What to Expect: the Midland School Trails are located in the foothills of the San Rafael Mountains. The network of trails offers a panoramic view of the Santa Ynez Valley from a distinctive Blue Oak woodland setting. There are over a dozen trails to explore. Visitors travel through miles of grass and oak-covered hillsides to vistas looking out over the lower valley, Grass Mountain, Zaca Peak, and Figueroa Mountain. The difficulty level for most trails is moderate to strenuous.
Description: The Midland School Trails are a private trail system opened to the public through the school’s generosity. The landscape includes mountains, meadows, creeks, canyons, and outcroppings. Wildlife abounds, including coyotes, wild pigs, wild turkeys, owls, hawks, and eagles. Poppies and lupine paint the hillsides occasionally in the spring.
Trailhead: 1.7 miles past 5100 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Directions: From the town of Los Olivos, head north on Figueroa Mountain Road. After about 5 miles, you will pass Midland School on your right. Continue 1.7 miles until you see dirt parking areas at a horseshoe bend in the road. Parking is on either side of the curve. Be sure your car is parked entirely off the road.
- Difficulty Rating: Moderate to Strenuous
- Distance: Variable
- Grade Change: 8% or more
- Trail Layout: Loops
- Surface: Packed earth
- Average Width: 4 to 8 feet
- Shade: Varies along the route
- Obstacles: Uneven tread
- Accessibility: Not rated
- Restrictions: No bike use
- Emergency: Call 911
Special thanks to Wildling Museum of Art and Nature for creating Art from the Trails, a juried invitational exhibition, showcasing trail systems in Santa Barbara County. The exhibit is ongoing through October 3, 2021.