Toro Canyon Park

Years ago I hiked the trail here and was unable to remember where it was when I moved back to the Ventura area seven years ago because I couldn’t remember the park name and thought it was in Carp. Thanks to Unilocal when I searched Summerland, I found it again. Hiking the trail is like finding an old friend on Facebook. I vaguely remembered the gazebo view and the trail but not much else about the place.
I now remember the peacefulness, the boulders, the bird chirps and the oak woodland around the scattered picnic areas. The dog park is a new feature. I was also happy to see that they have flush toilets which are a more important feature to me all these years later.
It is rare in this area to find any place that’s totally natural and even here there are homes on the ridgetop, you overlook distant fields of plastic towards the ocean, and yes, at the viewpoint you can hear the 101 freeway roar. However, I had the benches at the view gazebo to myself, the woodland smells are carried on a gentle breeze, and the mountain views are as spectacular as I remember. I am happy to find this old friend even with its few wrinkles.

Very nice, and very clean park out in Montecito. there are a lot of trees so that means there is quite a bit of shade for those hot summer days when you cue up the BBQ! You can sit there and just enjoy the nature that, that park has to offer, a lot of scenery.
The only downfall is that since it a ways up there, there is no cell reception. For the most part my phone said «no service» so you really don’t have much contact with the outside world!

Honestly, not much to do here. It is definitely a small place to ponder. It is great for dogs. I wouldn’t go alone, it is a little deserted.

Such a beautiful little piece of paradise tucked up in the mountains. Have driven by several times. I decided to finally stop in this afternoon quick since I had a little extra time in my day. Absolutely worth the slight diversion on my trip back to LA. Felt like a best kept secret, not another soul around-​probably doesn’t help that it was a bit rainy this morning. But really really enjoyed the solitude and beauty, was very peaceful. Food for the eyes and the soul.

Love it here! It’s nesteld on top of a mountain so you get great views when there’s lil to no fog. I came here twice with my puppy to bbq, lounge and hike. They have plenty of picnic areas that you don’t need to reserve. They also have a fenced off leash dog area. I didn’t use it but it looked ok.
The grounds were big and clean. The hike up to the gazebo was long in the heat but very nice. I kept thinking mountain lions were gonna get us since they had warning signs but we made it out alive :) This park is a must if you’re in the area and looking for a nice picnic spot. Just watch out for the ticks :)

No smoking allowed throughout the entire park. SWEET! Clean flushing bathrooms, running water, soap. Dogs have dog park area fenced off and not allowed in bathrooms. Nice for dog people and those of us that prefer the park experience to be dog free and smoke free.
We’ve stopped in quite a few times now this summer. The grandkids love climbing up the huge rocks and enjoying the view from the top. It’s a great spot for a picnic, some photo ops or just a short break from driving between LA and Santa Barbara or beyond.
We haven’t tried out the creek bed yet, but I’m sure we will on a future trip.

Beautiful park in one of the best locations on earth. Read more below:)

All right, It’s my turn to give back to Unilocal and share one of my absolute favorite parks in Santa Barbara. My wife and I used to come here when we were dating, and now we share it with our 5 year old daughter. I have always enjoyed catching frogs in the creek at this park, and sharing it with my daughter feels like a right of passage.
Located above Summerland in the foothills between Montecito and Carpinteria, Toro Canyon Park is 74 heavily wooded acres of secluded beauty. A creek meanders through this oak filled canyon past playgrounds, horseshoe pits, several large group BBQ areas, a dog park, horse trails, hiking trails and even a sand volleyball court. There is even a trail that starts by a huge sandstone outcropping and takes you up to a gazebo at the top of a hill that overlooks the entire region. It is an easy hike, and well worth the sweeping vistas.
Although pretty close to several cities and the 101 freeway, we rarely ever run into more than one or two other people at this park. Of course we typically go on weekdays, so perhaps the weekend gets busier.
On past visits we have seen innumerable birds, a few rabbits, plenty of lizards and even a skunk. The area surrounding the park is even wilder.
Just how wild is Toro Canyon Park? Last February we decided to blaze a new trail along a rain run-​off ditch that went deep into the chaparral. It had rained the day before, but that afternoon had been a beautifully warm and sunny day. As we hiked up the hill about an hour before dusk I noticed some large dog footprints heading down the hill in the direction we had just came.
Now, mountain lion and dog prints look pretty similar except mountain lion tracks have an «M» shaped pad while dog track’s usually imprint claw marks (I was an eagle scout that spent summers as a camp counselor in the mountains of Kern County!) Well, I couldn’t see the claw marks or really make out the pad shape, but the ground was hard and really didn’t leave the best tracks. I half joked that It might be a mountain lion, sending my wife (who has a mountain lion phobia) into a heightened state of nervousness. :)
Slightly amused, I trekked forward, but made sure to make a bit more noise and keep my daughter close. Next I spotted the scat, but being much better at tracks than scat, I reassured my now noticeably concerned wife that it was probably just a dog returning back down the path (oh yeah, we weren’t on a path) from a hike. I told her we would just follow the trail up and around the bend, and then we would head back (after all, whatever left the tracks was already behind us right?) Well, true to famous last words. .. around the bend we come upon a large muddy ravine with a recognizable set of «M» shaped, no claw tracks that came to the side of the ravine, lept up onto the bank and extended its claws to grip the ground as it pulled itself up. The print was dry, but it was still wet inside the claw marks!!! We headed back down the hill loud and quick!
I have this theory that people who live with wild bears, play with rattlesnakes or perform any other act where they show a disregard for safety, or a lack of respect for nature, deserve what they get. You really can’t mourn any loss of intelligence here! Add me to this list, because I then realized that I had a 5 year old (10 minutes up a remote hill) in some fairly dense hard chaparral with a big cat probably between us and our car at the park grounds. It then hit me that if I had really thought that the tracks belonged to a big dog coming back from a hike, where were the shoe prints from his companion. (OK, I became flushed with stupidity!) Well, we made it back safely but upon returning to the park what should I see on the bridge crossing the creek? A mountain lion warning sign. .. really! So whether the cat was already gone or hiding a few feet away from us in the underbrush, we were left alone.
Rest assured that the park has always been safe, and that there are plenty of rabbits and deer to keep a mountain lion away from people. Stay on the trails, enjoy the park and don’t let this brief encounter dissuade you from experiencing one of the finest parks that Santa Barbara has to offer.
Hours are 8 am to sunset. The park boasts some pretty nice restrooms and the drive to get there includes phenomenal views of the coast and the mountains. I personally like taking E. Valley Road from Santa Barbara and Montecito to get to Toro Canyon Park. Lower your windows or drop the top and experience the beauty that makes this the most desirable (and expensive) place to live in America.