Trail Highlights
Ellwood Mesa is part of the 652-acre Ellwood-Devereux Open Space, a vast network of trails and protected natural areas spanning UCSB’s North and West Campuses, the Coal Oil Point Reserve, the Coronado Butterfly Preserve, and the City of Goleta’s Ellwood Mesa and Sperling Open Space. This integrated trail system connects Isla Vista, UCSB, and the surrounding community, making it a popular recreational destination for hikers, trail runners, cyclists, and nature lovers.
One of the most notable features of the Ellwood Mesa is its Monarch Butterfly Preserve, where thousands of monarch butterflies gather in the eucalyptus groves during their winter migration. Visitors from across the region come to witness this stunning natural event. The mesa also provides sweeping ocean views, open coastal grasslands, and direct beach access through informal canyon trails.
Trail Description
The Ellwood Mesa trail system consists of unimproved dirt trails and former roads that wind through environmentally sensitive habitats, linking the coastal bluffs, wetlands, and Devereux Creek. While these trails offer scenic and serene access to nature, they are also subject to seasonal flooding, erosion, and the encroachment of non-native vegetation. Many of the beach access trails descend steep, unstable bluffs that contribute to ongoing erosion issues.
During the rainy season, certain sections may become impassable due to ponding, causing hikers to create unofficial detours that can impact the surrounding environment. Additionally, some trails cross eroded gullies and sensitive wetland areas, requiring careful navigation. Restoration efforts are underway to improve trail sustainability, control erosion, and manage invasive species that threaten native habitats.
Despite these challenges, the Ellwood Mesa trails remain a cherished open space, offering diverse recreational opportunities and access to one of the largest publicly owned coastal preserves in Santa Barbara County.
Directions
The primary parking area for the Ellwood Mesa Trails is located at 7729 Hollister Avenue, directly across from Ellwood Elementary School; look for the signed driveway marked “Goleta Butterfly Grove / Ellwood Mesa Open Space” to park in the dedicated lot. From Highway 101, exit at Hollister Avenue, proceed west over the freeway, and you’ll see the Ellwood Mesa parking entrance immediately on your right across from Ellwood Elementary School.
Visitors can also access Ellwood Mesa via UCSB’s West Campus by following Long Marsh Lane eastward through Coal Oil Point Reserve to connect to the Mesa trail network. For a closer spot when viewing monarch butterflies, the Coronado Butterfly Preserve parking at 420 Coronado Drive sits just under 1,000 feet from the grove, with signed pathways leading directly to the butterfly clusters