Children young and adolescent will enjoy this varied 4-mile day hike featuring a bit of spelunking and inspiring views both out to sea and straight above: the Gaviota wind caves.
Backcountry day hikes and backpacking treks into the San Rafael Wilderness compel my greatest interest, so I’ve avoided much writing about the alluring Santa Barbara frontcountry (with a few exceptions).
The front-side trails at Jesusita, Rattlesnake Canyon and Hot Springs become quite crowded sometimes, e.g., holiday weekends such as Thanksgiving, so below I’m proffering a fairly easy front-side day hike up the coast just beyond Gaviota State Park.
After driving Highway 101 north about 30 miles, exit at the Gaviota State Park off-ramp and motor past the state beach entrance until there’s a large, green barred gate on the right (see 4.1.1.). Parking on the dirt opposite the green gate allows eight or nine cars. Read the signage at the gate carefully, and please note there have been mountain lions in that area, hence dogs are not allowed.
The hike begins with a lazy and level three-quarter-mile walk on the closed road starting at the green gate. After a few minutes, hikers can look down (east) and back to catch glimpses of the glaring flat-blue ocean as well as the Gaviota train bridge (with the mostly deserted state beach below the trestles).
Ambling along this aged asphalt, we kept an eye out for snakes and interesting flora, and hoped to shift onto a dirt trail soon. Later November exhibited rainy and grim weather most of the day, but I enjoyed the cool temperature and pleasantly high humidity (we hiked in a near-drizzle).
Having read someplace that the serious birders favored this area, I brought my binoculars along, which proved foolish since there were almost no fowl in sight and, of course, late fall may not be the best season.
After the pleasant three-quarter-mile stroll, we came to a large sign indicating that the wind trails started there, so we turned left and began a gentle uphill climb.
During all this walking, we could hear the freeway’s roar from below, as can be detected from the second photograph. In the contrast between pristine nature and the incessant growl of automobiles clogged on Highway 101 below, we behold the Anthropocene Era in its dark glory.
Of course, I searched the caves looking for remnants of petroglyphs — artful cupules, or faint remnants of rock art designs — but I already knew there wouldn’t be any because the area has been well-scoured for decades.
Sadly, a few ignorant visitors have scratched their own modern “petroglyphs” there, which somewhat mar the experience in a couple of the caves.
After the lowest caves began to emerge on the left, the rugged trail ascended steeply and I needed my hiking pole, wishing I’d brought the pair. The trail narrows and becomes rockier; at times, it was genuine clambering, and I was happy I’d remembered my gloves. You may get your hands dirty on the trek, and as a non-limber older guy, the crawling on all-fours was dauntingly refreshing.
As the scenic trail becomes rougher and more difficult, you are closing in on the chaparral “forest” area right below the cliffs holding most of the wind caves.
In the photograph below of the chaparral, you may detect a couple of groups of hikers, and there are a variety of sketchy trails to specific wind caves, including the one at the apex.
Anytime one needs a breather or drink of water, they can turn about to inhale ocean air and observe the dark blue Pacific Ocean running out to a forever horizon. Perhaps I could hear a bit of Poseidon’s crashing natural waves mixing with the freeway’s cacophony, and … almost reaching a melody, but never quite.
It is a perfect place to sit with some children in one of the handy caverns, have them draw or tell stories, sing a few songs and practice a few moments of group silence. The wind caves have been sanctified by many visitors over several centuries.
The Gaviota wind caves trail is rather perplexing. It starts as an amble on the deserted road, then the actual signed trail heads left into the brush, and soon one finds himself pushing hard uphill while wild vistas expand all around. Some sources call this an “easy four-mile” trail, but I prefer to term it a mixed easy/moderate 3.8-mile round-trip. The steeper portions are short but very demanding, and I savored frequent quick breaks, a shot of water and some reflection time.
Nearing the top, it remains quite steep and requires some scrambling and walking out on bare sandstone. Kids usually adore this kind of terrain and the crawling around it involves. Extraordinary seascapes and foothill views will enthrall one and all at the highest point.
The return down those paths also presents challenges, and I honestly think these precipitous descents are harder on knees, hips and feet than the uphill portions of a hike. Therefore, I recommend major boots, hiking poles, water, a medical kit, rain gear, a hat, snacks and at least one solid hiking companion.
I recall that in 1992 a 9-year-old child was attacked and bitten by a California mountain lion (the child survived), thus groups are always better on these ventures, and be sure to keep the children closer than usual.
Idea for families: After the hiking effort amid chaparral and then exploring the shallow wind caves, stop off on the drive back for an afternoon at either Refugio State Beach or Gaviota State Beach. The day use fee is only $10 — a terrific deal. Treat it like a picnic and bring your own supplies, food, towels, swim gear, games, frisbees and so on to create a double-day of fun. Scrambling in the foothills; barefoot in the Pacific Ocean.
4.1.1.
Drive 30 miles Highway 101 north, past Refugio State Beach and exit at Gaviota State Beach (Exit 130). Drive past the state beach entrance. Stay on the small paved road, and within a mile there will be the barred road (green gate) in the third photograph. Park opposite.