Los Padres National Forest Overview

Los Padres National Forest encompasses approximately 1.75 million acres of central California’s scenic Coast and Transverse Ranges. The forest stretches across almost 220 miles from north to south and consists of two separate land divisions. The northern division is within Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County. It includes the beautiful Big Sur Coast and scenic interior areas. The “main division” of the forest includes lands within San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Kern Counties.

The headquarters, or Forest Supervisor’s Office, is located in the city of Solvang, in Santa Barbara County.

The Los Padres National Forest offers beautiful camping areas that range widely from low to high elevation, riverside to forested, and primitive to developed. Most of the campsites tend to be directed toward the more primitive camping experience.

Amenities

• BBQ Grills
• Campground Host
• Campsite Tables
• Cell Service - Good
• Cell Service - None
• Cell Service Fair
• Cell Service Poor
• Drinking Water
• Equestrian trail
• Fire Pit
• Fire Rings
• Firewood Available
• Golden Age & Access Passports accepted
• Grills
• Pets OK
• Picnic Tables
• Ranger Station
• Recycling Center
• Restrooms (Flush Toilets, Vault Toilets)
• Trash Collection

Activities

• ATV
• Backpacking
• Beach
• Beach Access
• Beach Combing
• Biking
• Bird Watching
• Boating
• Canoeing
• Climbing
• Creek
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Historic Sites
• Horseback riding
• Hunting
• Kayaking
• Lake
• Mountain Biking
• Nature Programs
• Nature Trails
• Ocean
• OHVing
• OTV Trails/Riding
• Paddle boarding (SUP)
• Photography
• Picnicking
• Reservoir
• River
• Stargazing
• Swimming
• Walking Trails
• Water Sports
• Wildlife Viewing
• Winter/Snow Sports