Happy Hollow Camp South Los Padres National Forest

• Camp Type: Trail Camp
• Topo Map Link: Little Pine Mountain
• Elevation: 4,318 feet
• Wilderness Area: Non Wilderness Area
• County: Santa Barbara County
• Ranger District: Santa Barbara Ranger District
• Longitude: -119.7450264
• Latitude: 34.60059282
• Water Sources: No water at the camp. The nearest water can be found either at the stock trough about 1 mile south from Alexander Saddle (45min walk) or at Little Pine Spring (45min walk)
• Length of Stay: 14 Days
• Reservations: Trail Camp

Recent Water Reports:

Date	Surveyor	Water Report
04-16-2022	Brad Anderson	Dry
12-31-2021	Los Padres Forest Association	Dry
02-21-2021	Captain	Dry
01-13-2021	John O'Connell	Dry
11-16-2020	Tdawg	Dry
06-28-2020	Los Padres Forest Association	Dry
05-02-2020	Denbe Denbe	Dry
07-14-2019	Anonymous Surveyor	Dry
04-28-2019	Shaddus Maximus	Dry
02-28-2019	Los Padres Forest Association	Dry
02-22-2019	Jay Wright	Dry
06-18-2018	Valerie Norton	Dry
04-15-2016	Anonymous Surveyor	Dry
03-20-2016	Los Padres Forest Association	Dry
01-17-2015	The Masticator	Dry
07-27-2014	Los Padres Forest Association	Dry

Photo: Bryan Conant

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Description:

Happy Hollow Camp is located in the bowl on the crest of Little Pine Mountain. If you walk around the perimeter of Happy Hollow, you’ll notice that there are no outlets from the top, meaning that all water flows to the center of the bowl. It’s very interesting and a unique feature to the area. Within the Happy Hollow bowl are a smattering of campsites, tables, and fire rings, with the most popular camp being in the middle of the bowl underneath a large oak tree. There is also a toilet on the east side of the roundabout.

The camp is essentially at the junction of the Little Pine Road (a spur off Buckhorn Road) and the Santa Cruz Trail and is most commonly accessed by way of Upper Oso, but can be looped in with multi-day pack trips from any number of trailheads. It is also a stop on the cross-forest biking shuttle trips. Little Pine Road is OHV friendly and the Santa Cruz Trail is one of the more popular trails in the Southern Los Padres. This makes Happy Hollow a hub for just about all trail user groups. It sees a steady flow of mountain bikers, OHVers, hunters (in season), equestrians, hikers and backpackers. Due to the fact that there is no water at Happy Hollow, most user groups avoid staying at the camp, but during the August hunting season you will see hunters camping in the hollow.

Once an aptly named camp, Happy Hollow has changed significantly throughout the years. In the past, it was the site of a guard station surrounded by a thick pine forest, but the station was removed in the 1980s due to arson concerns. More recently, the bowl and surrounding area was destroyed by the Zaca Fire (2007) and Rey Fire (2016). Brush surrounding the bowl, grass, and a couple of dead, charred oak and pine trees are what remains. There are some saplings beginning to return, and in time, we will hopefully see the area return to its lush, green glory.

Due to its topography, Happy Hollow can get very cold. Expect winter temps to hover near freezing for most of the morning hours until the sun has had ample time to warm things up. It’s also very hot and dry in summer, which can make it seem more like a dust bowl.

Little Pine Summit is a short walk away and has some of the more spectacular ocean views in the Southern Los Padres. Happy Hollow is a great destination, it should certainly be a destination on everyone’s todo list.

 

 

Survey Photos:

• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 07-27-2014
  Odd "structure" foundation found amongst the camps
• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 07-27-2014
  Some encouraging signs that the trees are coming back
• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 02-28-2019
  
• 
  Denbe Denbe - 05-02-2020
  Alexander Saddle looking southward
• 
  Denbe Denbe - 05-02-2020
  Happy Hollow Camp
• 
  Denbe Denbe - 05-02-2020
  snake between Alexander Saddle and Happy Hollow
• 
  Denbe Denbe - 05-02-2020
  direction and distance
• 
  Los Padres Forest Association - 06-28-2020
  Brushing the road to happy hollow off of buckhorn road.
• 
  Tdawg - 11-16-2020
  

Submitted Camp Reports

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 04-16-2022 - by Brad Anderson

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	04-16-2022
Surveyor Name:	Brad Anderson
Camp Description:	All tables are looking good and campground is clear.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	Camp looks good.
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 12-31-2021 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	12-31-2021
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	The LPFA spent much of December 2021 restoring the campground and brushing the road out to Happy Hollow. Activities included: - Repairing and installing pipe fencing around the perimeter of the camp. - Repairing and repainting benches. - Fixing the toilet. - Organizing and restoring fire pits - Brushing the road from the Buckhorn out to Happy Hollow. We have a few more things to cleanup, which should be done shortly. Enjoy!
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 02-21-2021 - by Captain

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	02-21-2021
Surveyor Name:	Captain
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	Nobody around the entire trip up to camp on a Sunday. Lots of wildlife.
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 01-13-2021 - by John O'Connell

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	01-13-2021
Surveyor Name:	John O'Connell
Camp Description:	Lots of broken glass around the fire places unfortunately but otherwise in decent shape!
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 11-16-2020 - by Tdawg

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	11-16-2020
Surveyor Name:	Tdawg
Camp Description:	This place is epic. Road up is in perfect condition, somebody brought in the heavy equipment and got it done. Thanks!
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:
Images:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 06-28-2020 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	06-28-2020
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	Campsites and out toilet is fine condition. Taped up the fire pits due to fire restrictions in force currently. Cleared a lot of brush on the road so it is clear to vehicle passage, including bikes and moto’s. Beautiful 80*F day and clear skies.Â
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	80*F and Clear
Images:	Brushing the road to happy hollow off of buckhorn road.

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 05-02-2020 - by Denbe Denbe

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	05-02-2020
Surveyor Name:	Denbe Denbe
Camp Description:	Happy Hollow was clean and relatively green. No water there. Started from Upper Oso at 6:42 AM and arrived at Alexander Saddle at 9:17 AM and continued to Happy Hollow and using Buckhorn Road returned to my sarting point at 2:39 PM. The northwes-southeast trending and southward facing path is strongly overgrown and fire- and rainfall-induced erosion makes at times the hike a bit adventurious!. Every creek had water flowing and the landscape was beautifully green (see attached pics).
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	dry and warm
Images:	Alexander Saddle looking southward Happy Hollow Camp snake between Alexander Saddle and Happy Hollow direction and distance

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 07-14-2019 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	07-14-2019
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Pretty overgrown
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 04-28-2019 - by Shaddus Maximus

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	04-28-2019
Surveyor Name:	Shaddus Maximus
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	While the camp is dry, there is currently water in the water tower at the junction of Buckhorn and Little Pine Mountain Roads about a mile or so east of Happy Hollow.
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 02-28-2019 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	02-28-2019
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:
Images:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 02-22-2019 - by Jay Wright

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	02-22-2019
Surveyor Name:	Jay Wright
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 06-18-2018 - by Valerie Norton

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	06-18-2018
Surveyor Name:	Valerie Norton
Camp Description:	Hiked through after struggling up the trail from Santa Cruz Station. Still some tables up here after the Rey Fire. There are a bit fewer logs lying about the place. New growth? Well, it has to start over again.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 04-15-2016 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	04-15-2016
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	No water. Fire Rings. Picnic Tables in an open burned out valley.
Weather Conditions:

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 03-20-2016 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	03-20-2016
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	Camped here as part of a LPFA trail project.  Camp is still barren as compared to what it looked like pre-Zaca Fire but it's getting better.  Some regrowth pines are now getting to be head high and many of the firs are coming back with new shoots.  We felled one hazard oak tree that was near the round-about camp, cleared the trail to the outhouse and did some odds and ends cleanups around the camp.  Nice large camp and not far walk from one of the premier sunset locations in the SB Backcountry.  It gets cold at Happy Hollow, we had temps as low as 27˚.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	No water
Weather Conditions:	Sunny and mid 70's in the day and cold mid 20's at night

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 01-17-2015 - by The Masticator

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	01-17-2015
Surveyor Name:	The Masticator
Camp Description:	I drove to Happy Hollow Camp to conduct some road/trail maintenance in the area. Camp was in good condition considering the amount of fire damage from the Zaca Fire. Multiple picnic tables, pit toilet, and fire rings are all in great condition. Due to fire damage, there is very little shade and some dead trees may be hazardous in windy conditions.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:	The camp itself doesn't have water, but Little Pine Spring is within a mile by hiking trail
Weather Conditions:	Clear skies, high 60s, no wind

Happy Hollow Camp Survey - 07-27-2014 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Happy Hollow Camp
Date:	07-27-2014
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	Camp was in good shape.
Water Source:	Dry
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:
Images:	Odd "structure" foundation found amongst the camps Some encouraging signs that the trees are coming back

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