112 official trails lie within 25 miles of Santa Barbara — 460 miles in total, 50 rated easy and 43 hard or expert. Every distance and elevation figure below is computed from the agency centerline and a 10 m elevation model, not crowd-sourced.
The biggest climb nearby gains 4,506 ft; the median trail gains 586 ft.
| Trail | Miles | Climb | Difficulty | Drive from town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 19.0 | 4,026 ft | Expert | 48 min · 23 mi |
| Hurricane Deck | 14.6 | 2,944 ft | Expert | 25 mi (straight-line) |
| Sisquoc | 32.8 | 4,506 ft | Expert | 21 mi (straight-line) |
| Alamar | 9.1 | 2,834 ft | Expert | 21 mi (straight-line) |
| Forest Service Route 8N08 | 7.8 | 2,917 ft | Expert | 2 h 05 min · 49 mi |
| Cold Spring | 9.5 | 2,665 ft | Expert | 1 h 27 min · 33 mi |
| North Fork Matilija | 8.0 | 3,347 ft | Expert | 1 h 40 min · 62 mi |
| Manzana | 14.6 | 2,270 ft | Expert | 25 mi (straight-line) |
| Mission Pine | 14.7 | 1,266 ft | Expert | 20 mi (straight-line) |
| Tunnel | 7.9 | 2,401 ft | Expert | 19 min · 6 mi |
| San Ysidro | 4.5 | 3,022 ft | Hard | 17 min · 8 mi |
| Mono-Alamar | 10.0 | 1,476 ft | Expert | 1 h 27 min · 33 mi |
| Fall Canyon Trail | 4.6 | 2,493 ft | Hard | 21 mi (straight-line) |
| Poplar | 6.6 | 1,544 ft | Expert | 19 mi (straight-line) |
| Franklin | 4.9 | 2,011 ft | Hard | 28 min · 14 mi |
| Santa Cruz Jeepway | 4.1 | 2,438 ft | Hard | 14 mi (straight-line) |
| Tequepis | 4.0 | 2,328 ft | Hard | 1 h 09 min · 24 mi |
| Gibraltar | 9.2 | 835 ft | Expert | 56 min · 27 mi |
| Franklin Trail | 5.2 | 1,697 ft | Hard | 21 min · 13 mi |
| Matilija Divide Trail | 5.0 | 1,893 ft | Hard | 1 h 26 min · 37 mi |
| Romero | 4.4 | 1,939 ft | Hard | 22 min · 10 mi |
| Bill Wallace Trail | 6.6 | 1,004 ft | Hard | 34 min · 22 mi |
| Arroyo Burro | 3.9 | 2,059 ft | Hard | 41 min · 23 mi |
| Grapevine | 5.5 | 1,199 ft | Hard | 19 mi (straight-line) |
Waterfalls: North Fork Cold Spring Trail to Tangerine Falls
Summits: Mission Pine to San Rafael Mountain; Cathedral Peak Trail to Cathedral Peak; Madulce Peak to Madulce Peak
Lakes: Gibraltar to Gibraltar Reservoir; Jesusita to Lauro Reservoir; Buena Vista Trail to Buena Vista Reservoir; UCSB Campus Point to Campus Lagoon
Viewpoints: Gibraltar to Red Rock; Franklin Trail to Frank's Bench; North Fork Cold Spring Trail to Tangerine Falls Overlook; Snyder to Knapp's Castle
Mountain passes: Cold Spring to Cold Spring Saddle; Tunnel to Angostura Pass; Matilija Divide Trail to Murietta Divide; Romero to Romero Saddle
Springs: Edison Catway to Hot Springs; Caliente to Agua Caliente Spring
Beaches: El Capitan State Beach Trails to El Capitan Beach; Santa Barbara Coastal Trail to Leadbetter Beach; Ventura County West PCH Mobel Pier North to Rincon Beach; Beach from Atascadero Creek to Arroyo Burro Beach County Park to Hope Ranch Private Beach
Nearby towns: Solvang (28 mi) · Oxnard (32 mi) · Taft (52 mi) · Santa Maria (55 mi)
All California trail guides · Hiking by city · Dispersed camping rules