It had been a year or so since my last visit to Matilija Falls, which was actually one of my first non-frontcountry hikes in the vicinity of Santa Barbara. Connor and I planned to camp near the falls this time after having only previously made it out there for a day hike.
One of the best parts of hiking to Matilija Falls again was that we actually knew where we were going this time.
From the parking area to the trail is easy enough, though you do need to pass through private property. I remember this being fairly uncomfortable before, but as long as you’re respectful, there shouldn’t be any issues. On the way out, we even received a friendly wave from one of the people there.
The hike itself isn’t a very difficult one with the distance to the falls around 5 miles. The elevation gain is negligible and there is plenty of water along the way.
The first set of pools would even make a nice, fairly remote place to spend a hot summer day.
Most of the hike follows decently worn paths and trails. With confidence in our destination, our goal was mainly remembering where to cross the creek when the trail did fade. I definitely remember more cairns and markers last year, but we just kept our eyes open for where the trail picked up again on the other side.
A few other hikers have made it out there recently:
Though we didn’t have the heat the blistering temperatures this year, we did end up with rain for a good portion of the night.
