Tag Archives: hwy 33

Dick Smith Wilderness

Santa Barbara Mountains
Ojai Backpacking, Ventura, CA

old cabin cuyama
Old Cabin at Cuyama Peak Fire Lookout, Dick Smith Wilderness Area in the background

64,800 acres

30 miles N of Ojai, CA
Los Padres National Forest

Dick Smith Wildernessreyes lift off

  • backpacking
  • camping
  • hang gliding
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • parasailing
  • OHV trails nearby

Los Padres National Forest – Located in between the Santa Barbara coastline and the Cuyama Valley, this coastal wilderness area is situated miles north of Ojai, off Highway 33.

The Dick Smith Wilderness is where the San Rafael Mountains and the Sierra Madre Mountains merge on the east side, next to Pine Mountain Summit (elevation 5080′ @ highway).

This PINE MTN turn off should not to be confused w/ the Pine Mountain Club, on the north side of Cerro Noroeste.

Significant mountain peaks within Dick Smith Wilderness Area:

Big Pine Mountain – 6828′ elevation
Cuyama Peak – 5875′
Lizard Head – 5350′
Madulce Peak – 6536′
Samon Peak – 6527′

Closer to Ojai, Matilija Wilderness is on the southern boundary of DickSmith and the San Rafael Wilderness sits to the west side. Native American petroglyphs can be found in this mountainous region.  Access to “Painted Rock” on the Sierra Madre ridge, via Road #32S13 (which has a locked gate on both ends), is a long one so you might want to bring the mountain bike. The dirt road hike is about 10 miles (one way) and it starts at the Santa Barbara Canyon trailhead. If you plan to visit the rock art from the west side – take the dirt road up past Bates Canyon Campground. The turn off on Hwy 166 is called Cottonwood Canyon. Park at the hog pen trailhead and follow Road #32S13 for miles.

Dick Smith Trails
hiking trailheads –

  • Chorro Grande (Hwy 33)
  • Potrero Seco (Hwy 33)
  • Santa Barbara Canyon (Hwy 166)

 area campgrounds –

 nearby towns –

more Ojai camping

ojai backpacking

Dick SMith Wilderness

Ozena Valley Badlands

Ojai Camping

ozenavalley
Highway 33 Camping Ojai, California

Los Padres National Forest / Ojai District:

campground elev spots veg toilet water notes
Holiday Group Camp 2000′ 8 oaks vault creek group site
Middle Lion Campground 3150′ 8 oaks vault creek Rose Valley
Pine Mountain Camps 6650′ 6 pines vault no May-Nov
Reyes Peak Camp 7000′ 6 pines vault no May-Nov
Rose Valley Campground 3450′ 9 scrub vault creek Rose Valley Falls
Wheeler Gorge Campground 2000′ 73 oaks pit piped Matilija Creek
Launch @ Reyes Peak Trailhead

Los Padres National ForestNFS

see also –

middle lion campground
middle lion campground
Creek Camping Lion
Creek Camping @ Lion
Piedras Blancas
Coastal Foothills and Fog with Piedras Blanca backdrop

primitive camp sitesFREE CAMPING
additional NFS camps in the region:

Chumash Quatal Canyon
Chumash Wilderness access via Quatal Canyon

Open Camping in Quatal Canyon
Hwy 33
@ Ventucopa, California. OHV trails and red dirt canyons; Hike into Chumash Wilderness.

The main road parallels the big wash. Quatal Road #9N09 is graded (annually) and usually passenger car accessible; side routes to camps in the big wash or up any canyons may require high clearance or 4WD vehicle. No services in this canyon at all; Cell service is minmal. Gasoline is somewhere along the hwy (near a pistachio orchard).

Wilderness Areas along Hwy 33backpacking Los Padres

map of the Los Padres region –

Los Padres mountain towns –

DSCN2342

Rose Valley Falls has a small campground at the trailhead