It's like Stairway to Heaven for people who love travel, art, nature, music, and getting outside for sweet adventures. Not much is better than an epic roadtrip and we've got just the ticket to get you ready.
Top 5 Hits for Family Adventures
- Rock scramble on all the rocks
- Take pictures from the top of Lizards mouth
- Find and explore the small caves and cracks in the rocks
- Take in the view of Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands
- Find tafoni inside caves and inside Lizard's Mouth
Pro Tips
- Season: Year Round
- Difficulty: Easy short trail and rock scrambling
- Time Needed: 1-2 Hours
- Cost: Free
- The trailhead is located about 100 yards before the Winchester Canyon Gun Club. Park on the side of the road before the Gun Club. The trailhead is on the same side of the street as the Gun Club.
- The trailhead sign is hidden behind a tree, look for a large metal water drain pipe on the side of the road with a trail next to it.
- If you're there around sunset you can watch the marine layer or low clouds roll onto the land from the sea.
- There is a small trail to the right of the lizards mouth formation that leads under the formation.
- Bring a light jacket, this area can get really windy.
With a name like Lizard’s Mouth, you might be expecting this area to be quite a unique place – and you’d be right! This tourist attraction is located in Santa Barbara, California, near the top of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Several hiking trail avenues lead to this area of massive sandstone outcroppings, including the most famous: Lizard’s Mouth, which really does look like a lizard’s head with its mouth open. Some visitors think it looks more like a frog. The sandstone has been carved over time by wind that helped create the large pocket forming the reptile’s “mouth.” Water also works over time to shape sandstone, forming caves, tafoni, and crevices. As the sun sets, low forming clouds will travel up the mountain from the ocean engulfing the sandstone of the lizard's Mouth in mist! Sandstone is formed when deposits of sand are cemented together by smaller particles like those the size of silt or clay, which may be delivered via rivers, waves, or wind.
The trail to Lizard’s Mouth is short but rocky, so sturdy hiking shoes are a must. From this vantage point, visitors can experience unparalleled views into Santa Barbara, Goleta and the Channel Islands. The area is a favorite for bouldering and rock climbing. The Santa Ynez Mountain Range was created by movements of the Santa Ynez Fault during the Cenozoic age. Most of the rocks here are sandstones and shales, with some limestone in certain places. The mountains support habitats of mixed woodlands composed of oaks, sycamore, madrone, bay laurel, and Coulter pines. The mild climate allows the growth of beautiful wildflowers throughout this region.