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| | This trail is gone without a trace, and is only visible on topographic maps dating from before the 1970s. Even on high-resolution aerial photography, you can find no evidence that there was ever a trail here, except in the lowest portion, which is on private land, completely and irretrievably closed to entry. The chaparral in this vicinity is old, hard, and impenetrable to anything larger than a rabbit. I hiked the lower portion last in 1974, and it was overgrown then; I had to trespass to get there. Says David
(?)The trail actually no longer |
exists.(?) Says Bruce
There are backcountry hiking trails all over California, and Gato Trail is one of them, and it's in Santa Barbara County. You'll have got to go far from Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta to get to Gato Trail, but what a glorious site for backcountry
| | hiking it is. You can't spend all your time indoors you need to get out once in a while, and Gato Trail in Santa Barbara County, California is the great outdoors at its best. There are plenty of backcountry hiking trails in California; each one of them is different from the others. At Gato Trail you don’t see much precipitation; February is the wettest month with most rain, and July is when it's the driest. These hiking trails here in the Santa Ynez Mountains are the best way to enjoy these hills. Sometimes this hiking trail gets really dry, so do check for | |
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current fire restrictions before you go if you plan to bring a stove or make a camp fire. Don’t forget to check for any current restrictions or closures before you go. At Gato Trail through the summer months highs are in the 80's, and the overnight is somewhat cooler of course,
generally in the 50's. For the period of the winter highs are in the 60's with temperatures at Gato Trail dipping down into the 30's throughout winter nights. This great outdoors trail goes through some very different elevations, so keep in mind that you may need to dress differently
at different elevations. Backcountry hiking here in California is something that is always fun to do. California is an outstanding site for outdoors people. This backcountry hiking trail has a total elevation difference of 3,037 feet which is higher than average. Gato Trail is
quite long, so don't forget to pack enough supplies. This backcountry hiking trail has only one trailhead, so you'll be trekking it in and back out. The length of this hiking trail is about average having an average number of uphill miles which makes this hiking and backpacking
trail good for hard core backpackers looking for adventure. This backcountry hike shouldn't take more than 5.5 hours, but of course some folks walk a bit slower and some a bit faster. This is one of a very small number of hiking and backpacking trails in this region. Gato Trail
is 6.6 miles long it's a mid length backcountry trek.
Briefly about the general area:
The sights at Channel Islands National Park will blow your mind; El Capitan Beach is rather close by if you're in a beach type of mood. Why not camp at El Capitan Ranch Park Campground
since you're here at Gato Trail, and a splendid spot to stop at close by is Las Llagas Canyon. But wait, there's more enjoyable stuff to do in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Camping is available at Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, and lots of people from Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta come here.
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Location of Trailhead: Latitude 34.5236, Longitude -119.9611
- - Directions and Road Map
Total in and out hiking length = 6.6 miles
Total climbing distance = 2.6 miles
Difficulty : Difficult
Casual Hiking Pace:
5.5 hours
Fast Hiking Pace:
3.5 hours
Total elevation difference: 3037 feet
El Capitan Canyon, Santa Barbara
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5 miles away
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains lies El Capitan Ranch, an incredible beach side canyon resort located 15 minutes North of downtown Santa Barbara. Built in 2001, El Capit...
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Super 8 Motel - Santa Barbara/Goleta, Goleta
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10 miles away
- 65 air conditioned rooms w/cable TV, HBO, ESPN - Complimentary SuperStart Breakfast - Free High Speed Internet - Large, heated outdoor swimming pool - Located across the street from an executive 9 h...
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User input for Gato Trail, Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara County, California:
Outdoors Recreation Near Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, California
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, California, the metro area neareast to Gato Trail. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
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Current weather conditions at Gato Trail, Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara County, California
Local climate location: TWITCHELL DAM 16 miles away
     
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Santa Ynez Inn, Santa Ynez
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10 miles away
Located in the heart of Santa Barbara County wine country, our wine country getaway awaits in individually decorated rooms and junior suites. Accommodations feature unique antiques, luxury linens, gas...
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Holiday Inn Santa Barbara-Goleta, Ca, Santa Barbara
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10 miles away
The Holiday Inn Santa Barbara - Goleta, one of the only full-service hotels in Santa Barbara, welcomes you with cozy accommodations and superb service. Discover a peaceful haven offering 160 recently-...
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More Hotels and Campgrounds Near Gato Trail, Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara County, California
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| These outdoors activities are available near Gato Trail. |
| | Trails Near Gato Trail:
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Rattlesnake Trail, Santa Barbara
County
, 8 miles away, 1.6 hiking miles, 207 feet elevation difference |
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Ranger Peak Trail, Santa Barbara
County
, 11 miles away, 3.8 hiking miles, 2190 feet elevation difference |
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Santa Cruz Trail, Santa Barbara
County
, 15 miles away, 9.9 hiking miles, 2660 feet elevation difference |
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| | Hotels Near Gato Trail:
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El Capitan Canyon, Santa Barbara
, 5 miles away |
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Super 8 Motel - Santa Barbara/Goleta, Goleta
, 10 miles away |
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Santa Ynez Inn, Santa Ynez
, 10 miles away |
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Holiday Inn Santa Barbara-Goleta, Ca, Santa Barbara
, 10 miles away |
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Best Western South Coast Inn, Goleta
, 10 miles away |
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