San Rafael Mountain

San Rafael Mountain, photo by Sunny Yi

View from the summit of San Rafael, photo by Sunny Yi

Log Book, taken from San Rafael, photo by Jim Hagar

Log Book, taken from San Rafael, Photo by Jim Hagar.

Peak Name

San Rafael Mountain

06H

Elevation

6593

feet

Status

active

Region

Santa Barbara County

Range

San Rafael Mountains

Nearby peaks

McKinley Mountain, Santa Cruz Peak

Location

34.7108196,-119.8151377

Description

San Rafael, with its neighbors McKinley Mountain and Santa Cruz Peak, constitute the so-called Big Three. It is the namesake peak of the San Rafael Mountains, deep in the heart of wild and beautiful Los Padres National Forest. It is a long hike, backpack or mountain bike trip from the nearest trailhead, unless you are on one of the periodic HPS-sponsored trail maintenance trips to clear the trail of the pretty but prickly ceanothus that can overtake it at times.

Like the other Big Three peaks it is approached via a long and scenic, but still tedious, road hike to Mckinley Saddle. One can stop along the way at McKinley Spring and campground for water that is generally available year around and some shade. From the saddle a pretty trail winds gently up to the summit. The peaks in the area can be quite hot in summer. Further trip planning information is in the notes below.

Maps generated from CalTopo.com, reproduced with permission

Downloadable Maps, Files, and Guides

Route 1

Elevation Gain

3400′

Navigation Difficulty

Easy

Distance

20 miles round trip on road and trail

Estimated time

11 hours round trip

Route Rating

Class 1, very strenuous

Leader Rating Required

“O”, normal conditions

Driving route

Take US 101 to just west of Santa Barbara. Turn north on SR 154.
Continue north and then west about 22 miles past Lake Cachuma, to Armour Ranch Road on the right. Turn right, note your odometer and go as follows:
At 1.3 miles, fork with Happy Canyon Road on the right. Turn right.
At 12.9 miles, Cachuma Campground.
At 15.3 miles, Cachuma Saddle and a ranger station on the left. Park in the large parking lot south of the ranger station..
Sometimes Happy Canyon Road is closed by a slide. In this case, continue farther west on SR 154 to the town of Los Olivos and then go north on Figueroa Mountain Road, which joins Happy Canyon Road at Cachuma Saddle.

Hiking route

From the parking area (3100′), cross the highway and hike in on 28W01, a dirt road to the east, 7 1/2 miles to McKinley Spring at 5600′. The spring is below the road on the left. This is a good camping spot.
Hike 1/2 mile farther east on 28W01 to the saddle between McKinley and San Rafael. This is also the turnoff for McKinley Mountain and Santa Cruz Peak.
A trail starts on the east end of this saddle. Follow this trail up along the ridge.
After about 1/2 mile the trail leaves the ridge and goes along the left (northwest) side of it for about a mile, then comes back onto the ridge. Continue about 1/4 mile farther, past a shallow saddle and along the north side of the ridge.
Where the trail gains the ridge again, turn sharp right at a trail junction and follow it about 50 yards up to the summit.

Route Notes

Printable Route

Road Type

Dirt

Google Maps Link to Trailhead

Additional Peak Information

McKinley Mountain, Santa Cruz Peak, and San Rafael Mountain are together known as “The Big Three”. They are normally done as a two-day backpack, camping overnight at McKinley Spring.

CAMPING
Year-round water is usually available from the large pipe-fed container at the camp (avoid using water from the horse trough) but should be treated because the water is obtained from storage. Bears frequent the area, so bear-proofing food and other perishables is also advisable.

MOUNTAIN BIKING
8N08 is well graded and maintained as far as McKinley Saddle. These 8 road miles are suitable for mountain biking.

TRIP PLANNING
Round trip excursions from McKinley Saddle:

Santa Cruz Peak is 11 miles, 1800′ gain, plus 2000′ gain on the return (7-9 hours).
McKinley Mountain is 1 mile, 400′ gain (1 hour).
San Rafael Mountain is 5 miles, 1100′ gain (2 hours).
Add 1 mile, 200′ gain if the trip begins from camp. Round trip for the Big Three as a day hike is 33 miles, 8600′ gain. Camping is recommended.

NATURAL HISTORY NOTE
This area experienced a major fire in 1994. The routes to McKinley and San Rafael were not affected, but the fire dramatically changed the vegetation on Santa Cruz Peak. The last portion of the climbing route to this peak has been permanently changed, with very dense stands of brush replacing the the relatively open slopes that used to be found there.