Hot Springs, Red Flags, and Congestion Enforcement

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, county officials say Montecito’s hot springs have seen a surge in popularity. They attribute the increased foot traffic, in part, to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where posts have promoted the pools as a must-visit destination. 

There were also reports of tour buses dropping off large groups at the trailhead.As more visitors flock to the springs, parking along East Mountain Drive near the trailhead has become increasingly chaotic – much to the frustration of nearby homeowners, who resorted to placing plants and boulders along parking areas to block visitors from parking there, which the county then instructed them to remove. 

Tensions reached a boiling point last May when a group of homeowners/residents reportedly tried to lead a demolition crew to destroy the springs in an effort to eliminate the congestion once and for all. In June, an altercation at the springs was caught on camera. 

On March 4th, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to enforce parking restrictions at the Hot Springs Trailhead on Red Flag Warning Days. A “Red Flag Warning” is an alert issued by weather authorities to indicate that conditions are ripe for a wildfire to spread quickly and uncontrollably. The enforcements will also apply to high flood risk days, which are those following heavy rain days. 

The county enforced something similar in Mission Canyon in 2012. During Red Flag Warning days, they set up no-parking and tow-away zones near trailheads and posted signs to warn people. The idea was to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles and reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.

Now, they’re looking to apply the same approach to the roads surrounding the Hot Springs Trailhead in Montecito, where the wildfire risks are just as serious, if not worse. The roads are notoriously narrow. County staff say parking restrictions exist but are difficult to enforce due to the trailhead’s remote location. 

Supervisors are worried that increased visitor traffic on high-risk fire days poses a safety hazard. Car congestion could block emergency vehicles from getting through and prevent homeowners from evacuating in the event of a fire. 

Supervisors hope that enforcement will minimize the risk of accidental wildfires, to which the Montecito mountains are certainly prone. According to staff, increased human activity on high-risk fire days increases the chances of accidental fires. 

Orman Gaspar, a Montecito resident who has owned his property at Hot Springs Road for over 30 years, recalls the day of the 2008 Tea Fire. “I remember standing in my driveway looking up at the hills when the Tea Fire was just starting and the winds blowing 60 miles an hour,” he recalled. “And there was, you know, really no place to go. I just assumed that my house was going to be gone.”

During long weekends and holidays, county officials say there could be over 120 vehicles in the section surrounding the entrance of the Hot Springs Trail. “The last time I tried to hike that one I had to park so far away that it would have been a hike to get to the hike,” said Chair Laura Capps about the parking situation. 

The county set aside $25,000 for the enforcement plan from its contingency funds, which are typically used for unexpected expenses. The funds would be used to cover the Sheriff’s estimated overtime costs during red flag warning days, which county staff estimated to be about 20 days this year. 

Firefighters and police officers showed up at the Tuesday meeting to express their support for the enforcement measure. “This project is something we are very supportive of, and we have been leaning in with our partners from the county, state, and federal agencies on making changes,” said Montecito Fire Chief David Neels. 

The enforcement measures will be in effect as a pilot program through 2025, with potential adjustments based on their effectiveness. After a few red flag warning days have passed, the county plans to report to the board in six months for a status update. 

The supervisors hope this measure will open future discussions about enforcement on other frequently populated trailheads in the county. “I’m eager to learn from this example how we can address other places,” said Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann. 

The supervisors thanked Supervisor Roy Lee, who oversees Montecito, for bringing the item to the board. “The fact that the community is behind this, I think really shows me that you’ve nailed it,” said Chair Capps to Supervisor Lee.