Snyder Trail/Knapp's Castle

Rating: [out of 5]
For:	Snyder is longer and uphill. Knapps castle deserves a 1, if you start from the top, because it is very short.

Knapp's Castle - Photo by Ray Ford

The owner of Knapp's Castle is living on the property and building something. Unfortunately, the ruins are no longer accessible. But you can still hike the trail.

Snyder trail is a nice hike on its own, or you can make a loop with the Freemont trail. The loop is a nice car shuttle hike if you have a group of people. If not you will wind up walking on Paradise road for about a mile and a half at the end. Freemont trail is a historical trail of sorts, being an old stagecoach route. Or so I've heard. You will also get to hike to an old ruined lodge called Knapp's Castle.

Knapp's Castle can be a short destination of its own on a warm summer night to watch the sunset if you start from East Camino Cielo Rd. instead. See the map and directions to the trailhead.

You will need an Adventure PassPass to park your car at the bottom. Actually, I'm not sure if this is still true so you might ask the ranger to be sure. There is a ranger station on Paradise Road. You don't need an Adventure Pass to park on East Camino Cielo.

Snyder trail on its own is a little over 7 miles.

Snyder-Freemont Loop is done as a car shuttle (which means two cars - one at the start and one at the finish) is about 8 miles. Add another 1.6 miles if you don't have that second car.

Snyder Trail and Knapp's Castle

This part is the same for both Snyder Trail and Knapp's Castle:

From the Mission, corner of Laguna and Los Olivos Street in Santa Barbara...

Get on US 101 going northbound by taking Laguna St. to Mission St. (toward the ocean).

Turn right on Mission St.

Follow Mission St. to the freeway and take US 101 north.

Take the State St./154/Cachuma Lake exit. Follow the signs to 154 West.

To Snyder Trail

Drive up 154/San Marcos pass for several miles, crossing to the other side of the mountains and crossing over Cold Spring Bridge.

Turn right onto Paradise Road. About two and a half miles into Paradise Road you will pass the Fremont Campground.

Continue on for about another 1.6 miles where on the right side of the road you will see a tree with a large bulbous growth on it. It's a very odd looking tree, you can't miss it. Pull into the area near the tree where you may see other cars parked. This is the trailhead for the Synder trail. There's even a big sign with stuff posted on it, including a map to the trail.

To do the Freemont Loop

If you are doing a car shuttle you should drop off you passengers and go back the 1.6 miles to the Fremont campground to leave your cars by the side of the road there. They will be happily waiting your arrival when you finish your hike. See the map. There is only one map made for this hike.

You will need an Adventure Pass to park your car, but handily the Forest Service sells them along Paradise Road. Can't miss the signs.

The hike begins where you left the first car, at the bulbous-growth tree.

Just Knapp's Castle

Following the above directions...From 154, turn Right on East Camino Cielo Road, which is about a mile or two past Painted Cave Road. Drive for 3 miles and park at a gate crossing a dirt road on the left. You'll need an Adventure Pass to park your car.

Snyder Trail/Knapp's Castle

Knapp's Castle only

From East Camino Cielo hike down the dirt road about a half mile or so to the ruins.

Snyder to Knapp's Castle

At the Synder trailhead start up the trail. It is an old dirt road for part of the way.

A little more than half a mile into the hike you will see a water tower on your right.

About three quarters of a mile into the hike you will be back on a trail. Near another water tank, you will see a small sign pointing to the designated route. This follows some switch-backs that have been added to the trail sometime around 1998. The trail used to be a lot harder when it went straight up the ridge. Some old timers are still tempted to cut the switch backs but it's probably best if you don't. The forest service has a reforestation project in process and has blocked the way with metal bars.

After about a mile and a third you will be back on a dirt road. This is marked by a sign that says, simply, "Trail." This road is narrow like a trail, but is gently-sloped like a road. It is pretty easy to follow from here. Watch out for mountain bikers since this is a favorite trail. You may also see some evidence of animals up here. I once followed a bobcat up this road for about a quarter mile.

Along the way you should cross a small, wet creek in the trail. Very small it is, but there's always some water in it.

About two and a half miles into your hike you will see the remains of an old garage on your left. You can take a short cut up the blocks on the left side to the ruins of Knapp's Castle. It was really an old hunting lodge built by Knapp which burned down. It is now private property so please respect the property and carry all your trash out. Enjoy the spectacular views of the Santa Ynez valley.

For an optional loop hike via Freemont trail:

From Knapp's Castle, hike up the dirt road up toward Camino Cielo road. You will walk around a locked gate. You are now at Camino Cielo. You will want to walk along the road to the west (your right). You'll walk along the road for about a mile and a quarter until you get to another locked gate on the right side of the road. That locked gate is the top of the Fremont Trail Head down the Fremont Trail.

It may be steep in spots. You will pass some interesting boulders along the way and get a great view of San Marcos Pass and the Cold Springs Bridge. You can wave to the cars on the pass. Most of them don't realize there is a great trail so close to where they are speeding.

Almost six miles into you hike you will come to a high power pole and some signs. Unfortunately, the historic Fremont trail that continues on down the ridge is on private property and you cannot go on it. Keep this in mind when you look at the San Marcos topo map which still shows the trail in its historic accuracy. The trail has been rerouted to the right and it is still a very pretty trail.

Go through a series of switch backs until you reach a meadow at about six and a half miles. The meadow is very pretty in the spring with many wildflowers. Continue across the meadow being careful that you don't stray off onto one of the many minor trails that go off to the left. What's over there? Who knows? (I hear that there may be wild pigs in there.)

Continuing down the trail you will go through a shady area and then a dry brush area. Eventually you will walk right by two water towers. One old wooden one and a newer metal one. It gets a little steep around the towers.

Continue on down the trail until you get to an intersection with a trail heading off to the left and the right. Go to the left. Continue for at least a half mile. It is always further than you remembered it from the last time. Eventually you will see a trail leading down to the Fremont camp. Walk through the camp to Paradise road. Turn right on Paradise. Enjoy the 1.6 mile walk along the road back to the Synder trailhead.