Mar y Cel, Montecito

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Translating to Sea and Sky, Mar y Cel is a 350 acre estate in the Santa Ynez Mountain foothills above Montecito. The property includes the well-known Tea Gardens built by Mr. & Mrs. Henry Bothin in the early 1900s. One of Montecito’s most intriguing properties, the site contains the remains of an intricate array of stone aqueducts and water works, Romanesque arches, and Greek-like statues. In September 2000, the environmental investment group Cima del Mundo LLC offered to donate a conservation easement on the northern 150 acres of the estate, eliminating the possibility of residential development and ensuring protection of the scenic beauty and wildlife habitat on this part of the estate. 

A popular hiking trail, the West Fork of Cold Springs Trail, has run through this area for many years, but it was not on a legally-dedicated easement. Cima del Mundo agreed to grant a one-half mile trail easement to the Land Trust, so that the right to use this trail is now guaranteed to the public while the rest of the property remains private. 

Visiting the West Fork of Cold Springs Trail

Trail rating: Difficult

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