Los Padres National Forest · California

Sunset Valley

1.4 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 29W29 · trail class 3 · typical grade 8-10% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse, bike

Trailhead Sunset Valley Trailhead Drive there

Lower Manzana Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

None  · reservation required

The Lower Manzana Trailhead is located on Sunset Valley Road, approximately 1.5 miles past Davy Brown Campground. This trailhead is very popular for a number of reasons, primarily because it is a portal to the San Rafael Wilderness. The Lower Manzana Trailhead leads to a historical schoolhouse, last used in 1901. In close proximity to the schoolhouse, one will also find a historical hunting lodge known as the Dabney Cabin. This trail is also very popular for backpackers and horseback riders, as there are many primitive campsites throughout the connecting trails. The parking area is in a wide turnout within 50 feet of the trailhead and accommodates between 12 to 15 vehicles. During heavy rainfalls, the trailhead may be inaccessible.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

McKinley Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

McKinley Trailhead is located approximately 13 miles from the junction of Figueroa Mtn Road and Happy Canyon/Sunset Valley Road. In order to reach the trailhead, one must hike to the trailhead for 13 miles past the locked gate. From the trailhead one can access Big Cone Spruce Campsite and continue to the Manzana Trail in the San Rafael Wilderness.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Munch Canyon Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

Munch Canyon Trailhead is located on Sunset Valley Road on Figueroa Mountain. This trailhead meets up with several other trails in this general area, including the Davy Brown Trail and White Rock Trail. This trail is very popular during spring, as it produces beautiful wildflowers during a wet year. From mid-July to the end of September, this trail is utilized by hunters during deer season. The parking for this trailhead is very minimal. There is a turnout directly in front of the trailhead that would accommodate no more than 3 vehicles at a time.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Sunset Valley Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

No fee for parking. An Adventure Pass is not required for parking.

Located in the Figueroa Mt. area. This 2 mile trail parallels the Sunset Valley Road. It meanders through oaks, pine and chaparral.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

White Rock Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

White Rock Trailhead is located on Sunset Valley Road on Figueroa Mountain. This trailhead meets up with several other trails in this general area, including East Pinery and Munch Canyon Trail. This trail is very popular during spring, as it produces beautiful wildflowers during a wet year. From mid-July to the end of September, this trail is utilized by hunters during deer season. The parking for this trailhead is very minimal. There is no designated parking area for this trailhead. Visitors merely park adjacent to Sunset Valley Road near the trail.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Willow Springs Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

No fee required for parking. An Adventure Pass is not required.

Willow Springs Trailhead. Located in the Figueroa Mountain area. This is a two mile connector between the Catway Road and lower Davy Brown Trail.

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.