Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith - Los Padres National Forest
Trail Distance 3.05 Miles

Submitted Trail Reports

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 02-13-2022 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	02-13-2022
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Trail description:	Some friends of the LPFA hiked the Puerto Suelo Trail from Madulce to the Alamar and it took them 20hours of hiking to make it three miles. That is not a typo. They had to setup an emergency spike camp midway down the trail. Lots of crawling, route finding and countless downed trees along the trail.  The trail is somewhere between non-existent and dangerously hard to follow.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 02-21-2021 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	02-21-2021
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Trail description:	LPFA trail survey of the Puerto Suelo and it wasn't pretty. We started from the Madulce side and crawled our way about a half mile before giving up and returning back to Madulce. This section of trail was worked by a LPFA Working Vacation just a few years before but had been destroyed by snow induced deadfall and snow weighted ceonothus which had pushed across and over the trail. If you hike this trail expect to crawl, push and drag your backpack along as you go. No bueno! We're hoping to come back soon and punch it through once again. For now, probably best to stay away.
Mode of transport:	Array
Trail condition:	Non existent

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 11-27-2021 - by Charles

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	11-27-2021
Surveyor Name:	Charles
Trail description:	Started hike from Madulce. Up until the junction the trail is overgrown with fern and a couple huge fallen trees slow you down. Continued past junction for a mile or two but didn't reach the saddle. The tread is wide but very overgrown.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 03-18-2018 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	03-18-2018
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Trail description:	The LPFA scouted the Puerto Suelo Trail in advance of some upcoming trail work.  The trail from the Madulce side remains in really great shape up to Puerto Suelo Saddle.  From there the "trail" is a mess as it drops down into the high potrero and disappears completely into a field of head high spiny ceonothus.  We flagged it very thoroughly but you'll still doubt you're going the right way as the ceonothus is so thick - it can't possibly be the right trail.  If you can get through that section the tread is followable but really brushy down the switchbacks into the canyon.  From there the trail meanders back and forth across the creek with most of the trail being on the east side of the canyon.  There are a bunch of downed trees, poison oak patches, rockfall and overgrown sections.  There are a few blowouts that have covered the creek in dirt which actually makes for easier travel than trying to follow the trail.  Eventually, near the bottom, the trail crosses the creek at a blackberry bramble with two sketchy trees across the creek and the trail climbs from there onto the western bench for a while before crossing one last time and connecting with the Alamar Trail near Dutch Oven.  As mentioned, we flagged probably 75% of the trail but it remains one of the more rugged and  difficult trails in this part of the Los Padres. The LPFA will be working the upper stretch of Puerto Suelo this spring, focused on connecting the Saddle with where the switchback tread is findable.  This will help a lot in the upper section but the trail as a whole will remain a tough one for quite some time.  Be careful along the trail and take your time.  Plan on it taking multiple hours to travel the 2 miles down from the Saddle.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Images:	Nice stretch of trail between Pine Creek and Puerto Suelo Saddle, worked in May 2017. The great view from Puerto Suelo Saddle. There are a few vintages of flagging along the route, but it's still brutally hard to follow. That's the trail, good luck and take it slow. The blackberry bramble crossing near the bottom.

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 05-29-2017 - by Los Padres Forest Association

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	05-29-2017
Surveyor Name:	Los Padres Forest Association
Trail description:	LPFA Working Vacation worked the first mile of the Puerto Suelo Trail from the Madulce side up to Puerto Suelo Saddle.  Trail is in nice shape up to there.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 05-29-2016 - by Steve Cypher

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	05-29-2016
Surveyor Name:	Steve Cypher
Trail description:	We cleared less than a mile of trail from Madulce Camp. The trail disappears into thick coenothus & scrub oak as it climbs to the Puerto Suelo saddle. The trail is flagged, but the bushwhacking is so gruesome none of us were willing to push through to the saddle.
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Condition details:	Cleared 3/4 mile from Madulce Camp

Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith Survey - 12-13-2012 - by Howard Cohen

Link:	Puerto Suelo Trail - Dick Smith
Date:	12-13-2012
Surveyor Name:	Howard Cohen
Trail description:	Best have your navigational skills honed to find this trail..  A bushwhack in many places but an incredible secluded canyon.   Water can be found flowing .  The top part of the trail before the saddle is choked with White Thorn bushes.  bring pants and gloves.  Epic adventure...
Mode of transport:	Hike
Trail condition:	Hard to follow
Images:	Just shorts? Bring some duct tape to protect your shins from the thorns. At the saddle after the thorns View from the saddle

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