Blue Canyon

Blue Canyon is like a secret treasure hardly anyone knows about. That is hardly true, but it is amazing how often you can hike in Blue Canyon and feel completely isolated from civilization, never encountering another person. This of course is not true on holiday weekends because Blue Canyon is a short drive from Santa Barbara and a short hike from the trailhead if you are planning a backpack trip. It makes a great day hike, too.

Blue Canyon is located in the canyon just behind the Santa Ynez mountains. You access it by hiking down to Forbush on the Cold Spring Trail and turning right to descend further into Blue Canyon.

There are meadows that fill with gorgeous wildflowers in spring after the rains, creeks that run fresh and clean, and three places to camp—Cottam Camp, Lower and Upper Blue Canyon Camp beyond. It gets quite hot back there in the summer time, which can be a blessing during the Santa Barbara "June Gloom" when it is cold and foggy in town.

Blue Canyon Updates

Update trail conditions

Posted: February 28, 2011, 10:44 am
by: carp_nb

Just to keep the pattern going with CTW, I once again visited the various camps of Blue Canyon over this last weekend. As mentioned in other posts, we got a bit of snow back there over Saturday afternoon/night.

Trails are continuing to look good although some knucklehead set up a fire ring and had a campfire in the middle of the single track trail inbetween Forbush and Cottam Camps. We dismantled it and scattered the ashes but it was still dissapointing to encounter.

Creek crossings were numerous as every tributary is running right now after the recent snow/rains. You could manage with dry feet if your rock-hopping skills were up to par. Ran into one of our local Boy Scout trips doing a quick overnighter at Cottam. All in all, it was another great trip.

Posted: February 26, 2011, 4:02 am
by: Cross Tie Walker

As part of a longer hike in earlier this month (see http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/community/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=847), hiked from Romero-Camuesa Road along the Blue Canyon trail and out to Romero Saddle.

From the road where the lower Blue Canyon Trail heads up to Cottam, everything's in great shape. Follow the "Designated Route" Carsonite signs down (staying on the right side along a willow-choked side channel) to meet the old road.

With the Santa Ynez carrying plenty of water right now, crossing it entailed wet feet. Same held true for the two crossings of Escondido Creek where the trail cuts through the bend. The last half-mile before Cottam is in the best shape I've ever seen, and looks to have been fairly recently clipped.

From Cottam to the junction with the Romero connector, most of the tributaries are flowing and everything's in great shape (I'm starting to sense a pattern here). Plenty of water, but the crossings are solid. The connector up to the road, for whatever reason, hasn't gotten any less steep.

CTW

Posted: January 18, 2011, 11:02 am
by: carp_nb

Did a quick overnighter from the Cold Springs Trailhead down into Blue Canyon on Sunday. The weather was great! Highs in the upper 70s/low 80s during the day and warm at night too- high 50s.

All of the trails are in nice shape and the creeks are running nicely. We visited Forbush, Cottam and Blue Canyon camps and hiked down to the SY River from Cottam, but ended up staying at Cottam. Blue Canyon was a little buggy but otherwise tidy and in good shape. Cottam also was in good shape; a large oak fell recently near the camp... lots of firewood for next winter! Forbush, as seems typical, had a bit of litter and assorted abondoned camping debris. The trail to the river was fine other than being a little brushy in places.

The ticks are out and in force. Not so many along the Cold Springs Trail but lots on the trail down in Blue Canyon.

Posted: July 22, 2010, 4:15 am
by: Cross Tie Walker

Hiked through Blue Canyon July 18 2010 (HOT). Water at all four camps (Upper Blue, Blue Cyn, Cottam, and Forbush Flats) and along the creek en route. Lots of ticks and star thistle.

Posted: March 15, 2010, 2:51 pm
by: carp_nb

As part of a longer hike, I visited Cottam, Blue Canyon and Upper Blue Canyon Camps. The trail between all three camps is in good condition and easy to follow. Wildflowers have begun to bloom throughout. Plenty of water running in all of the creeks at the moment too.

The backside Romero Trail from Blue Canyon to Camino Cielo is also in great shape as long as you don't mind the brutal uphill climb.

Ticks are starting to make their presence known down along the Blue Canyon Trail.

Posted: August 19, 2009, 10:37 pm
by: Don Logan

In August 2009 the Santa Ynez River and tributaries are dry as a bone at Blue Canyon and Cottam. Forbush Flats is also dry. The back country seems more parched than usual for August. You need your own water unless you're planning to dig a well.

Posted: March 19, 2007, 1:59 pm
by: bobcat

My family did a quick overnight down into Cottam from the west end of Blue Canyon (via Forbush) over Presidents weekend. Lots of boyscouts at Forbush and major evidence of motorcycle abuse all the way into Cottam, definitely some trail damage. Would be great to catch the perpetraitors in the act! Otherwise, trail is in great shape, good H20, good ticks, POak just starting to come on.

Posted: February 18, 2007, 7:52 am
by: axel

I hiked the trail from Forebush, to Cottam, then down to the Santa Ynez river. The trail is easy to follow and plenty of water is flowing in the creeks. The ticks are the only distraction. I followed the river down to the Mono/Forebush trail then back up to the crest via the Forebush trail. A great loop trip during low water flow conditions at the river. The trail up to Forebush is in generally excellent condition and the water is flowing to create some beautiful clear pools.

Posted: April 25, 2006, 9:37 pm
by: Beerman67

Took my wife on her first backpack trip, I wanted her to experience the great outdoors. So we started on upper blue canyon off east camino cielo. We hiked into blue canyon camp. The upper portion you can tell is barely traveled due to the trail being less maintained and less traveled. Saw fresh scat, and then heard a growl above cottam. On our way out, we saw 2 turkey vultures feeding on a dead skunk. Found a large jaw bone, not sure what it was from. Saw a few snakes and of course the ticks. All in all, a great Earth Day...

Posted: January 17, 2006, 3:10 pm
by: BSA Troop 42

We backpacked part of Blue Canyon on 16 January 2006. Cross-country from Camuesa Road near P-Bar Flats to the end of Blue Canyon, where it meets the Santa Ynez River. The Blue Canyon Trail from the River to Cottam Camp is in reasonable shape. The trail up to Forbush Flat Camp and then on to East Camino Cielo is very good overall. Flowing water at Cottam and Forbush Flat Camps; some of Fred’s apples are still on the tree. Thank you to those who maintain the trails and camps.