Davy Brown Creek runs right through camp, providing the soundtrack for one of the more peaceful campgrounds in Los Padres National Forest. Thirteen sites sit under valley oaks and gray pines on Figueroa Mountain, close enough to Santa Barbara for a weekend escape but remote enough that you'll hear kingfishers over traffic.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Developed
- 🏕️Total Sites
- 13
- 💵Fee per Night
- $30
- 📋Reservations
- Reservation Required
- 🏔️Elevation
- 2,157 ft
- 📍GPS
- 34.75790, -119.95180
- 🌤️Best Seasons
- spring, summer, fall, winter
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- Yes
- 📞Phone
- 805 434 1996
- 🗺️Address
- CA
Amenities
The Camp
The creek defines the experience here. Every site picks up the sound of water moving over rocks, and on summer days those same rocks become platforms for cooling off in the swimming holes downstream. Valley oak, blue oak, and live oak provide decent shade between the sites, with manzanita and coffeeberry filling the understory.
The 13 sites handle RVs up to 25 feet, though there are no hookups. Each comes with the standard fire ring, pedestal grill, and picnic table. Two vault toilets serve the campground, both wheelchair accessible. No water on-site means loading up before you drive in.
What to Know
Reservations are required, and the $30 nightly fee reflects the proximity to Santa Barbara — about an hour to Los Olivos and the Santa Ynez Valley wine country. Summer brings families looking for creek access, while mid-August through late September draws hunters during deer season. Spring through August offers the best bird watching, with western tanagers among the migrants passing through.
Three dumpsters sit along Figueroa Mountain Road for trash, but none at the campground itself.
Nearby
The Davy Brown/Fir Canyon Trail starts from camp, and two miles up the road you'll find the Lower and Upper Manzana trailheads — both entry points into San Rafael Wilderness. The mountain setting provides hiking and mountain biking options without requiring a backcountry commitment.