Though not as
grandiose as the famous Seven
Falls of Colorado Springs,
Santa Barbara's Seven Falls is one of the top attractions in the area. Mission
Creek plunges down seven waterfalls in steps, each waterfall splashing into a
small, rock-lined pool (bring your bathing suit!). A 1¼ mile, easy to
negotiate, trail leads to the bottom of the falls from the parking lot. For the
more ambitious, a more difficult climb will take you on up (one more mile) to
'Inspiration Point' where you can enjoy an awesome view of the Pacific Coast.
From the parking area,
the trail is paved to a bridge over Mission Creek. You'll see Fern Falls from
the bridge, - which is about as close as you will get to this waterfall.
Continuing on the trail which becomes dirt with an increasing density of
stones and rocks, you'll reach a fork where Mission Trail branches off to the
right. Continue straight ahead (this is Jesusita Trail) over the small ridge
and down into Mission Canyon. Cross Mission Creek and there is another split.
Take the trail that follows the creek upstream to the bottom of Seven Falls.
This trail is rockier and the going is (or should be) slower but it is not
that strenuous.
Weekends in the summer
frequently attract more people than can comfortably fit in the little pools -
and there is limited 'sitting' space on the rocky rims. This place is very
popular among the locals. A word of caution... though these pools are small,
they are deep (typically 8 feet) so use caution.
How to get there:
Take the Mission Street exit of the
US-101 freeway and head north towards the mountains. When you reach Santa Barbara
Street turn left. Watch for signs for the Museum of Natural History and the
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Continue just 2 blocks on Santa Barbara Street
to Los Olivos and turn right. Continue on Los Olivos, past the Santa Barbara
Mission, to the fork. Bear left at the fork in the road and continue on to Foothill Road
(Hwy 192). Turn right at the stop sign on Foothill Road, on to the next stop sign
and turn left on to Mission Canyon Road. Follow Mission Canyon Road to Tunnel
Road. Here the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden sign directs you to continue up
Mission Canyon Road but you turn left, instead, and continue another mile up canyon
on Tunnel Road to the Seven Falls parking area (on your right).
For a photo
of Seven Falls, see:
Side note!
As you noticed in the 'directions' we
included above, we mentioned the Santa Barbara Mission and the Santa
Barbara Botanic Garden. The Mission is one of the more popular of the old
Spanish missions in California. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is a unique
65 acre collection of native California flora. Some 5 miles of very
easy-to-negotiate trails allow leisurely viewing. A new addition (2003) is
a Japanese Tea House. Not exactly native Californian but a quiet, enjoyable
place to relax - even rest - after touring the Garden. The Garden's hours (Nov through
Feb) are 9a-4p weekdays and 9a-5p weekends. In March through October they
close one hour later.
