Location
Cuyama Valley, San Luis Obispo county off of Highway 166 Plus:  Views of the Cuyama Valley and surrounding mountains.

   Length of trail
 2.5-mile maintained trail; an additional 4.5-mile primitive trail segment is not useable at this time (January 1998).

  Description
Wide open spaces and spring wildfloer places set the stage for hiking and biking on this 2.5 mile maintained trail.  Hunters favor the trail for access to deer and quail on adjacent public lands.  Another 4.5 mile of primitive trail takes you to the Caliente Mountain Ridge.  However this later trail segment is not in use  at this time.

 Directions

• From Interstate 5, follow Highway 166 west to New Cuyama.  The trail is about 14 miles west of New Cuyama.  The trail starts on the north side of highway shortly after crossing the bridge over the Cuyama River.
• Or from Highway 101 go east on Highway 166 for about 38 miles.  The trail starts on the north side of the highway shortly before crossing the bridge over the Cuyama River.
• Be sure to park completely off of the highway.

  Permits, Fees, Limitations

There are no fees to enter the site.  A State of California hunting license is required.

  Accessibility:  None.

  Camping and Lodging

• Bates Canyon Campground - USFS:  12.5 miles west of New Cuyama, then 12.5 miles up Cottonwood Canyon to the campground.
• Aliso Park - USFS:  2.5 miles west of New Cuyama, then 6.5 miles up Aliso Canyon Road to the campground.
• A motel is located in New Cuyama.  Other lodging is in Maricopa to the east or Santa Maria to the west.

Note:  Both gampgrounds are in the Los Padres Nationa Forest.  While no campground fees are charged you do need to have a U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass issued under the recreatio fee pilot program.  The cost is $5 per day or $30 fro a year and is good on 4 southern California National Forests;  The Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino, and cleveland.  For more information contact any of the following forest offices.  The Los Padres can be reached at (805) 683-6711.

  Food and Supplies
The nearest location is in New Cuyama on Highway 166.

   First Aid
No first aid is available on site.  The nearest hospitals are in Santa Maria to the west and Taft to the east.  Emergency first aid may be available at fire stations along the way to the hospitals.

   Know before you go

• No facilities are located at or near the trailhead.
• The best times to visit is in late winter and early spring.  The exposed gernerally sourther facing slopes dry out early in the late spring.

    For more information, contact:

Bureau of Land Management
Bakersfield Field Office
3801 Pegasus Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93308

Phone: (661) 391-6000
Fax: (661) 391-6040

Office hours: 7:30 am - 4:15 pm
Monday - Friday, closed holidays

Return to Caliente Mountains / Carrizo Plain National Monument