Montecito Peak Hike

Spectacular… Not gonna get any better than this view. So relaxing, too!

This is one of the most beautiful and challenging hikes I have enjoyed ! Starts out nice and easy and then gradually gets a little more difficult with each mile. The terrain changes often and there is NO time to lose focus as there are rocks and critters that you have to look out for.
The last portion as mentioned is STEEP and loose — be careful it is short and absolutely worth the views just dont go flying down the side on your butt.
Walking back done — you realize how far you went up because it is the mother of all downhills that just goes on and on…
Great workout, gorgeous views, perfect solitude — no one around other than myself and friend !

The hike to Montecito Peak is one of the loveliest Santa Barbara front country hikes you can do – it takes you through gorgeous creekside scenery and then follows switchbacks through shady mountainside to rocky canyonous terrain to loose shale. The topography changes so much in as little as a few hundred feet and it is just a fascinating walk through Santa Barbara’s geological history.
Peak Stats
3200 vertical feet with views of coastline from Goleta to Port Hueneme
Distance
7 miles roundtrip (takes about 3 hours)
Notes
— The final ascent to the peak (about 500 feet) is literally straight up and in very loose shale. You will need to use your hands to climb and keep balance.
— At the top, there’s a box hidden near some boulders that contains log books to record your summit. They’re fun to read too as they date back some 10 years!
— Because of the terrain, I recommend wearing proper trail shoes. The hike could be a disaster in sneakers – between the creek crossings and the slippery shale, some solid traction will really make a difference on the hike :-)
— Keep your eyes peeled for poison ivy/​oak (which I got on the hike), snakes, bobcats and mountain lions. There have been a number of bobcat sightings and there’s fresh scat all over the trail – it’s creepy!
Directions
Start at Cold Spring trail head on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. Park just where the creek crosses the road. There’s a trailhead there that’s easy to spot because there are a couple of trash bins there. At about ¹⁄₁₀^th of a mile there’s a huge boulder which is fun to climb. Continue down the main trail. You will cross a creek twice. After the second crossing, make a SHARP RIGHT. Heading to the left takes you onto a very steep trail that eventually gets more and more primitive and requires a machete to get though. To the right, follow switch backs up the mountain. At 1.5 miles you will come to a service road. Go left on the road and then right up a small, steep trail. Follow this trail to the peak.