Outdoors
Trails and recreation areas near Santa Maria open to biking and mountain biking.
Good to know: Wilderness areas are closed to bikes; check each area’s trail rules and yield to hikers and horses.
This facility does not accept reservations. Recreation Appealing to ATVs, quad runners, dual sports and single track riders, visitors will find access to 45 miles of marked and rated trails geared toward the beginner to experienced rider,…
La Panza Campground is full of opportunities to relax or explore the forest. Nearby is Machesna Mountain Wilderness where hiking, hunting and horseback riding are popular. Off-high vehicle (OHV) recreation is also plentiful in the area.
Experience life elevated when you enjoy vistas of wildflowers, star gazing, and summer campouts atop Figueroa Mountain.
Nestled on beautiful Figueroa Mountain, this charming campground sits alongside the serenely flowing Davy Brown Creek.
Navajo Flat Campground, off-highway vehicle (OHV) Trailhead and day use area is an ideal location for OHV enthusiasts to enjoy the many trails in the surrounding area.
Nira Campground is a beautiful site covered in oak trees and located along Manzana Creek.
Cachuma Reservoir, formed by Bradbury Dam , offers a prime recreational opportunity for the south central coast area of California.
Cerro Alto Campground is a well-known hiking and mountain biking paradise. It is located a short distance from the sandy beaches of Morro Bay, where visitors enjoy surfing, fishing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and more.
Fremont Campground is a family-friendly facility located just off California's western coast. It provides access to a variety of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, as well as some off-road vehicle trails, in a scenic area.
Los Prietos Campground is situated in the Los Padres National Forest and provides access to a variety of outdoor adventures, including water-related recreation and hiking.
All vehicles including UTVs on the monument must be street-legal (DMV plated) and all vehicles must stay on roads. REMINDER: Please follow warning signs and respect private property when visiting your public lands.
Upper Oso Campground provides ample opportunity for exploration of California's coastal mountains. It is a family-friendly campground, equipped with equestrian sites, and is close to a variety of trails and several mountain streams.
Temblor Recreation Area was newly designated in the Bakersfield RMP (December 2014) and provides opportunities for OHV riding on a network of over 200 miles of designated routes, recreational shooting, hunting, and other dispersed forms of…
Lake Casitas is formed by Casitas Dam , which is a feature of the Ventura Project . Lake Casitas Recreation Area offers one of the nations best bass fishing areas.
Private property surrounds Stockdale Mountain. Do not enter through private gates or fences.
Parking access onto nearly 1,800 acres of Bureau of Land Management property in this area is provided through an easement from the California Department of Fish and Game.
Located in southern Monterey County, and standing over 2,700 feet in elevation, Williams Hill offers great views of the surrounding Salinas Valley.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Santa Maria. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Turkey Flat Ohv Staging Area (USDA Forest Service), about 28 miles north of Santa Maria as the crow flies. Next are La Panza Campground (29 mi) and Mt. Figueroa Campground (29 mi).
Based on Santa Maria’s average highs, all year. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.