2018 Map of Santa Barbara

About this map

Santa Barbara and Montecito occupy the narrow coastal terrace between the Pacific Ocean and the steep front of the Santa Ynez Mountains in this 2018 survey. The landscape is defined by the transition from the dense urban grid to the protected wilds of the Los Padres National Forest, where peaks like La Cumbre Peak and Cathedral Peak rise sharply above the city. Water management is a critical geographic theme, evidenced by the Santa Barbara Water Tunnel passing beneath the mountains and infrastructure like Sheffield Reservoir and Lauro Reservoir tucked into the foothills.