San Marcos Foothills Preserve

The San Marcos Foothills Preserve is a County of Santa Barbara open space located in the foothills between Santa Barbara and Goleta. Encompassing 200 acres (plus a 10 acres park) the Preserve offers extraordinary views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands.
A web guide to the Preserve can be found here:
The Preserve is the feeding ground for hawks, kestrels, kites, roadrunners, coyotes, bobcats, and hundreds of other animal species. It offers nesting locations for dozens of native bird species, and it provides connecting corridors for wildlife to Los Padres National Forest and Goleta Slough.
There is a well maintained, 2.6 mile trail that runs between the Preserve western entrance at Via Gaitero Road and the Preserve Eastern entrance at Antone Road. A side trail runs a short distance to the north in the middle of the Preserve and leads to a lookout that provides panoramic views of Santa Barbara and Goleta plus the Santa Ynez Mountains, Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands. Also, many species of wildflowers are visible during the late winter and spring season. Follow the links at left to view a trail map and for a list of plants that grow on the Preserve.
This is a wildlife PRESERVE not a park, and as a result, there are some restrictions on the kinds of recreation that are allowed there. The Preserve is open for hiking and walking etc., but bikes and horses are not allowed. Please see this web page for more info:
. Please keep your dog on a leash for the safety of your pet and the wildlife.

This is a nice little hike if you only have 45 minutes or so. The trail meanders over gentle hills of open grassland. There is no tree cover so it would be hot in summer but this breezy day in April it was quite pleasant. Dogs must be leashed.