Dispersed Camping in Santa Barbara County, California
Showing 115 locations in Santa Barbara County.
1 Santa Ynez River Road Dispersed
This seasonal Forest Service road runs along the Santa Ynez River in Los Padres National Forest, offering dispersed camping on native dirt surfaces from spring through autumn. The route is typically accessible to passenger vehicles in dry conditions, but can become impassable when wet.
2 La Brea OHV Road Dispersed
An OHV route within the Los Padres National Forest offering seasonal dispersed camping along a native dirt road.
Abel Canyon Campground
A quiet National Forest developed campground offering basic amenities nestled within the scenic Los Padres National Forest.
Anytime Fitness - Orcutt
A paved parking lot at the local gym in Orcutt that may offer standard overnight stealth options for active members.
Barrel Spring Campground
A secluded, primitive Forest Service campground nestled in the Los Padres National Forest. Accessible via a native dirt road, it offers a peaceful, rustic camping experience near natural springs.
Bates Canyon Campground
A peaceful and secluded campground nestled within the oak woodlands of Los Padres National Forest. Offering vault toilets and several established sites, this location provides a quiet escape away from the highway.
Bates Canyon Road Dispersed
A scenic corridor within the Los Padres National Forest offering dispersed camping opportunities along a native material road. This route provides seasonal motorhome and passenger vehicle access near local trailheads and springs.
Bear Camp
A remote backcountry trail camp nestled in the Los Padres National Forest near Big Pine Mountain, accessible only via hiking trails.
Big Cone Spruce Camp
A remote backcountry trail camp located in the San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest, accessible only via hiking or equestrian trails.
BLM Land near Los Alamos, CA
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BLM Land near Los Olivos, CA
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BLM Land near Santa Maria, CA
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BLM Land near Santa Ynez, CA
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BLM Land near Solvang, CA
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BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
Primitive dispersed camping area along a remote BLM road near Bald Mountain. Ideal for self-contained rigs seeking a quiet, undeveloped site in the hills behind Solvang.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
Dispersed camping options along a primitive BLM corridor in the hills near Santa Ynez. The route offers rugged camping opportunities with views of the surrounding valley.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
A rugged BLM primitive road offering dispersed camping access in the hills near Tepusquet Peak. The route requires high-clearance vehicles due to rough, unmaintained conditions.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
A rugged and remote dispersed camping corridor along a primitive dirt road in the Santa Barbara foothills near Tepusquet Peak. This wilderness corridor is best suited for self-contained, high-clearance vehicles seeking quiet and isolation.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
A primitive dirt road corridor on Bureau of Land Management land near Los Alamos. It offers undeveloped dispersed camping with scenic views of the surrounding coastal ridges.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
Remote dispersed camping corridor located along an unmaintained BLM primitive road in a rugged chaparral setting.
BLM Primitive Road Dispersed
Remote dispersed camping along a primitive BLM road section near Huasna Peak. This corridor provides basic, quiet chaparral scenery with minimal traffic.
BLM Primitive Road
A rugged BLM road corridor offering rustic, primitive dispersed camping in the foothills near Los Alamos. Access is best suited for experienced drivers in high-clearance vehicles looking for quiet seclusion.
Brookshire OHV Road Dispersed
A rugged dirt corridor offering dispersed camping opportunities within Los Padres National Forest. This area is suitable for self-contained vehicles seeking a rustic experience away from developed facilities.
Buellton Urban Stealth Parking
Buellton offers several options for overnight parking on city streets, industrial drives, and transit parking lots directly off Highway 101. While many travelers have successfully parked overnight on Commercial Drive, Avenue of the Flags, and Industrial Way, local municipal codes restrict long-term habitation. Some areas, particularly near commercial shopping plazas on McMurray Road, are actively patrolled and off-limits. For a quieter stay, industrial areas and public parking lots are generally preferred for low-profile vehicles.
Cachuma Campground
Cachuma Campground is a primitive, creek-side campsite nestled under oak trees in the Los Padres National Forest. This tranquil area offers a few designated spots where visitors regularly observe wild turkeys, deer, and other local wildlife. The access road is a graded dirt route suitable for most vehicle types, including trailers, although conditions can become muddy during wet weather.
Cachuma Lake Campground
A massive, amenity-rich county campground situated along the shores of Cachuma Lake. It offers hundreds of sites ranging from basic tent camping to full hookup RV sites and yurts.
Camp Out @ Free Dog Farms
A private, reservation-based camping spot situated on a farm near Buellton. Accessible via somewhat rough farm terrain, it offers a rustic agricultural setting with welcoming hosts.
Carpinteria State Beach Campground
A popular beachside state park campground featuring multiple loops, group areas, and a hike-and-bike site. Visitors enjoy immediate access to the sand, beautiful ocean views, and close proximity to downtown dining and shopping. However, the campground is situated directly adjacent to an active rail line, resulting in regular and loud train noise, and the individual campsites are exceptionally tight and closely spaced with minimal privacy. Complete amenities include coin-operated hot showers, fresh water, and a standard dump station.
Carpinteria Urban Stealth & Street Parking
This zone encompasses multiple public streets, industrial parks, and residential neighborhoods within the coastal community of Carpinteria. While local streets are flat and paved, municipal regulations strictly prohibit sleeping in vehicles or overnight camping on public streets and in city parks. Visitors should expect active overnight enforcement and look out for local street-sweeping restrictions.
Channel Islands National Park
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Chimineas Ranch Road Dispersed
This primitive dirt corridor traverses remote BLM-managed lands, offering options for quiet, dispersed camping. The road can become impassable when wet, so high-clearance vehicles are recommended after rain.
Davy Brown Campground
A peaceful and scenic campground nestled along Davy Brown Creek on Figueroa Mountain. Surrounded by oak and pine trees, it offers tranquil creek-side camping with access to nearby hiking and mountain biking trails. The site is popular for recreation, though it experiences high activity during autumn deer hunting season.
Earl Warren RV Campground at the Fairgrounds
An asphalt-parking-lot-style RV campground located at the local fairgrounds in Santa Barbara. It offers level back-in sites with full hookups and easy online registration.
East Camino Cielo Dispersed Corridor
A scenic ridge road corridor offering sweeping vistas of the coastal mountains and canyons in Los Padres National Forest. Accessible by most vehicles, the route provides roadside pullouts suitable for dispersed camping.
East Camino Cielo Dispersed
A scenic paved mountain ridge road offering multiple pullouts with sweeping views over Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. The route features tight hairpin turns and is heavily wind-exposed, but provides excellent staging for quiet boondocking within the national forest. Campers must ensure vehicles are parked entirely off the roadway to comply with local traffic regulations.
El Capitan State Beach Campground
Perched on a scenic coastal bluff, this expansive state beach campground offers direct beach access and views of the ocean. It features several paved loops with dry camping sites, multiple group camping areas, and a hike-and-bike section. Standard amenities include picnic tables, coin-operated hot showers, and potable water hookups. Note that the area experienced temporary construction-related closures on the access road in late 2025.
Figueroa Basin Road Dispersed
This scenic corridor along Figueroa Basin Road in Los Padres National Forest offers dispersed campsites with stunning views of the surrounding valley. Sites feature natural shade and easy pull-offs, though the exposed ridge is prone to high winds and seasonal mud.
Fish Creek Camp
A remote, walk-in backcountry campsite located along the Manzana Trail in the San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest.
Flying Flags RV Resort
A premium commercial RV resort offering high-end amenities including full hookups, clean restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a swimming pool, and recreational courts. Ideal for multi-day stays while exploring the Santa Barbara wine country, though pricing is premium.
Foothill Road BLM Dispersed
Primitive dispersed camping corridor along Foothill Road and adjacent public land tracks. This remote area offers quiet spots nestled in the California foothills.
Forest Route 11N01 Dispersed Camping
Dispersed camping corridor along Forest Route 11N01 on Bureau of Land Management territory. This rugged dirt road offers quiet pull-outs with beautiful canyon views in a remote mountain setting. Ideal for self-contained, high-clearance vehicles seeking isolated wilderness camping near the national forest boundary.
Fremont Campground
Fremont Campground is a developed Forest Service facility located near the Santa Ynez River. It features shaded sites under oak canopies, providing easy access to local hiking trails, including the Aliso National Recreation Trail, and nearby water recreation. Amenities include picnic tables, campfire rings, pedestals, flush toilets, and drinking water.
Gaviota Rest Areas (Highway 101)
Northbound and Southbound highway rest areas situated along US-101 near Gaviota State Park. Well-suited for a quick overnight stop, offering flush toilets, picnic areas, and basic trash facilities. Parking space is limited and tight for large rigs.
Gaviota State Beach Campground
A developed coastal campground situated within Gaviota State Park, located right off Highway 101. The site features a sandy beach, active train trestle, and basic amenities including flush toilets and token-operated hot showers. Ideal for coastal stopovers and beach access.
Happy Canyon Road Dispersed
A scenic dispersed camping corridor winding through the Los Padres National Forest along Happy Canyon Road. Native material turnouts provide space for various rig sizes in a tranquil canyon setting.
Happy Hunting Ground Campground
Happy Hunting Ground Campground is a primitive backcountry trail camp nestled within the scenic San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest, accessible only via hiking or horseback.
Hobson Beach Park
A cozy beachfront county park offering a mix of full-hookup and primitive dry campsites along the shoreline. Positioned slightly lower than the adjacent highway, it benefits from a bit more wind protection and reduced traffic noise compared to the open shoulder-parking sites nearby. Amenities include flushing toilets, coin-operated hot showers, and a small weekend breakfast and lunch concessions shack. The park provides an intimate coastal camping experience, though reservations must be booked and paid for in advance through the Ventura County parks website.
Horseshoe Springs Campground
Nestled in a large grove of oaks within Los Padres National Forest, this primitive developed campground offers exceptional solitude and quiet in a remote forest setting.
Isla Vista & Goleta Urban Stealth Parking
This urban stealth zone covers public street parking options in the Goleta and Isla Vista area, including residential margins near Santa Barbara Shores Park and industrial/commercial borders near Bollay Drive. While convenient and level for a quick stay, local regulations are active and the surrounding area experiences regular airport and train noise.
Isla Vista Coastal Access Trailhead
This coastal parking area offers immediate access to the scenic ocean trails of Ellwood Mesa and UCSB West Campus, though overnight parking is strictly prohibited.
Isla Vista Coastal Stealth Parking
Stealth street parking options along Camino Majorca in a densely populated college residential neighborhood. The steep street slope makes leveling difficult, and local overnight parking regulations are strictly enforced.
Jalama Beach County Park
An iconic coastal campground tucked away at the terminus of a remote paved road. Located directly on the beach, it offers primitive and electric hookup sites, a popular on-site camp store with hot food, and hot showers. The setting is ideal for beachcombing, surfing, and relaxing, though visitors should prepare for frequent ocean winds and periodic train sounds.
Ken Adams Park
A small, quiet park offering four dry camping spots adjacent to the university parking lots. The setting includes a playground, picnic tables, a fire pit, and a grill, serving as an official overflow option for Lompoc's River Park.
Le Roy Park & Community Center
A public park parking area in Guadalupe offering paved parking adjacent to grassy fields. The site features public restrooms, BBQ pits, and basin sinks, making it convenient for short overnight stays. The surrounding area is active until sunset, with occasional train horns and evening park activity.
Lonnie Davis Campground
A primitive, remote campground located along Sierra Madre Ridge Road in the Los Padres National Forest, offering a rustic experience under the pines.
Los Alamos BLM Primitive Roads
Remote dispersed camping opportunities along primitive BLM roads in the rugged hills near Los Alamos. These tracks offer quiet, undeveloped pull-offs surrounded by chaparral and coastal oak woodlands, ideal for self-contained, high-clearance vehicles seeking privacy.
Los Padres National Forest - Santa Maria Ranger Station
The administrative ranger station for the Santa Maria District of the Los Padres National Forest. This location is an official visitor center where maps and permits can be acquired, but overnight camping is strictly prohibited.
Los Prietos Campground
A lush, family-friendly developed campground nestled in the oak-studded canyons of the Santa Ynez Valley. Provides easy access to river activities and local recreational trails.
Lower Bear Camp
A remote lower trail camp located deep within the Los Padres National Forest backcountry.
Mansfield Camp
Mansfield Camp is a remote wilderness backpacking camp situated along the scenic Sisquoc River in the Los Padres National Forest.
Manzana Camp
Designated backcountry trail camp located along the Manzana Creek trail in the San Rafael Wilderness. Accessible only via hiking or pack animal from the Nira Trailhead.
Manzana Narrows Camp
Scenic backcountry campsite located further up Manzana Canyon in the San Rafael Wilderness, featuring canyon shade and seasonal creek pools.
Manzana Schoolhouse Camp
A remote backcountry trail camp located at the historic schoolhouse site within the scenic San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest.
Manzana Trail Backcountry Camps
A collection of designated hike-in backcountry campsites along the scenic Manzana Creek trail in the San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest. These camps offer tranquil wilderness environments accessible only by foot or horseback.
Middle Santa Ynez Campground
Middle Santa Ynez Campground is a secluded, rustic developed camping area situated deep within the Los Padres National Forest. This site offers basic tent and vehicle camping spots adjacent to the upper Santa Ynez River. Access is via a dirt road that is seasonally closed during winter and wet seasons, typically opening in late spring.
Miranda Pine Campground
A remote and primitive U.S. Forest Service campground situated along the scenic Sierra Madre Ridge. This quiet location offers three basic sites shaded by oak and pine trees, presenting panoramic views of the surrounding canyons. Access requires navigating a steep, narrow dirt road, making it best suited for smaller, high-clearance vehicles.
Miranda Pine OHV Road
This scenic dirt OHV road within the Los Padres National Forest offers dispersed camping opportunities along the corridor, surrounded by oak and pine woodlands. The route provides a peaceful escape with multiple pulling options along the native material road.
Mission Canyon Meadow
This hike-in meadow location in the scenic Mission Canyon area is accessible only via foot trails, with overnight camping strictly prohibited by local front-country regulations.
Mission Pine Basin Camp
Mission Pine Basin Camp is a primitive, hike-in backcountry trail camp nestled along the Mission Pine Trail within the San Rafael Wilderness of Los Padres National Forest.
MT. FIGUEROA CAMPGROUND
A scenic developed campground perched among red manzanitas, oaks, and pines atop Figueroa Mountain. It offers clean facilities, majestic sunset views over the valley, and immediate access to nearby hiking trails, though tight spaces and low branches make it best suited for rigs under 22 feet.
Nira Campground
Shaded by coast live oaks along Manzana Creek, Nira Campground offers 12 developed campsites on the edge of the San Rafael Wilderness. It serves as a popular trailhead and basecamp for hiking, backpacking, and exploring the creek, with basic amenities like vault toilets and picnic tables. Due to tight spaces and a winding access road, it is best suited for passenger cars and small camper vans. There is no drinking water available on site.
P-Bar Flat Campground
A primitive forest campground situated along the Santa Ynez River within the Los Padres National Forest, offering basic sites surrounded by oak and pine woodlands.
Painted Cave Road Pullouts
A series of scenic, narrow roadside pullouts located along the steep climbing curves of Painted Cave Road. These spots provide incredible panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains and coast, but space is highly limited and the route is entirely unsuitable for trailers or larger motorhomes.
Painted Rock Camp
A remote backcountry trail camp along the Sierra Madre Ridge in Los Padres National Forest, ideal for hikers seeking primitive wilderness sites.
Paradise Campground
A developed Forest Service campground situated in the Los Padres National Forest along the Santa Ynez River. Offers scenic sites shaded by large oaks, providing easy access to hiking, biking, and water-related recreation near Cachuma Lake.
Planet Fitness Goleta
A commercial gym parking lot in Goleta. The private parking lot is posted with 90-minute time restrictions, making overnight parking inside the lot highly discouraged. Campers generally utilize adjacent public street parking where local oversized vehicle regulations apply.
Rancho Oso Campground
A developed private campground operating under the Thousand Trails network, offering a mix of partial and full-hookup sites alongside resort amenities such as swimming pools and a hot tub. Situated in a scenic valley along the river, it serves as a base near national forest trailheads.
Rancho Oso RV & Camping Resort
A historic guest ranch and private membership RV resort offering full hookups, cabin rentals, and extensive resort amenities tucked into the scenic mountains near Santa Barbara.
Rays Camp
Secluded backcountry trail camp located along the lower portion of the Manzana Creek trail in the San Rafael Wilderness.
Refugio State Beach Campground
An established beachfront campground situated directly on the Pacific coastline at Refugio State Beach. It features spectacular ocean views, sandy shores, and a grove of palm trees. The campground offers basic amenities including restrooms, coin-operated showers, water access, and a camp store that operates seasonally. Sites are positioned close together with limited privacy, and a coastal railroad line runs parallel to the campground.
River Park
A developed city park campground in Lompoc, California, offering RV sites with full hookups and tent camping areas. The facility features paved access, a self-pay kiosk, and restrooms, though availability can be subject to ongoing municipal renovations. It is situated adjacent to a local park with walking paths and a small pond.
Rock Front Forest Road
A scenic dirt road corridor traversing the rugged backcountry of Los Padres National Forest, offering seasonal dispersed camping opportunities.
Sage Hill Group Campground
Located in the Santa Ynez Mountain Range within Los Padres National Forest, this group campground offers spacious facilities near the Santa Ynez River. It features paved access roads, mature oak trees for shade, and specialized horse camping amenities including corrals. It is an ideal spot for group getaways, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.
San Miguel Island Campground
A highly remote and wind-swept campground situated on a plateau on San Miguel Island, the westernmost island in Channel Islands National Park. Accessible only by boat or plane followed by a steep hike-in trail, this primitive facility features wind shelters and pit toilets, requiring campers to be completely self-sufficient.
Santa Barbara District, Los Padres National Forest
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Santa Barbara Transit Area Parking
A public parking area located in downtown Santa Barbara near transit routes, museums, and local services.
Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry Campground
A remote, hike-in backcountry campground located on Santa Cruz Island within Channel Islands National Park. Accessible via a moderate to strenuous 3.5-mile hike from Prisoners Harbor, the site sits roughly 700 feet above sea level, offering incredible canyon and coastal vistas.
Santa Lucia District, Los Padres National Forest
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Santa Rosa Island Backcountry Beach Camping
Stretching along 55 miles of pristine coastline, this backcountry area offers primitive beach camping accessible only by passenger boat followed by strenuous hiking or sea kayaking. A valid National Park Service permit is required, and camping is seasonally restricted to late summer through winter.
Sierra Madre Road Dispersed
Winding through Los Padres National Forest, this rugged dirt road corridor provides scenic dispersed camping opportunities. Standard seasonal closures apply during the winter and spring months.
Skunk Campground
Located deep within the San Rafael Wilderness near the Sisquoc River, Skunk Campground is a primitive backcountry trail camp accessible only via hiking or horseback.
Solvang Urban Street Parking
This urban stealth parking area spans various level city streets within the Danish-themed town of Solvang. While the town is safe and highly walkable with public restrooms nearby, vehicles must remain low-profile and practice quiet, respectful stealth parking to prevent complaints from nearby residential neighborhoods and hotels.
South Fork Camp
A remote, primitive trail camp situated near the headwaters of the South Fork Sisquoc River along Sierra Madre Ridge Road.
South Lincoln Street Parking
A paved urban parking area along South Lincoln Street, providing a basic, highly visible overnight option near downtown Santa Maria.
Sunrise RV Park
A small, tidy, gravel-based urban RV park located adjacent to Highway 101. While the site is highly exposed and subject to significant highway noise, it serves as a functional overnight option with full hookups, clean restrooms, laundry, and easy access to local beaches and downtown.
Sunset Valley & Figueroa Mountain Road
This scenic corridor along Figueroa Mountain Road and Sunset Valley in the Los Padres National Forest offers peaceful dispersed sites with panoramic views of the Santa Ynez Valley. Located near Ranger Peak, the area is exceptionally quiet, though it experiences seasonal closures during winter and spring. Standard Forest Service dispersed camping rules apply, and California campfire permits are required for all stoves.
Sycamore Campground
This rustic developed campground is nestled within the scenic canyons of Los Padres National Forest under a canopy of sycamore and oak trees.
TA Parking - Santa Maria
A paved parking area convenient to Highway 101, suitable for quick overnight rests. Visitors should verify local regulations and check for posted restrictions before staying.
Tequepis Canyon Road Dispersed
This dirt road corridor offers dispersed camping options in Los Padres National Forest, located just south of Lake Cachuma. Standard National Forest rules apply, and the road is accessible for most passenger vehicles under dry conditions.
The Maverick Saloon
Overnight parking is permitted in the large, flat dirt lot on the side of this popular western-themed bar and restaurant. It is a convenient option if you are patronizing the establishment for food, drinks, or live music.
Trader Joe's - Santa Barbara
This commercial parking lot in Santa Barbara offers a potential low-profile overnight stay, but it comes with significant caveats. The lot is exceptionally tight, busy during business hours, and is entirely unsuitable for larger RVs or trailers. Active security guards patrol the area and enforce parking limits, though some travelers have reported overnight tolerance when coordinating around morning street sweeping schedules. Additionally, the City of Santa Barbara strictly prohibits vehicle habitation, making any overnight stay here highly risky and subject to local law enforcement citations.
Twin Oaks Camp
A secluded backcountry trail camp located within the Los Padres National Forest. This site is accessible only by hiking or horseback, offering a quiet, rustic camp setting shaded by mature oaks.
Upper Bear Camp
A secluded upper backcountry trail camp situated along the mountain trails of Los Padres National Forest.
Upper Caliente Camp
Upper Caliente Camp is a primitive US Forest Service campground tucked deep within the scenic backcountry of Los Padres National Forest, accessible via rugged dirt roads.
Upper Oso Campground
Upper Oso Campground is a developed family-friendly campground located within the Los Padres National Forest. Tucked into California's scenic coastal mountains, it features equestrian sites and is a staging point for multiple trails, including the Santa Cruz Trail into the San Rafael Wilderness.
Upper Santa Ynez Camp
A primitive canyon campground located along the upper reaches of the Santa Ynez River in Los Padres National Forest.
Urban Stealth Parking (Lompoc)
An urban residential street environment in Lompoc. Vehicles larger than standard campervans are not recommended due to street parking layouts and local residential parking limits.
Urban Stealth Parking (Montecito & Santa Barbara)
An urban neighborhood zone in the residential hills of Montecito, just east of Santa Barbara, consisting of tight roadside pull-offs. Strict municipal codes and sheriff patrols regulate vehicle overnight parking and street habitation throughout the area.
Urban Stealth Parking (Santa Barbara / Mission Canyon)
An urban residential area in Mission Canyon with generic stealth parking reports. Local municipal regulations strictly prohibit or restrict vehicle habitation and overnight parking.
Viborg Road Stealth Area
This suburban corridor along Viborg Road on the outskirts of Solvang has been utilized by vanlifers and small rigs for overnight stays. It sits in a transitional area between residential neighborhoods and municipal utility lots, offering paved access close to the historic downtown. However, due to strict municipal codes, staying here carries a high risk of citation.
Water Canyon Campground (Santa Rosa Island)
Water Canyon Campground on Santa Rosa Island offers wind-protected campsites tucked in a scenic canyon. This isolated developed campground features access to white sand beaches and rugged coastal hiking trails, but requires a boat transit and a hike to reach. There is absolutely no passenger vehicle access on the island. Campers must pack in all food and supplies, and carefully manage trash. Potable water is available seasonally but must be verified before travel.
Water Canyon Campground
This primitive developed campground in the Los Padres National Forest offers basic campsites nestled in a quiet canyon.
West Camino Cielo Road Dispersed
A scenic ridge corridor along West Camino Cielo Road in the Los Padres National Forest, offering pullouts with expansive vistas of the Santa Ynez Valley. The route consists of sealed, paved surfaces accessible to standard passenger vehicles, though certain sections are subject to temporary or seasonal closures.
White Rock Road Area
This access road corridor in Los Padres National Forest offers options for dispersed camping and roadside pull-offs near the Santa Ynez River area.
Zaca Ridge Road OHV Corridor
A dirt forest road corridor through the Los Padres National Forest offering dispersed camping and OHV access. The lower section near the campground is accessible year-round, while the upper sections have seasonal closures.