Gaviota State Park 10 Refugio Beach Road Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 968-1033
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Our Mission The mission of the California Department of Parks and Recreation is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the Gaviota people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, State Park protecting its most valued natural and cultural aviota State Park has resources, and creating opportunities for G high-quality outdoor recreation. something for everyone, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Governor from the sandy cove where MIKE CHRISMAN Secretary for Resources Gaviota Creek meets the RUTH COLEMAN Director, California State Parks ocean to the wild uplands of Gaviota Canyon where a warm sulfur spring bubbles California State Parks does not discriminate from the Santa Ynez fault. against individuals with disabilities. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at the phone number below. To receive this publication in an alternate format, write to the Communications Office at the following address. CALIFORNIA For information call: STATE PARKS (800) 777-0369 P. O. Box 942896 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. Sacramento, CA 711, TTY relay service 94296-0001 www.parks.ca.gov Gaviota State Park 10 Refugio Beach Road Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 968-1033 © 2003 California State Parks Printed on Recycled Paper A bout 30 miles west of Santa Barbara off State Historic Park. Noted for their skills in more rugged San Marcos Pass and seized Highway 101, Gaviota State Park stretches ocean navigation, the Chumash constructed the now unprotected city of Santa Barbara. upward from the wind-tossed sea to stands seagoing redwood plank canoes (tomol) as The 1860s saw stage line service through of oak and chaparral. Named by much as 30 feet long. Gaviota Pass, but the route was abandoned soldiers of the Portolá expedi- At first the Chumash welcomed in 1871 when the stage company opened a tion for the seagulls that what they saw as the material and new route through San Marcos Pass. In 1875 make the area their spiritual benefits of European Colonel William Welles Hollister built a home, this part of the civilization. The rapid spread wharf at Gaviota to ship lumber, wool, cattle south coast is of disease, harsh treatment and grain to Atlantic markets. exceptional in its by some of the newcomers, But the key to future growth along the variety. and the loss of their former Gaviota coast was the railroad. In 1900 Summers are life ways caused many workers closed one of the last remaining mild, with little rain; Chumash to reconsider, but gaps in the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Coast winters are slightly by then it was too late to Route with an 811-foot trestle over Gaviota cooler. Temperatures turn back. Today the Creek. On March 31, 1901, full train service depend on where you Chumash traditions are being between San Francisco and Los Angeles are in the park. Strong rediscovered by many of their began. winds often blow southward descendents. NATURAL HISTORY through narrow Gaviota Pass, EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS A variety of elevations, soils and topography occasionally making Highway 101 Gaviota Creek In 1542 Juan Cabrillo, traveling the combine to form a number of habitats. dangerous to trailers and campers Santa Barbara-Ventura coast, stopped at Oak woodlands, primarily coast live oaks and tent camping a challenge. what is now Gaviota. In 1769 Gaspar de and some valley oaks, provide habitat for NATIVE PEOPLE Portolá and his crew camped in this area as California legless lizards, American ravens, For thousands of years, Chumash territory they sailed up the coast looking for the port Nutall’s and downy woodpeckers, broad- extended from southern Monterey County to of Monterey. Father Juan Crespi, who kept a handed moles and bobcats. present-day Malibu Canyon and east into journal of the expedition, noted that “the Grasslands, primarily annual grasses and today’s Kern County. The typical Chumash soldiers know it as La Gaviota, because they purple needlegrass, shelter such reptiles as house was a 12- to 20-foot rounded dome of killed a seagull there.” Gaviota has western fence lizards, western Pacific rattle- willow poles, covered with overlapping appeared as a place name in Spanish snakes and common king snakes. Bird layers of bulrush or cattails. The Chumash documents since 1795. species include western meadowlarks, hunted or trapped game, caught fish and In 1846 Captain John C. Frémont’s volun- turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks. Mule gathered shellfish, plants, roots, seeds and teers marched toward Santa Barbara through deer, gray foxes, California ground squirrels, berries. They were skilled at beadwork, the passage now known as Gaviota Pass. striped basketry, woodcarving and cave art—a However, when he got wind of a planned skunks, stunning example of their cave paintings can ambush by the entire garrison of the Santa coyotes be seen at nearby Chumash Painted Cave Barbara Presidio, he led his men over the and Our Mission The mission of the California Department of Parks and Recreation is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the Gaviota people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural State Park Gaviota State Park has resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. something for everyone, GRAY DAVIS Governor from the sandy cove where MARY D. NICHOLS Gaviota Creek meets the Secretary for Resources RUTH COLEMAN ocean to the wild uplands Director, California State Parks of Gaviota Canyon where a warm sulfur spring bubbles California State Parks does not discriminate from the Santa Ynez fault. against individuals with disabilities. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at the phone number below. To receive this publication in an alternate format, write to the Communications Office at the following address. CALIFORNIA For information call: STATE PARKS (800) 777-0369 P. O. Box 942896 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. Sacramento, CA 711, TTY relay service 94296-0001 www.parks.ca.gov Gaviota State Park 10 Refugio Beach Road Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 968-1033 © 2003 California State Parks Printed on Recycled Paper to Lompoc, Santa Maria to Buellton, Santa Maria California voles are also part of this habitat. 1 101 Chaparral and coastal sage scrub shelter 400 400 side-blotched lizards, western whiptails, 800 California thrashers, white-crowned sparrows, Gaviota State Park scrub jays, coyotes, dusky-footed wood rats, Las and many species that also occupy oak Cruces 1200 P woodland areas. Sensitive species 800 1000ft include cactus wrens and San Diego 305m Yucca Trail 1 mi Gavio 00 t 4 a horned lizards. Pe d 1312ft 800 i 800 a oa m 400 P k R 400m 5 Riparian areas occur . 1 s Trail 1.1 Fire to Gaviota uce mi Cr 1.1 mi Peak 1600 along mostly 925ft as L 101 il 282m ra T Hot seasonal streams 0.7 mi w Springs e 2000 i il il V 0.7 mi from and year-round ra GAVIOTA ra T T r a l 0.8 mi parking lot LOS PADRES e g e t te n espass Trail s n Gaviota Creek. i r l u l Tr O T o 1200 NATIONAL Destruction of H S TATE i 40 m coastal streams 0 800 .7 FOREST 1 low passage has resulted in a 800 PARK Coyote under il 0.6 mi highway odland Tra number of sensitive o Road Legend W 120 0 e animal species, including California red- 968ft ir 400 295m F Paved road legged frogs, two-striped garter snakes and 400 800 925ft ok 282m Trail 1007ft lo yellow-billed cuckoos. Gopher snakes, r 307m e v oad 1.7 mi O R Campground California pocket mice, various bat species, ire F 827ft 252m Parking Anna’s hummingbirds, and Cooper’s and red- ok P rlo k Gaviota e 80 0 v e Restrooms tailed hawks also live here. O e Pass 400 r Tunnel Freshwater aquatic habitats traverse the C 800 ta park’s watercourses. Game fish include 1035ft io 315m av G rainbow trout and the endangered steelhead. P B P e Freshwater marshes are usually associated a c h 101 804ft 800 with riparian areas, giving shelter to common to 245m 400 800 Ba ckco gallinules (also called marsh hens), Ameri- un 400 tr ACCESSIBLE FEATURES can coots, red-winged blackbirds, garter y A beach wheelchair is available. Contact snakes, and Pacific tree frogs. the Camp Host to reserve it. 400 Coastal strand features shrubs and low- Trail Campground restrooms have accessible growing sand plants. Wildlife includes Park Entrance toilets and usable showers. western fence lizards and side-blotched 1 . Accessibility is continually improving. 7 5 lizards, house finches, California thrashers, m Call the park for the latest information. 649ft i 198m white-crowned sparrows and California to Santa Barbara 101 ground squirrels. The globose dune beetle 400 P is a sensitive species. Coastal salt marsh—an endangered 400 habitat—is home to common and snowy Private Road Pier egrets, American avocets, clapper rails, Pacific Ocean willets and western sandpipers. Norway rats and house mice also live here. The endan- gered tidewater goby is found near the Pismo Beach Taft mouths of some streams. 101 Nipomo Maricopa 166 166 Marine habitats are diverse along Gaviota’s Carrizo Plain NM Santa Maria five-mile coastline. Halibut, surf perch and 1 New 0.5 Miles Cuyama yellowtail are common in the coastal waters. 0 0.25 Orcutt 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Kilometers 101 Los Alamos 33 V andenberg Los RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AFB Los Olivos Padres Buellton Santa Ynez NF 246 Trails NEARBY STATE PARKS Lompoc Chumash 1 Solvang Painted Cave Dirt fire roads and hiking trails lead into • Refugio State Beach, 20 miles west of Santa SHP Montecito more than 2,000 acres of oak woodland and Barbara off U.S.