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Visitor Information

Hopper Mtn.NWR | Bitter Creek NWR | Blue Ridge NWR | Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes NWR

Hopper Mtn.NWR-Closed to the public. Some Condor viewing areas available.

Dough Flat

The U.S. Forest Service maintains an observation point at Dough Flat in the Los Padres National Forest. Please contact the U. S. Forest Service Ojai Ranger District Office for more information on road conditions at (805) 646-4348

The Dough Flat site is along the public access corridor of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary in the Lo Padres National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The driving time from Fillmore to Dough Flat is about 1 hour (13 miles). Plan to arrive around 9am and stay until 3pm to see condors flying over the Sanctuary. Be sure to take plenty of water and carry a spare tire in your vehicle. PLEASE note that the Sespe Condor Sanctuary (located on Forest Service land) is closed to public access. The road going to Dough Flat runs through a corridor which bisects the Sespe Condor Sanctuary. The public may access this corridor, but the Sanctuary to the west and east of this corridor is closed to the public. Please contact the USDA - U. S. Forest Service for more information on public use in the Los Padres National Forest at (805) 646-4348.
From Los Angeles
Take Interstate 5 (I-5) north to Castaic Junction (33 miles). Take the Ventura off-ramp and follow Highway 126 west to the town of Fillmore (19 miles). Turn right at the stop light on “A” Street and head north. You will come to a yield sign where “A” Street becomes Goodenough Road go right. Goodenough Road will end after 3-4 miles at a fork in the road, go right which takes you into the Sespe oil fields. Follow the road, being careful to stay on the main road , the side roads will take you to oil well pads. After 3.3 miles you will see the Oak Flat Station building (no longer Forest Service station) on your left and a condor observation sigh incicationg the number of miles to Dough Flat. Stay on the main road going left. DO NOT make a right turn on the road which passes through a gate. Theis is closed to public access. Go avout 7 miles to reach Dough Flat. Park and scan the cliffs east of your. But also look in other directions. If you continue on the trail about 3 miles north of Dough Flat, you will come to the “Cow Spring Campground.”
From Santa Barbara
Take Highway 101 south to Ventura. In Ventura, merge onto Highway 126 go east to Fillmore about 20 miles. In Fillmore turn left at the stop light at “A” Street and then continue as above

Bitter Creek NWR-Closed to the public. Condor vewing areas are available.

Bitter Creek NWR is closed to the public, there are some viewing areas you can drive to.From Interstate 5, take Highway 166 (north of the Grapevine and south of Bakersfield) west toward Maricopa. At Maricopa, Hwy 166 joins Hwy 33. Continue west on 33/166 for approximately 9.2 miles to Cerro Noroeste Road; make a left on Cerro Noroeste Road. You will enter the Bitter Creek NWR, marked by a blue sign with a condor painted on it. Continue on Cerro Noroeste for approximately 8 miles. You will see on the left hand side of the road another Bitter Creek NWR sign in a pullout. Park in the pull out and look northwest (and in all directions) for condors in flight.
From Highway 101 in Santa Maria take 166 East toward New Cuyama and Maricopa. At 4.6 miles past the Hwy 33 turnoff (to Ventura), make a right on Cerro Noroeste Road and continue as above.

Blue Ridge NWR-Closed to the public.

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes NWR- Public Access

Visitors may reach the Refuge via either of two access hikes:

1) Oso Flaco Hike

From the intersection of Highway 1and Oso Flaco Lake Road, located 3 miles north of Guadalupe, proceed 3 miles west to the Oso Flaco Lake parking lot. This park and parking lot are owned and managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). A fee for parking is charged. If a State Parks attendant is not present, be sure to use the self-pay parking envelopes at the entry kiosk. After paying for parking, hike 1 mile west across the Oso Flaco Lake trail and boardwalk to the beach. After reaching the beach, proceed south a quarter-mile to Oso Flaco Creek. If the stream crossing is shallow and safe, proceed 1 mile south along the beach to the northern Refuge boundary. This route requires a round trip hike of approximately 4.5 miles to reach the Refuge and return to the parking lot.

2) Rancho Guadalupe Hike

From the intersection of Highway 1 (Guadalupe Street) and Highway 166 (Main Street), at the south end of Guadalupe, drive 2.8 miles to the entrance gate of the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve parking lot. A voluntary donation for access to the park is requested at the entrance gate. From the entrance gate, drive 2.0 miles west to the paved parking lot, located at the beach. This park and parking lot are owned by the County of Santa Barbara Department of Parks and Recreation, and are managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management. From the parking lot, hike north along the beach about a half-mile to the Santa Maria River. If the river crossing is shallow and safe, hike about 1.5 miles north along the beach to the northern Refuge boundary. This route requires a round trip hike of approximately 4.0 miles to reach the Refuge and return to the parking lot.

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