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Gaviota Overlook Expanding Arroyo Hondo Preserve

PROTECTING GAVIOTA OVERLOOK

Tucked into a box canyon along the Gaviota Coast, the Land Trust’s Arroyo Hondo Preserve welcomes thousands of visitors each year to enjoy its trails, education programming, and rich biodiversity. Adjacent to Arroyo Hondo, the Gaviota Overlook is 48 acres of rolling coastal grassland along the iconic U.S Route 101 State Scenic Highway, one of the most magnificent examples of rural, coastal Southern California and among the last undeveloped in the southern region. Locals and visitors experience spectacular views of grassy hills and mountains, the Pacific, and impressive geological formations of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Until now, opportunities have been incredibly rare for the Land Trust to feasibly grow this network of preserve trails, programming, and public access.

More Protected Wildlife Habitat, More Protected Public Space

Purchasing Gaviota Overlook allows the Land Trust to expand visitor access for the first time in twenty years. Adding new trails across these 48 acres not only enhances the visitor experience, but it sets up the potential for a more robust future trail network in Gaviota. The addition of new trails at Arroyo Hondo will increase educational opportunities for school children and individual visitors alike.

The rolling grassland of the Gaviota Overlook property adds a new, unique habitat to Arroyo Hondo, benefitting local plants and animals, and, importantly, extending connectivity as a wildlife corridor. Three watershed drainages on this property recharge the water table with winter rains while the grasslands provide carbon and nitrogen capture, both important to climate resilience. With conservation management of the property, the climate benefits are enhanced, and the community will be able to experience firsthand why conserving the Gaviota Coast matters.

Gaviota Overlook has views of the Channel Islands, Pacific Ocean, and Santa Ynez Mountains.
Creeks on the property provide drainage after storms and recharge the watershed.
The iconic Gaviota Coast, featuring Arroyo Hondo and Gaviota Overlook. Photo: Bill Dewey.
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Iconic views, locally grown food, fresh water, clean air, recreation access, thriving wildlife habitat—it’s all here in Santa Barbara County and when you give to the Land Trust, you invest in the protection of the places you love.

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OFFICE:
1530 Chapala St., Suite A,
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

MAILING:
P.O. Box 91830, Santa Barbara, CA 93190

PHONE:
(805) 966-4520

Non-profit tax ID:
#95-3797404

Accredited by the Land Trust Accreditaiton Commission

With your support, the Land Trust has protected over 57,000 acres of local land—and our work is far from over. Make a 100% tax-deductible gift today and double your impact! All year-end donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $60,000, thanks to our friends Jack and Sheri Overall. Every penny counts!

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