Campus Point

BEACH WALK INFORMATION
Distance—1.25 miles west to Campus Point; 2 miles to lagoon access; 3.5 miles back to Goleta Beach. Topo—Goleta

DIRECTIONS
From State Street, follow Highway 101 west for 7.5 miles to the Ward Memorial turnoff (Highway 217—just past the Patterson off ramp) which leads to UCSB. Follow this for 1.5 miles to the Goleta Beach turnoff. Go left under Ward Memorial, then right into the park.

A CAUTION
There is a fair amount of tar on the beach due to oil seeps in the Channel. I would advise old tennies for walking and/or taking care where you put your feet. At higher tide you may need to walk along the campus bluffs to reach the point.

THE WALK
Depending on the tides you can walk along the beach to the point or follow the top of the cliffs. Many hikers head out on the bluffs and return via the beach, but walking on the beach is very tide-dependent. At higher tides there are several places which are impossible to get by.

But if you are lucky and the tides low enough, the walk out and around the point is wonderful. Once you round the point you have nearly two miles of almost straight coastline and wide beaches which will take you all the way to Devereaux Point if you want.

However, I often turn inland when I reach the edge of the UCSB Lagoon, which is just a half mile west of the point. A dirt road leads around the lagoon, the UCEN is right there, where you can stop for a snack or cup of java, and the route up onto the top of the Campus Point bluffs is very nice. There are plenty of places to wander around on the top of the bluffs before heading east back to Goleta Beach.