The roughly 11-mile trail network at Baron Ranch, including the main Arroyo Quemado Trail, remains closed after the strong rains that hit Santa Barbara County in late December and early January caused heavy damage.
The storms brought over 8 inches of rain to the mountains above Baron Ranch, causing minor mudslides on the first mile of the Arroyo Quemado Trail and a major landslide on the Loop Trail, officials said.
There is no firm reopening date at this time. County representatives said the main Arroyo Quemado Trail could “maybe” be open again in a month, pending weather conditions, but the Loop Trail will likely require long-term repairs.
Jeffrey Lindgren, the assistant director within the Santa Barbara County Parks Division, warned that the repair timeline will be affected by any further rainfall.
“(February), March can bring a lot more rain,” he said in an email.
The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, the County Waste Management Division and the County Resource Recovery own and manage the 1,083-acre Baron Ranch, located roughly 25 miles west of the city of Santa Barbara. The Arroyo Quemado Trail and the Loop are maintained by the Santa Barbara County Parks Department and the Santa Barbara County Trails Council.
The trails are often used by hikers, bicyclists and equestrians, with a trailhead at Calle Real that runs parallel to Highway 101 and a pedestrian bridge along the west side of Arroyo Quemado. The trail system also connects to the West Camino Cielo Trail in the Los Padres National Forest.
Minor clearing has begun, but Santa Barbara County Public Works is still assessing the damage and determining exactly what repairs might be needed, Santa Barbara County Public Works spokesperson Lael Wageneck said Thursday morning.
He said parts of the roads are covered in mud and debris, while other areas have eroded. The main service road is also damaged on both sides of the Arroyo Quemado Creek, and a landslide is blocking the way down the canyon.
“The creek overtopped its banks and crossed both our vehicle bridge and the trail’s pedestrian bridge. Mud and debris are on the bridges and along the nearby roads. Debris also piled up against the second gate, causing it to warp,” Wageneck said in an email on Thursday.
Some parts of the trail can be repaired by volunteers, according to Santa Barbara County Trails Council Executive Director Mark Wilkinson, while other portions will require crews and an excavator.
“Everything has transformed,” he said.
Wilkinson, who has been on the trails board since 2010, said there is often cumulative damage from repeated storms. If there’s another storm in the coming months, he said, “we’re starting over again.”
He also encouraged community members to check in on a trail’s status before heading over there.
“During the rainy season, do your due diligence to see if the trails in our area are safe to hike (…) You really don’t want to hike on a trail that is muddy because you’ll mess up the trail,” he said. “Wet ground, turn around.”