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About Gaviota State Park Beach in Goleta, California

Gaviota State Park Beach is a south-facing beach below a tall train trestle about 30 miles west of Santa Barbara and 25 miles southeast of Lompoc. Behind the trestle there is a campground, a seasonal camp store, and a day-use parking lot.

The trestle has been nicknamed the “Ghost Bridge” and people have reported that the ghosts of two young girls roam Gaviota Beach and campground at night. Both ends of the beach have high steep bluffs that prevent beach exploration east and west at high tide.

A public fishing pier with a boat hoist juts out from the west side of the sandy beach and Gaviota Creek intermittently flows through on the east side. The pier has been damaged by storms and is currently closed for safety reason so access to the boat hoist is blocked. This is too bad as boating is the only way to access the nearby beaches of Hollister Ranch.

Excellent hiking trails can be found within the state park and in the adjacent lands of Los Padres National Forest. There is even a hot spring, Gaviota Hot Springs, that you can hike to. That trailhead is about 2.5 miles north on the highway from the main park entrance. The campground spaces can be reserved so inquire at the state park website.

Address
Gaviota Beach Rd
Goleta, CA 93117
Park Name
Gaviota State Park, Kashtayit State Marine Conservation Area
Owner
State Park
Pet Details
No dogs allowed on the beach or on trails
Fees
Fee for parking
Activities
Hiking, Backpacking, Mountain Biking, Fishing, Surfing, Beach Walking, Swimming, Camping
Amenities
Fishing Pier, Campground, Lifeguard, Restrooms, Train Trestle, Picnic Tables, Trails, Hot Springs, Boat Hoist, Accessible Features
Map of Gaviota State Park Beach
Tajiguas, US
6:51 pm, June 5, 2023
temperature icon 62°F
L: 58° H: 62°
Feels like 61.29 °F overcast clouds
Wind gusts: 2 m/s
UV Index: 0.3
Precipitation: 0.02 inch
Visibility: 10 km
Sunrise: 5:48 am
Sunset: 8:10 pm
Humidity 73 %
Pressure1011 mb
Wind 2 m/s

Nearby Beaches

Vista Del Mar Beach

1.5 miles away

Vista Del Mar Beach is a narrow sandy beach between San Onofre Beach and the main beach at Gaviota...

View beach

Hollister Ranch Beaches

3.3 miles away

Hollister Ranch is a large active farming and cattle ranch and private housing community located west of Gaviota State...

View beach

Nearby Attractions

Nearby Lodging

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