Los Padres National Forest · California

Gibraltar

9.1 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 28W06 · trail class 3 · typical grade 10-12% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse, bike

Trailhead Red Rock Trailhead Drive there

Red Rock the Forest Service's write-up

The parking area and day use facilities at the Red Rock Trailhead are managed by the Parks Management Company. Fee: $10 per vehicle for parking per day.  · season January to December

Up river to Gibraltar reservoir. The " low road" is considered the Red Rock trail and follows the river. You will find several large swimming holes along the trail. The most popular pool "Red Rock Pools" is 1/2 mile from the trailhead and can be crowded with visitors on weekends. The more secluded pools are further upriver. Combine the low road and the high road for a pleasant seven mile loop. Portions of the trail can be hot during the summer. The trail along the river can be rocky and jarring on a mountain bike. The upper road levels out during middle section but is a workout near the trailhead and dam. Open all year. Seasonal road closure may occur due to high water level on river crossings. Portable restrooms and trash service at trailhead parking.

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Red Rock Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

This recreation site is managed by the Parks Management for the Forest Service.&nbsp; $10 per vehicle for parking or you can purchase and use the Parks Management Annual Day Use Pass for $50. Pass information at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.campone.com">www.campone.com </a>. This pass is not available at the ranger station, but it may be available at the First Crossing Kiosk when it is open.

The site is located at the end of River Road, 10 miles from Paradise Road.

Red Rock Trailhead is a paved. The trailhead parking serves hikers and equestrians. The facility has vault toilets, trash, and a picnic table. No drinking water.

Red Rock Trailhead includes 144 parking spaces and four trailer parking spaces. The Santa Ynez River can be accessed from the site.

A hiking trail from the parking lot follows the Santa Ynez River upstream to the base of Gibraltar Dam.

The trailhead is open all year. However, during high river flows during winter months, Paradise Road is closed to motorized traffic.

Restrictions No overnight camping in day use areas. Camping is allowed only in campgrounds.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Los Padres National Forest

All 343 trails in Los Padres National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.