The Sierra Club’s 126-year-old motto to “Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet” is expressed in Santa Barbara and Ventura through the Los Padres Chapter, which annually sponsors dozens of free outings to all corners of our region while also advocating to protect these same wildlands. Founded in the 1950s, the Los Padres Chapter helped to established the Los Padres National Forest via the Wilderness Act of 1964 as well as the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in 1980, among many other victories.
But hitting the trails remains a primary function of the chapter, and for all different reasons. Once, when I noticed that a certain hiking leader had stopped his singles-focused hikes, I asked why. “I met my wife on one of my single outings,” he replied. A lame excuse, I thought, but it shows how strong relationships can come from walks in our woods. Typical summer outings include hikes to the Gaviota Hot Springs, Bates Beach, and the Backbone Trail as well as rock-hopping at The Playground above Goleta, a Santa Ynez River swim, and even the Riviera Urban Hike.
See lospadres.sierraclub.org .