Hiking strenuously since the early 1970s, I’m always on the lookout for new paths and reworked trails — and while I hiked the Arroyo Quemado Trail once before, there have been several improvements since September 2023.
I share the common public overload of political ads, presidential wrangling, insipid commentary and simply too much white noise, and I have found blessed serenity on these paths above the heralded Gaviota Coast.
Although there is a more rugged, 12-mile, round-trip hiking option, I’m recommending the recently restored six-mile loop, which is the result of community conservation efforts by the Santa Barbara County Trails Council, the Santa Barbara County Community Services Department, Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann and many others.
I recently noted how the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail no longer seems to have equestrians riding on it (unsafe). Equestrian enthusiasts as well as mountain bikers will particularly like the Arroyo Quemado Trail. In a peculiarity, horses and hikers are OK, but dogs are specifically forbidden (explained below).
After parking, hikers will walk along on a roughly paved road — the ancient Highway 1 before Highway 101 — and eventually reach the landmark bridge, which, to my mind, indicates the second beginning of the winding Arroyo Quemado Trail.
The first mile is fairly level and quite easy, but after dropping down to the sturdy bridge, we find that conservation efforts at the former avocado ranch have re-routed the path. It angles steeply up a hillside and joins an old ranch road that runs through avocado trees, many now either chopped down or left untended and going to seed.
Early on through these diverse ecosystems — riparian woodland, chaparral-clad hillsides, rugged and abandoned ranch road — wild Pete spotted a large bird apparently resting in a solitary tree. It did not fly off as the trail led very close, and although I am not a birder, this raptor appeared to be a red-shouldered hawk (buteo lineatis). I am reading that these gorgeous raptors are fairly rare, and that in the East they are shy, but out West they have lost their fear of humans. This one certainly did not mind us walking right below it.
Cherokee and other Indigenous cultures regard this “red” hunting bird as a messenger from the universe and signifier of important visions. I immediately imagined that our troubled land would settle down after election season had ended.
While the trail meanders between various eco-zones, much of it is exposed old roadbed out in the open — thus, we wore sun-protection gear, including wide-brim hats, long-sleeved shirts, trousers, sunglasses and gloves.
In the past, I have seen people jogging on the trail, which works well for about the first couple of miles. The hillsides above us occasionally radiated a bewitching red or russet glow from the dried-out buckwheat plants, fairly hard to catch with my camera.
After the first easy mile or so, the path begins to ascend, and essentially it will go all the way up to the top of the Camino Cielo and will offer fabulous views out over the Pacific Ocean as well as inland. This area includes very sensitive habitat for a number of critters, but particularly as a crucial location for the threatened and federally protected red-legged frog (rana draytonii).
This amphibian is dying off because of habitat loss, invasive species (e.g. dogs) and over-exploitation. In the 19th century, humans devoured thousands of them for “frog legs” meals. Red-shouldered hawks undoubtedly enjoy dining on these tasty morsels. Wild Pete and I were quite careful when the trail or road obliged us to ford Arroyo Quemado Creek — seen in the lead photograph and here:
Hiking very early on a weekday, we didn’t encounter any other hikers, bikers or horse riders. Some of our modern “restored” trails have over-managed the process, but Arroyo Quemado has several very helpful but unobtrusive modern iron signs that make the winding path/road very clear. Several signs instruct users to stay off the hillsides and away from sensitive areas.
After almost three miles of quite varied terrain, we came upon another iron sign showing that the “loop” trail begins here, and it’s another challenging 3.4-mile ascent to the top of the coastal range, the Camino Cielo. I strongly recommend taking the left option at this sign and avoiding the right-side choice lettered on the sign as “Loop Trail West.” The western side is in very poor condition for hiking.
We pondered doubling our effort — the 6.5 miles we were already committed to … or 12 miles? Bemused and admiring a lonely red penstemon bush just hanging on, I realized that I was just hanging on myself, and that a 6.5-mile day would be just dandy!
Wild Pete has made the 12-mile full loop and confirmed that the next 3.4 miles become even steeper and more rigorous. Serious trekkers need to plan for this and bring along appropriate water and food supplies. It was already 11 a.m., and doubling this free-and-easy hike to transform it into a very serious trek would have been too much. After munching power bars, we turned it, sauntered back down to our vehicle and admired the spectacular vistas the whole way.
On this return, we were taken aback by a huge tree that had fallen directly across the old ranch road. The 2021 Alisal Fire roared through here and subsequent heavy rainfall pushed everything around, but also offered the chance to create a new 1,000-acre park at this location, just 13 miles west of Goleta. Numbers of dead or dying trees from that fire remain in place, and we knew that this large, dead tree that had crashed onto the road had not been there on our way in. We figured it had fallen within the last hour and thanked that red-shouldered hawk for its visionary warning to pay careful heed along the entire route.
In the spring, hikers will enjoy vibrant wildflower displays on the Arroyo Quemado Trail, and there have been sightings of black bears, bobcats and a resident mountain lion. We did not spot any of the threatened southwestern pond turtle (actinemys marmorata pallida) or the two-striped garter snake (thamnophis hammondii) species. Mid-fall and winter before the heavy rains are the best times to hike or ride here.
4.1.1.
Please stay on the marked trail in this sensitive habitat area.
Driving: Head north on Highway 101, and shortly after the Refugio State Beach off-ramp, watch very carefully for the unmarked exit just past the large sign with “GAVIOTA 7” — this isn’t official freeway here, so the turn has a triangular yellow sign with a large black cross, meaning you can legally turn off here. After about a mile driving slowly on the very rough (potholes!) frontage road to the end, you will see the huge Baron Ranch proscenium and sign. Note: No dogs allowed (sensitive habitat red-legged frog), no hunting, no e-bikes. To learn more about the Baron Ranch Project, visit sbtrails.org.
See also Tom Modugno on the history of Baron Ranch: goletahistory.com/the-baron-ranch-at-arroyo-quemada/.