Zaca Peak Trail - Los Padres National Forest
Trail Distance 7.00 Miles

Submitted Trail Reports

Zaca Peak Trail Survey - 11-23-2019 - by Tony G.

Link:	Zaca Peak Trail
Date:	11-23-2019
Surveyor Name:	Tony G.
Trail description:	Hiked up Coulter Ridge from the High Country Loop on the Midland property, across the ridge heading East on the Zaca trail to the connector heading south to the summit of Grass Mountain then down to the base of Midland and Figueroa Road. The scramble up Coulter Ridge and across to Zaca Trail was loose and a bushwack in parts with lots of deadfall. The portion of the Zaca trail I hiked was in decent shape and easily passable as most of the poison oak has dropped it's leaves and you can easily negotiate the downed trees. Weather was sunny and about 70 degrees.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Zaca Peak Trail Survey - 06-09-2018 - by Tony G

Link:	Zaca Peak Trail
Date:	06-09-2018
Surveyor Name:	Tony G
Trail description:	Hiked from Zaca Ridge Rd. to Grass Mountain summit. The connector was in good shape and passable, only a few scratches on my bare legs in shorts through the Manzanita shrubs.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Zaca Peak Trail Survey - 02-01-2018 - by Erin C.

Link:	Zaca Peak Trail
Date:	02-01-2018
Surveyor Name:	Erin C.
Trail description:	We tried to hike this trail from the top down from the Catway fire road, but only first half mile or so is doable. After that, there is a sign saying "Zaca Ridge Trail. Trail maintained by SBCOF.org  I tried a google search for them, but I could not find who SBCOF.org actually is?  Anyways, the trail gets really overgrown after that sign, so we turned around and go to the top of a  no name peak that is the peak right west of Zaca Peak (a trail up to that peak was visible and passable).   This trail could be a very beautiful hike, but it looks like a forgotten trail for sure. Â
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Images:	Beginning of trail from the top is "ok". This is where we turned around. Trail marker where trail meets the Catway road. Zaca Ridge Trail sign

Zaca Peak Trail Survey - 11-02-2017 - by FP

Link:	Zaca Peak Trail
Date:	11-02-2017
Surveyor Name:	FP
Trail description:	I hiked from the end of the road at Zaca Peak down to Zaca Lake.  The dirt road leading to the parking spot next to Zaca Peak from the Figueroa Mtn, turnoff is long and bumpy.  I parked my car in the parking area next to Zaca Peak, where the road ends.  There is a great view from there. The trails starts off clear enough.  About 1-2 miles from where you leave your  car, there is a fork where I put a sign I found in the overgrown area of the trail, lying on the ground.  It has an arrow pointing towards Zaca Ridge trail..  The trail is quite overgrown  through this area until it starts descending towards Zaca Lake.  From here on, the trail becomes very hard to follow.  It is clearly abandoned, much like many of the buildings in Zaca Lake, although I think they still rent their cabins to groups. (Online reviews of those cabins and management leave much to be desired -- too bad; someone should buy this place and return it to its original charm.) Because the trail is so overgrown, contact with poison oak is just about inevitable. It's all over the place.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Condition details:	Overgrown, hard to follow
Images:	View of Zaca Lake from Zaca Ridge trail What's left of the Zaca Lodge after 2016 fire Lucho taking a break Cabin

Zaca Peak Trail Survey - 10-07-2017 - by M. Jones

Link:	Zaca Peak Trail
Date:	10-07-2017
Surveyor Name:	M. Jones
Trail description:	Hiked down the Zaca Peak trail from the north side off the Old Catway Jeep Road across from the Sulphur Spring trial head. Trail needs some work, there is a down tree crossing trail about  a 1/4 mile down the trial (@ N  34.779959°, W 120.019119°) that needs to be cut and another tree just past that location which fell over with its root ball blocking the trail at the junction where the trail heads west (@ N  34.779959°, W 120.019119°). Trails need a re-route around the fallen tree or saw cut and reconstruction.  Trail down from ridge is narrow and overgrown in places, lopper work and water bars are needed. No water flowing at “Zaca Spring”, this spring is unnamed on topo-map and is impounded with spring box.Â
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Images:	View west from trail Tree blocking trail "Zaca Spring" box. No flowing water

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