Hike Along The Carpinteria Bluffs Trail

This trail runs along the bluffs of Carpinteria State Beach and also goes inland just a bit and follows the coastal railroad tracks. The views from the bluffs are beautiful and there is a spot where you can watch the seals come ashore and sun themselves. The day we were there was mostly overcast all day, so the seals did not come ashore.

If you are traveling either northbound or southbound on Highway 101 along the California Coast, take the for Bailard Avenue exit in Carpinteria. After exiting the freeway, head west. The first street you intersect, after less than a block, is Carpinteria Ave. You can see at the intersection a parking area straight ahead. Park here. The hike begins here. There is a bronze relief plaque of the ocean here, and some baseball fields.

We entered the trail from the other side on Linden Avenue at the entrance of the Carpinteria State Beach campground. We hiked 3.5 miles, but if you walk from one end of the trail to the other, it is 3 miles, so a round trip would be 6 miles.

The trail can sometimes be hard to find, but if you ask other hikers, they will tell you where to continue.

View at the start of the trail

My friend Linda on the trail

One of the views from the bluffs

Linda, Me & my brother Keith

Keith on the trail

The trail actually comes down to the beach at one point

Great view from the bluff trail

Where the trail runs along the tracks

A fork in the trail will take you down to the beach

Another view from the bluffs

Near the seal rookery, I zoomed in on this little guy

Another great view from the trail

Heading back toward where we started

We walked along the beach to get back to the car

The blue line shows the path of our hike