Douglas Family Preserve

Douglas Family Preserve is doggy heaven. Dogs can run free here and many do! It's fun to watch their happy faces as they arrive at the trail. The trail follows the cliff past cactus, bright pink bougainvillea, and old trees, some clinging to the cliff almost falling off! The views of the waves below hitting the beach at an angle are gorgeous, as are the views of the Channel Islands. I love to be on a cliff high above the sea! Douglas Family Preserve is the perfect spot to get that magical, freeing feeling!

The trail is a short loop that takes about half an hour to walk. Often there are paragliders taking off from the cliffs and whizzing around you. There are plenty of large sticks kids can pick up along the way to play imaginary games with. Halfway along, you reach a tree where you can stand and look down at Hendry's Beach and all the people having fun below. See the winding road that leads down from Hope Ranch- it looks digitally rendered it's so perfect! The honeycomb cliffs beside it are covered in pink bougainvillea.
Sunset is the best time to come here. The sun slides away behind the Hendry's Beach bluffs and then the golden light hits the shore. It's a romantic sight!
From Douglas Family Preserve, if you walk east on Medcliff Rd, you will come to Mesa Lane Steps, a long staircase down to the beach. The blue-green water looks lovely from the top. Continue walking to La Mesa Park, a park overlooking the ocean, with a eucalyptus forest and a large playground.

Directions

Douglas Family Preserve is located on Medcliff Rd, Santa Barbara CA 93109.
Exit Highway 101 at Las Positas Rd and turn toward the ocean. At the end, turn left on Cliff Drive. Turn right on Mesa Lane. Turn right on Medcliff Rd. At the end, park along the road. The trail starts there.
There are no restrooms but there are dog pooper bags! And all the dog owners use them so it's a very clean trail!

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