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

Sykes Hot Springs Survey - 10-1-1996 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Sykes Hot Springs
Date:	10-1-1996
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Camp Description:	A story about a missed chance at visiting Sykes from 1996. Worth a read: https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2025-03-03/big-sur-wildfire-threat-camping-survival-story-between-a-rock
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:

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:

Oak Camp Survey - 04-03-2025 - by Chris Houlberg - Scoutmaster Troop119

Link:	Oak Camp
Date:	04-03-2025
Surveyor Name:	Chris Houlberg - Scoutmaster Troop119
Camp Description:	All three campsites are in good condition; however, the firepit in the upper canp could use some TLC.  The weather was cool with a cold breeze coming down the mountain.  The above mountains had a light dusting of snow visible.  The sky had patchy clouds with a couple of dark ones threatening rain.  In all we had a good day hike to and from camp.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Flow rate is great. Lots of clean, clear water flowing past camp.
Weather Conditions:	Patchy clouds. Day temperature in the lower 50s.

Cow Spring Camp Survey - 03-30-2025 - by Laura Clay

Link:	Cow Spring Camp
Date:	03-30-2025
Surveyor Name:	Laura Clay
Camp Description:	Camp in good shape, plenty of water for a few months Took Alder Creek trail in front locked Dough Flat gate. Road to trailhead in extremely good shape and trail is very clear
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Small flowing stream with some deeper pools in creek
Weather Conditions:

Valley View Camp Survey - 03-29-2025 - by Gio

Link:	Valley View Camp
Date:	03-29-2025
Surveyor Name:	Gio
Camp Description:	Plenty of water in the stream. Some pockets of poison oak along the trail coming into camp. Most tent sites are in good condition if a little on the small end, the one in a thicket of trees slightly uphill from the fire ring has a collapsed tree lying across it that will need to be removed. There are tools in a hollow tree but I did not have time.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:	Stream was full and flowing
Weather Conditions:	Surprise drizzles most of the night

19 or Nineteen Oaks Camp Survey - 03-28-2025 - by Jen Smith

Link:	19 or Nineteen Oaks Camp
Date:	03-28-2025
Surveyor Name:	Jen Smith
Camp Description:	Some landslides have been partially repaired along the trail, a few spots on the trail are slippery and difficult to climb. Poison oak looks like it has been cleared though, nothing overgrown. Camp is in good condition, water in trough is completely dry. Creek still has a trickle of flowing water with a few pools along the way.
Water Source:	Trickle
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	Cool, partially cloudy

Sheep Camp Survey - 03-27-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Sheep Camp
Date:	03-27-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	Lots of snow on trail coming from Nordic. Best to have spikes or snow boots. I even worn my snow pants. Follow the footsteps to find your way if trail is covered with snow.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	50’s, cool

Manzana Narrows Camp Survey - 03-24-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Manzana Narrows Camp
Date:	03-24-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	camp is in good condition 32 river crossings there and back. Most can be rock-hopped except the last 2-3 right before camp.  Some crossings are challenging, some are easy. Highest water went a little above my ankle.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	sunny hot 85 deg

Fish Creek Camp Survey - 03-24-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Fish Creek Camp
Date:	03-24-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	rock hopped across creek  Highest water went a little above my ankle.  camp is in good condition
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	sunny hot 85 deg

Rays Camp Survey - 03-24-2025 - by Anonymous Surveyor

Link:	Rays Camp
Date:	03-24-2025
Surveyor Name:	Anonymous Surveyor
Camp Description:	camp is in good condition rock hopped  Highest water went a little above my ankle.
Water Source:	Flowing
Water Source Details:
Weather Conditions:	sunny hot 85 deg

Latest Trail Reports

Please click on a report below to view the survey

Red Reef Trail Survey - 04-01-2025 - by Rick Hayes

Link:	Red Reef Trail
Date:	04-01-2025
Surveyor Name:	Rick Hayes
Trail description:	Hiked from Nordhoff road down Red Reef to Sespe with full pack. Need pants, long sleeves, trekking poles entire route. Brush and deadfall. Water flowing at Ladybug and Horsethief camp. Poison Oak from Horsethief to Sespe.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Alder Creek Trail Survey - 03-30-2025 - by Laura Clay

Link:	Alder Creek Trail
Date:	03-30-2025
Surveyor Name:	Laura Clay
Trail description:	Recent trail work made it clear and easy to follow. Plenty of water along the route we took to Cow Spring
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Aliso Trail Survey - 03-29-2025 - by Casey Horgan

Link:	Aliso Trail
Date:	03-29-2025
Surveyor Name:	Casey Horgan
Trail description:	Trail is narrow and easy to follow. Mostly rideable with some areas of minor overgrowth and off camber.
Mode of transport:	Bicycle
Trail condition:	Needs some work
Condition details:	Out and back bike outing to Painted Rock

Santa Paula Canyon Trail Survey - 03-29-2025 - by Rick Hayes

Link:	Santa Paula Canyon Trail
Date:	03-29-2025
Surveyor Name:	Rick Hayes
Trail description:	Hiked to Bluff Camp. Need pants, long sleeves, trekking poles and Garmin or Gaia app to follow the trail after leaving the creek all the way to Bluff camp. Flagging to Cienega camp. Some of the flagging was wrong. Bear trails everywhere, lots of false trails. Tons of water at Cienega camp. Some flowing water at Bluff camp. Even more flowing water on the backside of the ridge of Bluff camp. Rock cairns from Cienega to Bluff
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Poplar Trail Survey - 03-27-2025 - by Chris Berry

Link:	Poplar Trail
Date:	03-27-2025
Surveyor Name:	Chris Berry
Trail description:	We only did the 1 mile section of this trail down from the Loma-Victor fire road to Pens camp and the trail was next to non-existent. Multiple sections of hands and knees crawling, hoping to find the occasional cut stumps of chaparral to indicate there once was a trail here. A few decaying pieces of orange flagging helped give hints that we were on the correct path. Overall, very hard to follow and it took close to 3 hours to get through. Had we been going uphill I don't know that we would have succeeded. Unsure of the status of the trail up to Bluff as we exited down Indian Creek. Lot's of water flowing in Indian Creek at Pens. Pens camp was fairly overgrown but there was enough space to pitch a couple of tents.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Non existent

Mono-Alamar Trail Survey - 03-27-2025 - by Chris Berry

Link:	Mono-Alamar Trail
Date:	03-27-2025
Surveyor Name:	Chris Berry
Trail description:	The trail could use some work, it's easy to lose in many places and increasingly challenging to follow the further along one goes. The trail becomes particularly challenging and overgrown leaving Mono Creek up the Caracole. It was slow going and we often had to drop into the creek bed to advance or move up onto less vegetated slopes until we reached the junction with the Alamar Hill trail. Not much of a trail to be found going up to the Loma-Victor fire road, but hiking through the grass was easy enough, just steep.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Lion Canyon Trail Survey - 03-22-2025 - by Rick Hayes

Link:	Lion Canyon Trail
Date:	03-22-2025
Surveyor Name:	Rick Hayes
Trail description:	Hiked from Middle Lion camp to Nordoff Ridge road. Trail is in great shape and easy to follow. Did whole thing in shorts and T-shirt, no brush. Last water is at the junction of East Lion and West Lion camp. Old melted irrigation tubing at base East Lion falls.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow

Piedra Blanca Trail Survey - 03-21-2025 - by Daniel J. Hall

Link:	Piedra Blanca Trail
Date:	03-21-2025
Surveyor Name:	Daniel J. Hall
Trail description:	We went from Piedra Blanca Trailhead to Pine Mt. Lodge, with 2 nights at Twin Forks, from March 19 -21.  The trail from the Trailhead to Twin Forks was clear and easy to follow.  The first mile up from Twin Forks was clear and easy to follow, except for a couple of minor rock slides that don't affect hikers, but may cause stock some problems.  The following stretch of trail up to PML has been recently worked and was in amazing condition: good tread, very wide clearance with extraordinary water bars that are greatly needed in that steep, remote trail and which I hope do not get destroyed by hikers or stock.  However, almost up to PML, there was a section of trail about 200 feet long that is thick, over-your-head brush, but at least it is the kind of brush that you can slip through fairly easily.  For more detail, see https://tinyurl.com/2bbxdu3r
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Needs some work

Piedra Blanca Trail Survey - 03-16-2025 - by bardley

Link:	Piedra Blanca Trail
Date:	03-16-2025
Surveyor Name:	bardley
Trail description:	the purpose of my survey is to relate the current water levels at the beginning of this hike, from the piedra blanca trailhead to the far side of sespe creek at the junction / trailhead of the sespe river trail. the water crossings at lion creek, the sespe creek tributary stock and hiker crossings, and the sespe creek main crossing are all readily passable with deepest water levels at mid-calf.  a returning hiker related that the further down the sespe - the deeper the water.  at the hot springs = hip deep. no defined trail from the stock/hiker crossing to the main crossing.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Non existent

Big Falls Trail Survey - 03-16-2025 - by DMajor

Link:	Big Falls Trail
Date:	03-16-2025
Surveyor Name:	DMajor
Trail description:	Did some trail clearing up to the main waterfall Some challenges crossing the river many times  All the poison oak is cut back so good tread amd a clear pathway with just a few blowdowns and easy crossing  Newts are out in force, and the falls are roaring  No trash, no people on the trail in the afternoon  Impressive canyon after a trek to the trailhead
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Good shape and easy to follow