Distance: 7 miles

Time: 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous

Elevation Gain: 1,940 feet

Dog Friendly: Yes.

This 7-mile hike takes you through the foothills of Santa Barbara along the Cold Spring Trail to the pinnacle of Montecito with 360-degree views, including but not limited to the Pacific Ocean, interior views of the Los Padres National Forest, the city of Santa Barbara, and on a clear day even Point Mugu to the South.

Trailhead Directions: From the Santa Barbara waterfront, take East Cabrillo Boulevard and continue straight as it becomes Hot Springs Road. At the traffic circle, take the second exit to stay on Hot Springs Road. Go 0.8 miles then turn left to stay on Hot Springs Road. Go 1.4 miles and turn left on East Mountain Drive. After another 1.1 miles, the trailhead parking will be a roadside pull-off on the left, in a hairpin turn. If you reach Westmont College, you’ve gone too far.

Trailhead Address: Across the street from 823 East Mountain Drive Santa Barbara, CA

Hike Directions: From the trailhead, enter the woods and gently ascend. In just 0.21 miles you’ll see wooden signage for “West Fork” but stay right on East Fork without crossing the stream. After another quarter mile you’ll cross the creek going left, then in another 1,000 feet, cross the creek again going to the right. At a fork in the trail, just beyond the second creek crossing stay to the right and in another 40 feet you’ll reach another fork and go RIGHT. It may seem counterintuitive, but going left will lead you uphill to a boulder field. Continuing right, you’ll soon reach another fork and veer LEFT, reaching the fire road 3/4 of a mile beyond the second stream crossing (1.4 miles from the trailhead). Turn left at the fire road. The rest of the hike is exposed, as you’ve now left the canopy of trees and are on exposed ridge for the rest of the trail up Montecito Peak. Bring enough water, as it can get very hot from this point on. As you turn left, the mountains should be ahead of you. Walk about 200 feet and you’ll see a zig zag trail departing from the fire road and going left. Take this trail as it ascends steeply. Continue to a Zig Zag Trail that comes in from the right. Taking the Zig Zag Trail to its terminus will lead you to East Camino Cielo (a beautiful road, but not your destination). So turn right onto a obvious unmarked trail leading uphill. After climbing this steep grade you’ll reach the saddle ridge behind Montecito Peak. Watch for slippery and loose stones underfoot as you continue uphill, with mountain views on every side. The trail will soon swing around the oceanside of the mountain and you’ll arrive the peak, with 360º views. Bask in the beauty of summit and sun and when ready, retrace your steps to reach the trailhead parking area 3.4 miles downhill.

Scenery: 10/10