While many people in southern California have to drive several hours for their backpacking trips we here in Santa Barbara are blessed with an abundance of trails essentially in our own backyard. And while some of our trails can be more rugged than those you’ll find elsewhere, they are also less crowded. Generally the two best times to go backpacking in the local backcountry are in the spring when everything is green and water is plentiful and in the fall when the temperatures in the backcountry start to cool off.
Two of the more accessible areas within the Los Padres National Forest for backpacking are the trails found along Manzana Creek and the Sisquoc River in the San Rafael Wilderness and the Santa Cruz Trail. With the Santa Cruz Trail being the closer to Santa Barbara of the two areas. The Santa Cruz Trail starts near Upper Oso Campground, climbs to the top of Alexander Saddle and then continues down the backside to Santa Cruz Creek and then from there continues to the top of the San Rafael Mountains, leading through some of Santa Barbara’s more rugged backcountry. 
View towards Little Pine Mountain from Nineteen Oaks
To get to the trailhead from Santa Barbara take State Route 154 to Paradise Road and continue along Paradise Road to the kiosk at the first crossing. You will need an adventure pass, which you can purchase at the kiosk. Continue on Paradise Road as it crosses the Santa Ynez River and then turn left towards Upper Oso campground. Parking for the trailhead is found just past Upper Oso at the locked gate where the paved road ends. From Upper Oso the trail follows the Buckhorn Camuesa Road; you’ll want to keep alert as the road is open to motorcycle and OHV (off highway vehicle) traffic. At the three quarter mile mark the Santa Cruz Trail leaves the road and continues following Oso Creek. Almost immediately you’ll see a sign that says “Next Water Beyond 19 Oaks – 5 Miles” with the 5 scratched out and replaced with a 9. The water 5 miles past Nineteen Oaks is at Little Pine Spring which can be difficult to get to and the water found 9 miles past Nineteen Oaks is at the Santa Cruz Creek.
The sign at first glance can seem almost out place like one of those next gas – 80 miles signs you see in the desert, but the reality is that the hike from Nineteen Oaks to Alexander Saddle is steep, gaining 2250 feet over 3.5 miles and offers little shade, and from the saddle down to Santa Cruz Creek it is still another 5.5 miles, in other words be prepared. In fact if you’re planning on hiking to Alexander Saddle and beyond it’s best to get an early start and avoid the heat of the day.
At about the 2 mile mark the Santa Cruz Trail arrives at the turnoff for Nineteen Oaks. Nineteen Oaks has two campsites under the oak trees each with a picnic table and fire ring and makes for a great destination for camping or picnicking. Water for Nineteen Oaks can often be found nearby at Oso Creek. Currently the creek is running intermittently, but there is still cool, clear water flowing near the turnoff to camp thanks to this year’s rain. From here the trail leaves the creek and begins its ascent towards Little Pine Mountain, transitioning out of riparian plants and into wild grasses and chaparral. The hike to the saddle is challenging but arriving at the top brings with it both a sense of accomplishment and great views in just about every direction. From the saddle the Santa Cruz Trail continues down the backside of the mountain and becomes noticeably more overgrown in comparison to the hike so far. This is both a reflection of the regrowth from 2007 Zaca Fire, the southern edge of which burned to just past the saddle, and the lack of funds available for ongoing trail maintenance.
About a mile from the saddle the trail arrives at the signed junction for the Happy Hollow Connector Trail. Just a short way past this sign the trail opens up onto a grassy hillside. It’s right at this transition that one finds the turnoff for Little Pine Spring. The trail is marked, but is easy to miss and the trail itself is indistinct as it follows the edge between the grass and chaparral, threading its way through wild mustard before turning and heading down to Little Pine Spring. At Little Pine Spring you will find a picnic table, fire ring, shade and water. 
View along the 40 mile wall
Santa Cruz Creek
Fireplace from the E. W. Alexander Ranch
Romo Potrero
Santa Cruz Falls
This article originally appeared in section A of the Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 Santa Barbara News-Press.
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Songs of the Wilderness 
[…] over Labor Day weekend I hiked in along the Santa Cruz Trail to Santa Cruz Station. The next day I day hiked up to Flores Flats and came across a small rattler […]
By: 2011: Year of the Bobcat | Songs of the Wilderness on December 23, 2013
at 8:39 am
Does one have to make a reservation to stay at the Santa Cruz Camp? If so where do you do that?
By: Curtis Ulrich on January 26, 2018
at 8:35 am
Hey Curtis, Santa Cruz Camp is a trail camp, no reservations required. Sites are available on a first come first serve basis. The trail was badly damaged in the Rey Fire and subsequent rains. I hiked there last year, when I get a chance I’ll update my post with the article I wrote, https://songsofthewilderness.com/2017/06/08/trail-quest-santa-cruz-trail-2/.
By: James Wapotich on January 26, 2018
at 9:28 am
Since the Santa Cruz trail is closed, is the fire road off of the Cachuma Saddle a viable option?
By: axel on February 21, 2018
at 7:30 pm
Hey Axel, my understanding is that the trail is technically not closed. It is however challenging to hike due to several slide areas. I was there last year and it is passable, but requires care and patience traversing the slides. That was also last year and so this year’s rain may have compounded the issue. Here is the article I wrote last year, https://songsofthewilderness.com/2017/06/08/trail-quest-santa-cruz-trail-2/. In terms of alternate routes, although Buckhorn Road is closed to OHV traffic due to slides, it can still be hiked. And as you mention McKinley Fire Road from Cachuma Saddle is open.
By: James Wapotich on February 21, 2018
at 10:01 pm