"Hiking - (not really) Painted Cave" Top 5 Page for this destination Santa Barbara Sports & Outdoors Tip by Pounder73

In the little community of Painted Cave, there is a cave with guess what?... Paintings. These are actually hieroglyphs drawn by the Chumash, the Native Americans that lived on this Land. Their reservation is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, (where the Casino is located).

The cave is heavily gated, but the road that passes it, is just another option besides going up or down all of San Marcos Pass (154) and reaching EAST Camino Cielo Rd.

easy direction: right on East Camino Cielo Rd, and about 2.5 miles, (Knapp’ is a mile further) make a right on Painted Cave Rd. Drive down this about a mile and look up to your right for the cave.

Equipment: alternate directions to the cave... much better than mine. (written by vt'er "paintedcave")

Take 154 North -> turn right on Painted Cave Rd (about 7 miles from the 101)

Drive up and up Painted Cave Road, soon the road will flatten out a bit (at about 1.5 miles). A few 100 meters after a tight right hairpin turn in fron of a grand gated brick driveway you will find yourself under cover of trees in the "enchanted forest". Look immediately to your left and you will find a few parking space turnouts and a sign by some stairs that says "Chumash Painted Cave". You're there!!

If you end up navigating three extremely tight hairpin switchbacks under the forest canopy, you've gone too far. But don't turn around yet, it's much too dangerous. Further up the road is an archway with a sign saying "Painted Cave" THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO THE CAVE. This road leads into a private community. Turn around and head back down the road you came up about .5 miles to return to the cave.

Also, please drive slow and carefully on this road. And stay on your side of the road. Many people have plummetted off the road to an ill fate. Save the gawking for the passengers, or wait until you park. Respect bicyclists and other hikers. And park in a turnout.

Theme: Extreme Sports