Santa Paula Canyon

[Uncle Rico]

After a several year hiatus, I recently made a return visit to Santa Paula Canyon in the Los Padres. Cool place that has unfortunately been marred by graffiti bandits. Haven't gone beyond first falls so perhaps the tagging dissipates the deeper you go (anybody know?). TR and some pics here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2016/ ... ature.html

[scottawr]

i've always wanted to check that spot out, those canyon walls are so cool.

graffiti sucks.

[AW~]

I think the graffiti continues on to the next water feature if I remember reading correctly. I did stop to check out where to park my car and noticed there isnt a lot of easy parking? Not to mention its easy for the vandals to hit since you are on the side of the road for wacked out drivers.

Still, its very high on the list to go to on a rainy year, but on a clear day. The day I was driving by it was drizzling and there were a hefty amount of cars. No respite on holidays lol.

[Uncle Rico]

i've always wanted to check that spot out

Now that your folks are local, you can check it out when you visit. 8)

I think the graffiti continues on to the next water feature if I remember reading correctly.

I suspect you're right AW but I'm gonna go up one of these days to check for myself. There are 2 trail camps above the first falls (Cross and Jackson Hole) so it's feasible to make it an overnight.

I did stop to check out where to park my car and noticed there isnt a lot of easy parking?

Yeah, parking is tight. Space for about 5 cars or so along 150 at the entrance to Thomas Aquinas College. About another 5-6 spots at a small parking area across the road. Don't know if break-ins are an issue, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[AW~]

Graffiti painted over at the waterfall section....one new post clean-up graffiti said "4/24/16". The next "punchbowl" section was back to normal....where the eye catches where there is NOT graffiti. The graffiti tapers out above this feature....especially when there is not a useless arrow painted every 20ft. I might cut a rope that makes the Punchbowl more easily accessible and basically forces people to swim to it....next time. Curious that for a place thats been defaced so much, there isnt a picture of it on google. There is one more cascade above that is scenic too.

Vs pictures on the internet from 2011, the Last Chance trail (from above the falls to Jackson) was significantly less of a trail. I was trying to bypass SP creek near Jackson Falls on some slab and started to encounter cairns with increasing brush. Was getting exasperated, but sniped my way to the flat elevation part of the trail lol. Returning back was returning the zany trail to better conditions....although my loppers broke so I couldnt cover the last 25%(which is the first 25% on the way up). I got down to the stream from the trail by scrambling down a boulder that landed me at a makeshift campsite, above the creek and on the opposite side of the normal trail....so the beginning of this trail is not easy to spot. The lower section of the trail is slightly more noticeable from above the falls because there are 2 slabby sections on the mountain that the trail uses that stand out big time.

[Uncle Rico]

The last time I was up there, I looked but couldn't find the trail above the Punch Bowl leading to Jackson Falls.

[Girl Hiker]

After a several year hiatus, I recently made a return visit to Santa Paula Canyon in the Los Padres. Cool place that has unfortunately been marred by graffiti bandits. Haven't gone beyond first falls so perhaps the tagging dissipates the deeper you go (anybody know?). TR and some pics here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2016/ ... ature.html

There is a trail that ascends to the left before all the graffiti. You go up a steep trail until you can see some more hidden pools. At first it just looks as if you are climbing and going nowhere but eventually you will see some more beautiful pools where there are some ropes for climbing and jumping off a huge cliff. One could get lost because there are a network of trails that go different directions and you could end up in some canyon far away from the main pools. Some of us made that mistake until we found our way back. There is so much beauty beyond the first 2 main pools. I did a TR a few months back and have pictures of the other pools.
Nice TR

[Uncle Rico]

After a several year hiatus, I recently made a return visit to Santa Paula Canyon in the Los Padres. Cool place that has unfortunately been marred by graffiti bandits. Haven't gone beyond first falls so perhaps the tagging dissipates the deeper you go (anybody know?). TR and some pics here:

http://wildsouthland.blogspot.com/2016/ ... ature.html

There is a trail that ascends to the left before all the graffiti. You go up a steep trail until you can see some more hidden pools. At first it just looks as if you are climbing and going nowhere but eventually you will see some more beautiful pools where there are some ropes for climbing and jumping off a huge cliff. One could get lost because there are a network of trails that go different directions and you could end up in some canyon far away from the main pools. Some of us made that mistake until we found our way back. There is so much beauty beyond the first 2 main pools. I did a TR a few months back and have pictures of the other pools.
Nice TR

Are you talking about the area just past the Cross trail camp and beyond the Punchbowls where the trail supposedly zig-zags up the steep hillside to the left of Santa Paula Creek? http://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=34.4527, ... =16&b=f16a

[Sean]

Haven't gone beyond first falls so perhaps the tagging dissipates the deeper you go (anybody know?).

I went up there yesterday for the first time. Willie and I made it to the big waterslide.

As you can see, the graffiti is up there too.

[AW~]

Are you talking about the area just past the Cross trail camp and beyond the Punchbowls where the trail supposedly zig-zags up the steep hillside to the left of Santa Paula Creek? http://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=34.4527, ... =16&b=f16a

The current status is as follows:
From the ledge above lower Santa Paula Falls....which is marked by the cross for Angela Baird...proceed up canyon on the mostly permanent right. The trail ends as the canyon splits into 2, main canyon being on the left.
Cross the stream. Going right from crossing the stream is the immediate start to obstacles in the main canyon...instead proceed down canyon/stream about 15 yards carefully on slabby rock(if its too iffy find a way downstream on the same side). The trail actually starts from the camp, which is a little further downstream, but if you go up the slab, you'll be there. There shouldnt be a need to climb a cliff or rummage through brush.

The route is rather easy to follow now at the lower elevation as it soon switchbacks and forth. So far so good following the base of slabs/rocks, but the route will be summitting via a tributary drainage to the main canyon.
Stay on going up the right edge of this tributary(of which you are cliffed out of). A major commitment is made as the route stays on the edge and crosses a tributary to that drainage. At that point you are off slab so its only trail. Eventually the path maxes out the elevation gain and heads back the right direction.

The trail is in excellent condition here. Eventually the white slab drainage(aka creek connection) is met and crossed. The trail still easy to spot. One gets to an intersection where a use trail proceeds down to the creek. Past that the trail is following the edge of the canyon but about 1/8 mile before the falls it vanishes. Where is the route? Idk, but there is one about 1 or 2 mins before the end. The only thing distinctive about is the grass is a little bit trampled and it outmaneuvers the dead brush nicely and travels about 20 ft in elevation above where the nice trail was. All in all a person is going to be tested here for 1/8 mile lol. At least its a meadow currently.

The trail ends up contouring the lower falls to another slab connection to the creek below/bottom of the lower falls. Here there is a super steep use trail that climbs. Drop a little bit in elevation the second it flattens. The route sticks to the edge of the falls. The trail will squeeze and pop you out above the top of the upper falls. Otherwise the super steep use trail continued to climb loose soil and gains too much elevation forcing a dry ski down some loose cliffy thing. Past the falls, its back to time-consuming creeking loose rocks and branches. Stays that way and then starts switchbacking a clear ridge.

Couple of photos of seasonal falls that are tributaries to SP canyon
(besides https://www.flickr.com/photos/13833920@N03/)

[Uncle Rico]

So did you get to upper Jackson Falls? I know someone who just did that and they said it was definitely a full day.

[AW~]

So did you get to upper Jackson Falls? I know someone who just did that and they said it was definitely a full day.

yup, and past that to Last Chance Camp trail. Id put it at 5-8 hours total RT for Jackson, depending on the execution. I encountered a student there...got there the entire way by the creek and returned via the creek. Kids lol. The trail is like light speed on the way back from Jackson. Added the social media Punchbowl segment to it. Same ole same ole there.Unfortunately, I'll probably be back for one of the ridge 'elevation gain' hikes:).

[Uncle Rico]

Nicely done. That's seldom-visited country.

That trail is supposed to punch through and intersect with the Red Reef Trail but I don't know how much action and/or maintenance it sees.