Gaviota State Park
| Gaviota State Park | |
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California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Gaviota State Park is a state park of California, United States. It is located in southern Santa Barbara County, California, about 33 miles (53 km) west of the city of Santa Barbara.[1] One of three state parks along the Gaviota Coast, it extends from the Pacific coast to the crest of the Santa Ynez Mountains, and is adjacent to Los Padres National Forest. The 2,787-acre (1,128 ha) park was established in 1953.[2]
Geography
The park is bisected by
Adjacent to the park on the west is a large region of private ranches and ranchettes known as Hollister Ranch, which extends for almost the entire distance to Point Conception (where the California coast turns to the north). Access to this portion of the coast is tightly secured, and possible only by water for non-residents.
Climate
The park is subject to a
Ecology
Plant communities in the park include
Much of the park vegetation was burned in a large brushfire in June 2004, with wildfire being a natural part of the chaparral ecosystem.[citation needed]
Facilities
Campground
The park includes a beach campground, which contains 39 campsites for RVs (up to 25 feet for most sites) and for tents. Additionally there are eight picnic sites.[2]
Trails
Both sections of the park contain trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.[6] The most heavily traveled trail is a short dirt road leading to a popular hot spring on the eastern side of the highway. A more substantial trail beginning at the same trailhead leads out of the park to the summit of Gaviota Peak, the highest mountain in the vicinity at 2,458 feet (749 m). The isolated peak has expansive views in all directions; on a clear day, much of Santa Barbara County is visible as well as the coast as far south as the Santa Monica Mountains. Trails within the park total 34 miles (55 km) in all.[2]
See also
References
- ^ "Gaviota State Park". California Department of Parks and Recreation. 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ a b c California State Park System Statistical Report: Fiscal Year 2009/10 (PDF) (Report). California State Parks. p. 18. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ^ Meares, Hadley (August 20, 2015). "The Gap: Gaviota State Park, the Wild West of Southern California". KCET. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ Coastal Ranches Conservancy (February 2016). The Gaviota Creek Watershed: A Restoration Plan Update (Draft) (PDF) (Report). Retrieved December 26, 2020 – via County of Santa Barbara.
- ^ Mader, T.R. (2011). "Mountain Lion Fact Sheet". Abundant Wildlife Society of North America. Archived from the original on April 1, 2003. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
- ^ McCaslin, Dan (November 23, 2023). "Gaviota Wind Caves a Moderate Hike for All Ages". Noozhawk. Retrieved November 25, 2023.