Difficulty: Moderate •
Mileage: 4.5 Location: Front Country, Santa Barbara Features: Loop Trip, Out & Back, Canyons, Creeks, Family Friendly User Type: Hiking, Equestrian Trail, Mountain Biking, Dog Walking, Trail Running
Highlights
The Basics
Length : .5 miles to Old Pueblo Trail; .9 miles to upper Buena Vista Road; 1 mile to Buena Vista Trail intersection; 1.6 miles to upper end of Buena Vista Canyon.
Gain : 200’ to Old Pueblo Trail; slight rises and drops to upper Buena Vista Road; 650’ to upper end of Buena Vista Canyon; 950’ to high point at power line tower
Difficulty : Easy to Buena Vista trailhead; moderate to end of canyon; moderately strenuous looping over into San Ysidro Canyon.
Path : Good
Season : All season.
Restrictions : Multi-use; you may encounter mountain bikes.
Canine : OK for dogs off-leash on the trail; have them on leash on the paved roads.
Points of Interest : Loop Trip,Out & Back,Canyons,Creeks,Family Friendly
Difficulty: Moderate Points of Interests: Loop Trip, Out & Back, Canyons, Creeks, Family Friendly User Types: Hikers, Equestrians, Mountain Bikers, Dog Walker, Trail Runners Locations: Front Country, Santa Barbara Sub Regions: San Ysidro Canyon
Turn north on San Ysidro Road and continue on it a mile to East Valley Road.
Turn right and follow East Valley another mile to Park Lane. Look for the eucalyptus-shrouded entrance to this narrow road just after crossing San Ysidro Creek.
Curve left on Mountain Drive as if you were heading to the San Ysidro trailhead but just as you bear to the left look for the Wiman Trail sign on the right side of the road under a large oak tree.
Wiman Trail is short, just a half mile in length, and as such probably isn’t worth a separate trail description. Many of you might not even know it exists even though you pass it every time you drive up to the San Ysidro Canyon trailhead. I know I missed it for quite a few years.
However, what it does connect with are other possibilities which I find well worth the effort. For those who are interested in a short hike, the Wiman Trail will take you up to the Old Pueblo Trail where you can loop over into San Ysidro Canyon or up into Buena Vista Canyon.
The canyon is narrow and heavily vegetated, making you feel almost as if you are hiking through a rain forest than in the Santa Barbara foothills. Huge oak and eucalyptus trees create a canopy and the sunlight is mostly filtered light, creating a much different kind of atmosphere.
There are a number of creek crossings along the way and the backyards of a number of interesting houses as you reach the upper end of the trail. A series of steps on the right side of the canyon lead you up into the sunlight and along a chain link fence. Halfway up the hill Old Pueblo Trail intersects from the left.