2015 Map of Gaviota

About this map

Gaviota Pass cuts through the steep southern face of the Santa Ynez Mountains, creating a historic gateway between the interior and the Santa Barbara coast. This coastal landscape is defined by a dense series of parallel canyons, or cañadas, including Cañada del Cementerio, Cañada Alcatraz, and Cañada De Las Zorrillas, which drain from the Los Padres National Forest directly toward the Pacific Ocean. Along the narrow coastal shelf, small coastal settlements like Gaviota and Port Orford sit near the mouth of Cañada de la Gaviota. The proximity of the shoreline to the mountains leaves little room for development, resulting in a distinct transportation corridor where the highway and local roads like Calle Mariposa Reina follow the natural contours of the bluffs and beaches.