spring - Cuyama

View All 174 Springs →

Latest Camp Reports

Please click on a report below to view the survey

Mono Campground Survey - 1-1-2024 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Mono Campground
Date:	1-1-2024
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	Historic video showing the construction of the Mono Debris Dam from 1936, enjoy! https://archive.org/details/CCCAtMono1936
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Gridley Springs Camp Survey - 02-17-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Gridley Springs Camp
Date:	02-17-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Trough is full with some algae floating on top - rain water most likely cl
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Stream is flowing at a low and steady rate
Weather Conditions:

Oak Flat Camp Survey - 02-08-2025 - by Ol' Marto

Link:	Oak Flat Camp
Date:	02-08-2025
Surveyor Name:	Ol' Marto
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Valle Vista Campground Survey - 02-08-2025 - by Antonio Calderon

Link:	Valle Vista Campground
Date:	02-08-2025
Surveyor Name:	Antonio Calderon
Camp Description:	Spent one night here. Cold at night. Beautiful, nice and quiet. Great views of the valley. No condor sightings on this trip
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	Nice and cool, 44F day, 32F night

Oak Camp Survey - 02-01-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Oak Camp
Date:	02-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Camp Description:	Beautiful spacious camp with plenty of room, nice fire pit, under a gorgeous oak tree. Didn't stay here but definitely would if the opportunity arose.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Nice flow, good enough to fill a water bottle
Weather Conditions:	cool, clear, sunny

Chorro Grande Camp Survey - 02-01-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Chorro Grande Camp
Date:	02-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Camp Description:	Smallish camp with one nice spot for a small party (1-3+). Strange metal fire box but no clear fire ring around it. Nice little spring just across the trail. Some snow on the trail just uphill from here hiding in the shadows, but a very pleasant hiking temperature today.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:	Enough flow to refill but not gushing
Weather Conditions:	cool, clear, sunny

Madulce Camp Survey - 01-27-2025 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Madulce Camp
Date:	01-27-2025
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	LPFA PATROL Hiked up SB Cyn to Madulce and then along to Alamar and the Upper Sisquoc.  SB Cyn Trail is in pretty good shape, gets a little brushy the last 1/2 mile to Madulce. Madulce was covered in 3-5" of snow, cold but beautiful Water in the creek was flowing, signs of recent campfires We fixed the trail sign at the main junction, which had been pushed over The corral is holding for the most part but a few of the posts at the entry way are now down We get a lot of questions about where the spring box is located, see included map.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Good water flowing in the creek between the Backpackers Camp and the Cabin Site
Weather Conditions:	Clear, breezy, freezing

Coldwater Camp Survey - 01-20-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Coldwater Camp
Date:	01-20-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Camp Description:	Another one of my favorites, completely empty. Lots of room for tents, great creek access, multiple fire pits should the season allow.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Ankle to calf
Weather Conditions:	Warm, clear

Potrero Camp Survey - 01-20-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Potrero Camp
Date:	01-20-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Camp Description:	Nice camp, split by the creek
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Good place to refill water bottle; easy rock hop across with current levels
Weather Conditions:	Clear, warm, sunny

Miller Camp Survey - 01-19-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Miller Camp
Date:	01-19-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Camp Description:	Big patch of grass. Even if fire restrictions were lifted (eg after a rain) I wouldn't want to make a fire in the ring here due to all the grass. Could be a good place to spend a night after a long summer day.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	Sunny, clear, warm

Latest Trail Reports

Please click on a report below to view the survey

Chorro Grande Trail Survey - 02-01-2025 - by Paul Muhl

Link:	Chorro Grande Trail
Date:	02-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Paul Muhl
Trail description:	Beautiful trail in great condition with excellent views going from classic chaparral at the start to towering pines at the top. Loved it.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Lopez Canyon Trail Survey - 02-01-2025 - by Big Mike

Link:	Lopez Canyon Trail
Date:	02-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Big Mike
Trail description:	6.5 miles in 4 hours. no bueno mis babysitos
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Potrero Canyon Trail Survey - 02-01-2025 - by Zachary Caipang

Link:	Potrero Canyon Trail
Date:	02-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Zachary Caipang
Trail description:	Started the hike the morning of Feb 1. The weather was perfect (in the 50s-60s) with sunny skies. I did the loop counterclockwise to get most of the climbing out of the way day 1. The Potrero trail up to the Hurricane deck was steep and slightly overgrown, but not bad for typical Los Padres trails. Hiking along the top of the hurricane deck involved rolling grades with great views of the surrounding San Rafael wilderness. There is no water on the Hurricane Deck until you get down descend to the Schoolhouse. Even with the good temperatures, it felt oddly warm at the top of the Hurricane Deck due to how exposed the ridge is. The descent down from the Hurricane Deck to the school house was even steeper than the climb up. After camping at the schoolhouse, I made my way back on the Manzana trail. The trail was pretty easy exertion-wise, but it could be hard to follow with the many stream crossings. Make sure to be on the look out for the trail markers.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Ortega OHV Trail Survey - 01-25-2025 - by Matt

Link:	Ortega OHV Trail
Date:	01-25-2025
Surveyor Name:	Matt
Trail description:	I live in Ojai and have ridden this trail off and on for 30 years. As veteran of Tour of Idaho single track, as well as annual trips down Piru Creek, Snowy, Tinta, Disneyland, Toad, Sheep, and other stealth routes in Lockwood, I can report that It used to be a challenging but passable trail. Unfortunately, at this point the Ortega Trail is only suitable for hard enduro or trials riders due to the terrible erosion and 5-10' high boulder fields that have been left unmaintained. Unless you have no regard for the condition of your bike and plan to ghost your bike up these big ledges, the trail should only be tackled in groups of three or more riders with plans of regular spotting, lifting, hauling, pushing and pulling to overcome obstacles. There are sections of this trail that are still in great shape and fun to ride, but I have to be honest say that the route is a total mess. My son and I rode it from Hwy 33 to Hwy 33 on 1/25//25, and loved the scenery, but were bummed that the Ortega Trail has decomposed to this extent.
Mode of transport:	Array
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Hard Enduro or Trials Only

Piedra Blanca Trail Survey - 01-18-2025 - by Troop 26

Link:	Piedra Blanca Trail
Date:	01-18-2025
Surveyor Name:	Troop 26
Trail description:	Hiked from Reyes Creek to Beartrap camp.  Trail generally in good shape and easy to follow, a few places have to push your way through the chaparral that's grown in, but it's not much of a problem.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Indian Trail Survey - 01-12-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Indian Trail
Date:	01-12-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Trail description:	I looked on both ends and couldn't really find a start or a finish to this trail.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Non existent
Condition details:	No evidence of a trail

Indian Trail Survey - 01-12-2025 - by Robert

Link:	Indian Trail
Date:	01-12-2025
Surveyor Name:	Robert
Trail description:	I looked in the wrong place. I realized I was looking in the wrong place for this trail due to Brookshire Camp being in the wrong place on Gaia GPS map.  Will try it again sometime soon I hope.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Non existent
Condition details:	Disregard my prior post

Santa Barbara Canyon Trail Survey - 01-05-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Santa Barbara Canyon Trail
Date:	01-05-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Trail description:	Hiked from trailhead to picnic table at Chokecherry. Trail was easy to follow.  Had a handful of ticks from just North of Chokecherry Canyon.  Light water flowing on a about half of the crossings.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Lost Valley Trail San Rafael Wilderness Survey - 01-01-2025 - by Kevin w

Link:	Lost Valley Trail San Rafael Wilderness
Date:	01-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Kevin w
Trail description:	Hiked to the view of Sulphur Spring Canyon, 15 miles round-trip from NIRA. Took 7 hours at a decent pace for young folks. A lot of the trail is shaded this time of year, otherwise it would already be a little hot. Views are some of the best in the forest. Vulture spring has good flow. Once you get on the ridge the trail didn't seem so bad. Picked off 300+ ticks from the dogs.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Condition details:	past twin oaks the brush gets even thicker but it's difficult to get lost. a few slide outs on the way to the ridge, but if you made it that far you're ok

Sisquoc Trail Upper Survey - 01-01-2025 - by Brian D'Amour

Link:	Sisquoc Trail Upper
Date:	01-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Brian D'Amour
Trail description:	Started at South Fork at 6:30.  Trail past Skunk and to Mansfield was generally in good shape with minimal river crossings.  Between Mansfield and Heath, travel was slow due to some issues relocating trail after river crossings and not wanting to hike in the river.  There is a trail, you just have to work to find it sometimes.  After Heath, the trail became easier to follow again at crossings.  This was a really great stretch of forest.  Water in river all the way up to the falls but not above.  Upper Bear had water flowing from the springs.  Made it to Alamar Saddle at 12:30.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Hiked entire trail on 1/1/25. Good flow in river all the way up to the falls.