Elings Park
Park
218 acres9.5 mi of trail
Santa Barbara Foundation TrailDownhill TrailMesa TrailSouthside Trail+1
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Pierre André · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has 35 miles of mapped trails, 1.8 for every square mile of land
98% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 14% of Santa Barbara’s land is conserved, about 1,708 acres. The biggest trail networks: Elings Park (9.5 mi), Parma Park (5.9 mi), Douglas Family Preserve (3.1 mi).
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns · #164 of 847 in California. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
1,708 acres · of 19.5 sq mi of land
Trails
35 mi
1.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,110 ac
13 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
59 mi
43 mi lanes · 9.5 mi paths
Highest peak
459 ft
Lavigia Hill
Lakes & rivers
2
4 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Santa Barbara?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Santa Barbara have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Santa Barbara is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns, #164 of 847 in California. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Santa Barbara’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical CA town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (35 mi) · CA 0.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land13 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,110 acres) · CA 5 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home98% of residents within a half mile of a park · CA 91% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 81%
Water is 48% of Santa Barbara’s area (18 of 37 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 7%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Elings Park, with 9.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Parma Park
Park
190 acres5.9 mi of trail
Parma Peak LoopCoyote Creek TrailPlateau TrailSycamore Creek East Loop Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trail sign
Douglas Family Preserve
Park
47 acres3.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Honda Valley Park
Park
48 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Stevens Park
Park
25 acres0.9 mi of trail
Stevens Park Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens
Managed by Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
5 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
Hale Park
Park
12 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 47 parks & preserves
Elings Park218 acres · 9.5 mi of trail
DirectionsParma Park190 acres · 5.9 mi of trail
DirectionsDouglas Family Preserve47 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHonda Valley Park48 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Stevens Park25 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSheffield Open Space18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsAlice Keck Park Memorial Gardens5 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHale Park12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Andrée Clark Bird Refuge39 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMission Historical Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHidden Valley Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Franceschi Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Alameda Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsFranceschi Steps5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Ortega Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
Chase Palm Park23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsShoreline Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOak Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLa Mesa Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLeadbetter Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBohnett Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
Eastside Neighborhood Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsGoleta Slough Ecological Reserve359 acres
DirectionsSkofield Park35 acres
DirectionsArroyo Burro Beach County Park12 acres
DirectionsPershing Park12 acres
DirectionsMacKenzie Park10 acres · City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park9 acres
DirectionsDwight Murphy Field8 acres
DirectionsLaurel Canyon Park6 acres
Rocky Nook Park5 acres
Orpet Park5 acres · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
Willowglen Park5 acres · City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department
Spencer Adams Park5 acres · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreaction
DirectionsCabrillo Park4 acres
DirectionsLa Playa Field4 acres · Santa Barbara City College
DirectionsHilda Ray Park4 acres
Rattlesnake Canyon Park3 acres
Plaza del Mar2 acres
DirectionsEscondido Park2 acres
Franklin Park2 acres
DirectionsPlaza de Vera Cruz1 acres
DirectionsSan Roque Park1 acres
Los Robles Park1 acres
Sylvan Park1 acres
Sunflower Park1 acres
DirectionsParque De Los Niños1 acres · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWho protects it
1,708 conserved acres
14% of Santa Barbara’s land. Water is left out: Santa Barbara has 19.5 square miles of land and 18.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Santa Barbara’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,016 ac
State fish & wildlife377 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits228 ac
Bureau of Reclamation78 ac
County39 ac
Regional Water Districts2 ac
Local Park · 537 acState Conservation Area · 377 acLocal Recreation Area · 306 acPrivate Conservation · 221 acLocal Conservation Area · 112 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 8 of 64 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goleta Slough Ecological Reserve State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 377 | Restricted |
| Elings Park - Elings Park Foundation Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 216 | Open |
| Parma Park Local Park | Town or city | 189 | Open |
| Santa Barbara Golf Club Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 108 | Restricted |
| Lauro Canyon Reservoir Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 104 | Open |
| Twin Lakes Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 82 | Restricted |
| Douglas Family Reserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 72 | Open |
| Chase Palm Park Local Park | Town or city | 43 | Open |
| Andre Clark Bird Refuge Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Santa Barbara Maitime Museum Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 40 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
78 places to go in Santa Barbara
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Santa Barbara
Public pools in Santa Barbara
Oak Park Wading PoolHours: 12:00-17:00 · In Oak Park
DirectionsOrtega Park PoolIn Ortega Park
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Santa Barbara
Kallman Family Play Area
DirectionsKid's WorldIn Alameda Park
DirectionsLos Baños Playground
DirectionsPlus 27 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Santa Barbara
Elings ParkFee · In Elings Park
DirectionsElings ParkIn Elings Park
DirectionsMacKenzie Park Dog ParkHours: Mon–Sun 7 am – 7 pm · In MacKenzie Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Santa Barbara
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Santa Barbara
Calden Overlook
DirectionsCourthouse Clock Tower
DirectionsObservation Terrace
DirectionsWinslow Maxwell Overlook
DirectionsPlus 6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Santa Barbara
Lavigia Hill459 ft elevation
DirectionsDibblee Hill105 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Santa Barbara
Alameda Park Castle Picnic AreaIn Alameda Park
DirectionsAlameda Park Harriet Miller Picnic AreaIn Alameda Park
DirectionsAlameda Park Main Picnic AreaIn Alameda Park
DirectionsAlameda Park Whale Picnic AreaIn Alameda Park
DirectionsBohnett Corner Picnic AreaIn Bohnett Park
DirectionsOak Park Friendship Grove Picnic AreaIn Oak Park
DirectionsOak Park Main Picnic AreaIn Oak Park
DirectionsOak Park Sycamore Picnic AreaIn Oak Park
Directions2 more picnic areas
Ortega Park Picnic AreaIn Ortega Park
DirectionsPicnic AreaIn Elings Park
DirectionsPlus 8 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Santa Barbara
Mesa Community Gnome Village
DirectionsPilgrim Terrace Urban Farm & Kitchen
DirectionsRancheria Community GardenSanta Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsYanonali Community GardenIn Eastside Neighborhood Park · Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 9.7 miHorses · 5.4 miUnpaved · 12.3 mi
Parma Peak Loop2.1 mi
Stevens Park Trail0.8 mi
Santa Barbara Foundation Trail0.8 mi
Downhill Trail0.7 mi
Mesa Trail0.6 mi
Southside Trail0.6 mi
Coyote Creek Trail0.6 mi
Las Positas Trail0.6 mi
Jesusita Trail0.6 mi
Burro Trail0.5 mi
15 more trails
Plateau Trail
0.5 miSycamore Creek East Loop Trail
0.5 miHistoric Olive Grove Loop Trail
0.4 miPublic Trail Easement
0.4 miSierra Club Trail
0.4 miCorkscrew Trail
0.3 miSwitch back Trail
0.3 miHorseshoe Trail
0.3 miCliff Dive Trail
0.3 miValerio Trail
0.3 miCliff Hanger Trail
0.2 miSidewinder Trail
0.2 miCoyote Trail
0.2 miSycamore Creek West Loop Trail
0.2 miCutoff Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
59 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
43 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
9.5 mi
off-road bike paths
6.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
101Tennis
85Basketball
35Beach volleyball
34Pickleball
6Soccer
6Baseball
4Softball
3Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →19 places on the National Register, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 31 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Santa Barbara PresidioDistrict · listed 1973
About itEl Paseo and Casa de la GuerraBuilding · listed 1977
About itFaith MissionBuilding · listed 1982
About itSt. Vincent Orphanage and School BuildingBuilding · listed 1982
About itUS Post Office-Santa Barbara MainBuilding · listed 1985
About itHill-Carrillo AdobeBuilding · listed 1986
About itJanssens-Orella-Birk BuildingBuilding · listed 1987
About itLos Banos del MarBuilding · listed 1992
About itAndalucia BuildingBuilding · listed 1999
About it7 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Santa Barbara: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 65 | 65 | 66 | 69 | 70 | 72 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 70 | 65 |
| Rain (in) | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 3.2 |
July is the driest month (under 0.1 in) and August the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.8 inches fall in February, the wettest month. The climate in Santa Barbara →
Next door
Santa Barbara and its neighbors
Santa Barbara has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Santa Barbara35 miGoleta27 miEastern Goleta Valley23 miMontecito14 miUniversity of California-Santa Barbara8.9 miMission Canyon2.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara | 14% | 1.8 | 13 | 98% | A |
| Montecito | 2% | 1.5 | 8 | 79% | B |
| Eastern Goleta Valley | 4% | 1.4 | 21 | 85% | A− |
| Mission Canyon | 7% | 1.4 | 13 | 99% | A |
| Goleta | 12% | 3.5 | 18 | 99%+ | A |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | 9% | 6.8 | 3 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Santa Barbara
Where can I hike in Santa Barbara?
The longest trail networks: Elings Park, 9.5 miles; Parma Park, 5.9 miles; Douglas Family Preserve, 3.1 miles; Honda Valley Park, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Santa Barbara is conserved land?
14% of its land, against a typical 4% for a California town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Santa Barbara’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Elings Park, Parma Park (on leash), Sheffield Open Space (on leash) and Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Santa Barbara?
59 miles of bike routes are on the map: 43 of painted or protected lanes, 9.5 of off-road paths and 6.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Santa Barbara?
63,888 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Santa Barbara or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,151 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Santa Barbara have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #164 of 847 in California. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Santa Barbara neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →