Gaviota Overlook – Future Public Access

Conserved for

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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.

Please note: This Preserve is not currently open for public access, but we are working towards making it accessible in the near future.

Acres:

48

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 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.

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Help shape our county’s future.

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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The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County has protected beloved open spaces, vital farmland, and habitats that make our community thrive. But the future of conservation is uncertain. With national funding at risk, individual donor support has never been more important. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS. When you give, you help ensure that our trails, wildlife, and working lands endure — not just for today, but for generations to come.

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