On the Trail

Last Sunday I took Sadie, our Aussie pup, and Maggie, our Lab, for a hike on the Jesusita Trail. The trail starts on the north outskirts of Santa Barbara, and winds its way up northward into the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains in the Los Padres National Forest.

The trailhead is at about 500 ft. and though it doesn't go all the way to the top, it links with another trail that will take you to the crest here, which is at just under 4000 ft.

It makes its way through some pretty oak groves

- and some open meadows. In all, it's a good trail if you keep out of the poison oak.

The view above is looking south. What appear to be mountains on the far horizon in this shot are actually hills on Santa Cruz Island, about 30 miles away as the crow flies and 25 miles out to sea.
Another pleasant aspect of the Jesusita Trail is that it follows an unnamed tributary of San Roque Creek in its middle stretches.

The creek is very pretty, but maybe best of all

- it's there to keep dogs happy and cool on warm days.