Hot Springs Canyon Trailhead — Attraction in Montecito

Nice hike but extremely confusing to find the springs. I'll post a detailed review on how to find the springs, since I didn't see any on this Google maps page. Please like so this becomes the review at the top and other people can more easily find the springs.

First, you can get to the springs by either following the Hot Springs Loop or Hot Springs Trail. Beware that the Hot Springs Trail is a harder hike with more obstacles, etc. Unless you want a challenge, I would advise going the Loop Trail. Either path you take, you should take a left and go over the pipes when you see the first white sign. If you encounter more signs, you've gone too far. Take a left at the FIRST sign you see and go over the pipes. You'll then see a slightly hidden path to the left that is winding upwards. Take this path to the end and you're at the hot springs!

Here's a more detailed view of the hike if you go the Loop Trail way: you'll see a residential area and go uphill. 20-30 mins later, you will see ruins. Once you see the ruins, take the path immediately to the left (not the path further left that goes downhill, you should be staying level with the ruins). 5 more min walk and you will encounter the sign. Take a left over the pipes and follow the directions above. I'm adding photos of the area where you take a left to help. Again, please upvote this so more people can easily find the springs! Hope...

There are about six parking spots. Can you get one? Don't park on the street, they patrol for it and don't put up signs saying where or that you can't park. If you see about fifteen cars lined up on the roadside, it's likely they'll all be towed. It's a bit outlandish really, but I bet the city makes bank off of it.

The hike up is okay, there's another park en route up — it's unclear who uses that or how it's accessed because there's really just no parking. There's a lot of forest back there, but while it's "public" effectively the house-owners by the roads are the only ones with access.

Near the pools, to get to them, it gets a bit tricky. The turn to the left to get to them is pretty hard to notice, you'll get to a spot with a bunch of signs (not directional signs), you'll have to pass some trees and immediately double back and down a trail down to the creek which will come up the other side. Keep checking behind you once you get to these signs so you can find this trail.

The water is murky and sulphuric. It wasn't that hot in the pools when I went but I suspect the cold rains may have influenced the temperature.

Experience in the park...

Go at your own risk. I almost died in the top-most hotspring when a rock about the size of a medicine ball tumbled down the mountain on a rainy day. People are asking if it was tossed, I doubt it. I think it was loose sand stone that gave way because of the moisture. But I was there when rocks were being dropped from above, to help build the hotsprings. Praise the Lord for His safety and protection. Bless up. Best in the morning, kids come in the afternoon, partiers and hippies come at night. Pick up at least two pieces of trash on the way out and leave it nice for the people behind you. Parking is very limited if you're blessed you'll find parking right up front near the gate, if not there's parking off the road on riven rock road and space for two cars going west on the road in front of the trailhead. I have been in the same car of someone who parked off the road between no parking signs on hot springs road and he got a handwritten ticket from the highway patrol for 37.50 what a pain to pay because it doesn't register online to pay until about 18 days later and you must pay within...