Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Gaviota Peak Trail

    4.4 (17 reviews)

    Gaviota Peak Trail Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Gaviota Peak Trail

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Martha M.

    Gaviota Peak Trail (GPT) is about a 6 mile there and back hike. It is best to go early morning as the temperature can get pretty warm. It is recommended to bring layers of clothes as some areas can get chilly in the shade. Don't forget your water and sunscreen. On this trail you have the ability to venture off to the hot springs if that is to your liking. On this hike I enjoyed the fact the path was wide and pretty maintained. Individuals of all ages can do the hike. Enjoy

    Map of the park, located at the trailhead.
    Malena A.

    This is one of my favorite trails in the Los Angeles area...BUT....Do it in the winter after some rains. I have done this trail at the end of March and it was green, lush, and absolutely gorgeous. The mountains/hills at the top (just past the peak) were full of water so it looked like mini lakes which rippled in the breeze at the top. I hiked this trail again in July and it was dry and not as exciting or pretty to look at. Some cool points.... - I love that this trail varies from rolling meadows, to the peak with ocean views, to a cave, and groves of California live oaks. - I love the cave!! So fun to climb around in! - The hot springs on this trail is an added bonus. It's maybe 1/4 mile up the trail off a small, almost hidden side trail. We did the loop and then hiked back up to soak in the hot springs. - Take Trespass trail back down. It's a little more narrow/overgrown but you get some great ocean views. Things to know: - The hot springs can get crowded on the weekend. There were about 10 people there the first time I went, but no one during the week. - Wear long pants and watch out for poison oak.

    someone needs to  take out the trash , lots of flies.
    John D.

    You will get a good workout on this trail , moderate difficulty ,3 mile to get to the peak , first 2 miles are ok but the last mile is steeper . You can go down trespass trail for the scenic ocean view but make sure you wear hiking shoes and long pants , the trail is very narrow and steep with plenty of bushes, uneven slopes with rocks, it can be quite intimidating for beginners. Going up walking will take about 1 hour . There's a lot of flies at the peak , maybe because the marker also serves as a trash can.

    This is the area I call the "death trap" due to the eroded trail. This is a good place to reconsider turning back downhill
    Carol G.

    Being active seniors, we attempted this moderate rated hiking trail. Although we did not make it to the peak due to the tremendous incline, our round-trip on the trespass trail ended up being 8 miles. I don't know how all trails comes up with their distance. We did not deviate off onto the side trails. There were some spectacular views on the way up of the ocean and the surrounding mountains sides which was very enjoyable. Although the trail started out very wide, it narrows to merely a foot path and at one point becomes a death trap because there is barely room for 1 foot in front of the other because of the erosion which would make it easy to lose your footing and slide off the cliff. We had hoped to also see the Hot Springs, but by the time we got back down the hill to the .7 hiking path to them, we had hiked four hours and will save it for another day. We parked on the side of the road when we saw a line of cars, figuring that the parking lot ahead was full. This turned out not to be the case. Although the parking lot is not very big, there is parking. It is easy to find this hiking area, it is right off of exit 132 of the freeway and the parking is right by the sign on the side road. Even if you are not an avid hiker, this trail is worthwhile to go up for a moderate distance just to enjoy the surrounding beauty. We determined that the tunnel trail loops around and connects with the trespass trail from the lower part to the midway part. This looks like it would be a nice little hike as well and an easy one. Hiking boots are recommended because of the inclines and mud in areas as well as rocks in others. This is not a trail to bring young children on. Dogs are prohibited and I can understand why. There are no restrooms in the area, even in the parking lot, and there is no where to sit and take a break during the hike.

    At the Peak
    Margaret H.

    No dogs allowed :( This is a great hike with fantastic views. Most of the people you meet on SB trails are very nice but I don't take chances and I don't hike alone without my dog. There is a sign at the trailhead but I swear I thought it was a picture of a horse! Okay so I'm a dork but I think people should be warned before they make the hour long car trip. My hiking book said nothing about dogs not being allowed on the trail.

    2,000 plus elevation! see that mountain - that's the actual mountain we climbed!
    Jo M.

    One of the hardest hike I ever had... as a beginner.. just started hiking this year, probably this is my 4th hike but my first time to do almost 6.5 miles. It was a non stop walking climbing up the peak.. Beautiful scenery all around, so green and flowers everywhere.. The pathways were wide and clear. It was definitely an experience!

    See all

    Photo of Jovany B.
    169
    69
    751

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Troy H.
    1229
    1290
    1270

    1 year ago

    Helpful 13
    Thanks 4
    Love this 12
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brian U.
    0
    2129
    128

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Gaviota Peak Trail

    Review Highlights - Gaviota Peak Trail

    However, it is noteworthy to add that the gravel route has essentially no views and Trespass Trail has views of the ocean almost the whole time.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Hiking 292 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Tequepis Trail - Parking

    Tequepis Trail

    4.7(3 reviews)
    23.7 mi

    Better than you'd expect…read more From the road, the Mtns across the way look more enticing, but this trail was well-maintained, yet rugged. We mostly saw bikers, but didn't see a whole lot of people overall. Once you pull off of the highway, stay to the dirt road to the left; it will eventually become pavement again shortly before you hit the trail head. When you get to the creek, look for the trail to the left that goes across a wooden branch bridge, before it gets too deep. Most of the elevation gain is on the upper half and you will pretty much know immediately when that is going to start. We started on the trail about 7am and got down at 12:15pm. Broadcast Peak was our destination and we ended up with 12 miles hiking and probably approx. 2800' elevation gain. You don't really need to do the peak to see the best views, as that is right at the end of the trail near the lone tree, where you can see the Pacific Ocean on one side and lake Cachuma on the other; The peak of Broadcast doesn't really have any better views.

    I embarked on this trail with a group of younglings on a cool day. I'd never been on this trail,…read morethe view was spectacular! It wasn't as difficult as I'd expected, though a couple of the youngsters grumbled halfway. We all pushed through and encouraged each other to keep going. When we reached the top it was not clear towards the ocean side, but the Lake Cachuma view looked like a painting! So beautiful, no words to describe the feeling. We also ran into some brave souls biking down the trail!

    Photos
    Tequepis Trail
    Tequepis Trail
    Tequepis Trail - Top!!

    See all

    Top!!

    San Antonio Creek Trail - Along the trail, fall 2021

    San Antonio Creek Trail

    4.5(4 reviews)
    25.1 mi

    During golden hour this afternoon, I walked along the first third or so of the San Antonio Creek…read moreTrail (20 minutes out and 20 back). As Richie D. mentions, this is not a strenuous hike. It's a (leashed) dog- and bike-friendly trail with only a small elevation gain. The pathway is mostly smooth, though there are some areas with boulders and places that would be awash in wet seasons. Scenery is lovely, and I saw birds, lizards, and bugs aplenty. At between 3pm and 3:45pm on a Monday, I only ran into a few others: some solo walkers, a couple of small groups, one person with a dog, and one on a bike. With sun setting earlier in the afternoon after Daylight Savings and the park closing at sunset, I didn't want to aim to go all the way to the other end of the path where it ends at the 154, but this is something to look forward to!

    A nice easy near 3 mile out and back trail that starts around the back end of Tucker Grove park…read morenear area 5. The trail is fairly shaded and covered, the elevation gain is maybe around 300 feet total so their aren't any crazy high climbs. It's pretty much a natural trail type of hike along side the creek. Pets are allowed on leash, there is also an off leash dog park next to the trail near the entrance to area 5 by the paved road. Aside from hikers and runners the trail is also shared with mountain bikers, most of which ride will bells on to alert nearby people on the trail that they're approaching. Near the end of the trail by Hwy 154 you'll get some nice views of the mountains in the area and the coast out in the distance. Overall it's a nice relaxing local trail.

    Photos
    San Antonio Creek Trail - End of the trail around the 154 Hwy.

    End of the trail around the 154 Hwy.

    San Antonio Creek Trail - Signage at top trail entrance off San Marcos Road/Route 154

    Signage at top trail entrance off San Marcos Road/Route 154

    San Antonio Creek Trail

    See all

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Takeoff from runway 25 of KSBA as seen from one of the benches

    Decker's Cabrillo Park

    5.0(1 review)
    21.0 mi

    I happened upon this beautifully maintained park up on a hill overlooking the Santa Barbara Airport…read moreand behind Decker's Headquarters. For me, it's the perfect spot to take my dog for a walk. (Note that pets should be leashed.) There are multiple loop gravel trails all under 1 mile--check out the map here: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/deckers-cabrillo-park-goleta?select=GfzL-X1iVYKRzcnrrhRm5w). It's quite shocking how quiet it remains given its proximity to the airport and being directly in the flight path. For kids, it is fun to watch planes take off and land, just bring earplugs. There is a large, green grassy area with a basketball court, volleyball net and picnic tables. When you go down a small hill, you enter Decker's private property so be respectful. This trail is pleasant and among native plants with lizards, bunnies and other creatures running about. Shockingly there was quite a lot of history here since the area was originally a native Chumash settlement (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/deckers-cabrillo-park-goleta?select=iXs_k01LUwoGxavV9dQGfA). Many locals have no idea that the Pacific Ocean's tides use to reach where Hollister Avenue presides... Later, the area became more industrial with the technology and engineering companies moving in to the area. One being Delco which has a plaza here several signs about how it transformed the area and improved technology. Check out, enjoy and care for our local parks!

    Photos
    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Airplane landing/take-off direction light towers

    Airplane landing/take-off direction light towers

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Available trails aim the park

    Available trails aim the park

    Decker's Cabrillo Park - Be respectful--it's technically private property

    See all

    Be respectful--it's technically private property

    Enjoy The Mountain - Such a nice place to visit

    Enjoy The Mountain

    4.7(48 reviews)
    31.0 mi

    great place! we had a terrific experience and will definatly go back. maybe next year or the year…read moreafter

    My two brothers and I spent the long Thanksgiving weekend in Solvang and decided to end our trip…read morewith an ATV tour in the Santa Barbara mountains before heading back to L.A. Best decision ever! Although getting to the meeting point was a bit scary as we drove 15 mph through winding roads next to steep cliffs, the views were nice and the ATV experience was totally worth it! We gave ourselves plenty of time to get lost and it took us about 1.5 hours to get to the checkpoint. Luckily Google Maps was on the entire time and we even had an hour to kill on top of the mountain before our 12:30pm appointment. (Also had screenshots of the directions in case we lost service). Upon arrival, we met with the two girls who were wearing face masks and face shields so we felt safe. They had all the sanitizing stuff. They checked us all in, gave us each a mesh covering for our head, pairs of gloves, goggles and helmets. They offered different insurance plans (just like a rental car company), each ranging in price. Then, they walked us over to the ATVs where Jorge was our tour guide. He asked us if we've ever rode before and taught us how to use the automatic ATVs and made us feel comfortable and safe. (Throttle was on the right handle bar and brakes on the left. Second brake was a foot pedal). We drove on wide and narrow trails, over some fun rocky areas, kicking up lots of dust, and he took photos of us the entire time. This was a great family bonding experience and we're all still talking about how fun it was and want to do it again. Know Before You Go: It gets dusty so wear clothes and closed toe shoes that you're ok getting dirty. Give yourself plenty of time to drive to the location because the last thing you want to do is rush through the scary mountain roads. 10/10 would definitely do this again!

    Photos
    Enjoy The Mountain - Christy, Sean and Steven

    Christy, Sean and Steven

    Enjoy The Mountain - Jorge told us to get off the ATVs and took this photo of us with the cool mountain background

    Jorge told us to get off the ATVs and took this photo of us with the cool mountain background

    Enjoy The Mountain

    See all

    Gaviota Peak Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...