Sunday Drive San Marcos Pass
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Chumash Paintings, Stagecoach History and Swimming Holes
Go time traveling through history with Chumash Cave paintings and late 1800’s stagecoach history in the mountains just north of Santa Barbara. Pack your bathing suits and enjoy the swimming holes in the Los Padres Forest.
Painted Cave Road is a culinary dream dotted with anise, a feathery herb that smells like licorice, and is a key ingredient in bouillabaisse. Fragrant laurel trees also line this twisting mountain path and produce bay leaves, which are great for spaghetti sauce. The cave is clearly marked and comes up on the left side of the road just as you climb into a shady canyon at just about the two mile point. While museum, state and federal agencies do not usually give out rock art site locations, Painted Cave State Historic Park is an exception. The railing was put in to discourage vandalism, but you can view the paintings quite well with your flashlight. Some of the paintings are thought to be around a thousand years old, and some are more recent, often painted one over another. One of the symbols is thought to depict a solar eclipse that occurred on November 24, 1677. Established in 1865, it boasts cozy fireside dining amidst the charm of a bygone era. Originally called the Cold Spring Relay Station it was the halfway stop between Matties to the North and Summit House to the South. Here the stagecoaches known as mudwagons stopped to change the horses and have their noontime meal before continuing on their journey over the San Marcos Pass. Dine between 11-3, and 5-9:30pm with live music and dancing Thursday to Sunday.
| For a hike or freshwater swim, take follow Paradise Road as it meanders alongside the Santa Ynez River and past little cabin communities in the forest. (And don\'t forget your Adventure Pass if you plan to park and hike, swim, etc. They can be purchased at the Paradise Store on Paradise Road.) This beautiful road offers day use picnic areas and overnight camp grounds along a river with wonderful little swimming holes and rocky beaches shaded by poplar trees that rustle in the afternoon breezes.
For the best swimming holes go all the way to the end of the road to the Red Rock parking area, (past the Red Rock Day Use area). The trail to the pools leads away from the lot and is easy to hike. Along it lie a string of deep and gem-like ponds perfect for a swim. These pools are popular, especially on weekends, so chances are you will not have them to yourself.
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