El Capitán

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=601 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Capit%C3%A1n_State_Beach El Capitán State Beach (meaning "the captain" in Spanish) is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of downtown Santa Barbara, California. The beach is named after José Francisco Ortega, who retired from the Spanish Army in 1795 with the rank of captain and received the Rancho Nuestra Señora del Refugio as a land grant.

Our Mission El Capitán State Beach The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. During fall and winter low tides, dedicated surfers watch “El Cap” for the elusive west swell that brings the California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (805) 968-1033 and press 0. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov El Capitán State Beach El Capitán State Beach exit #117 from Highway 101 Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 968-1033 © 2009 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) hollow, curling waves of their dreams. L    ush sycamores and oaks flourish along El Capitán Creek at the entry to El Capitán State Beach. Tall bluff-top groves are visible for miles along the terraced coastline. This extremely popular beach, 17 miles west of Santa Barbara off U.S. Highway 101, is a perfect place to enjoy camping, hiking, surfing, picnicking, and beach walking. At El Capitán, the moderate climate brings cool fog during the summer months. Late summer and fall are sunny and warm; winter storms often break up into crystal-clear days. PARK HISTORY Chumash Indians lived here in the village of Ahwin as long as 3,200 years ago. They built their dome-shaped houses along the creek that had scoured out the canyon. Skilled hunters and gatherers, the Chumash are known for their exquisite basketry and for building seaworthy plank canoes (tomol ) that allowed them to travel to the offshore islands. Some of their beautiful cave paintings can be seen at nearby Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park. Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo “discovered” this area in 1542, claiming it for Spain. In 1782, the Spanish built El Presidio de Santa Barbara — the last royal Spanish fortress constructed in Alta California — to protect the nearby missions and settlers from foreign invasion and attacks by the native people. For the Chumash, Spanish colonization meant the end of their traditional way of life. Exposed to European diseases against which they had little immunity, their population quickly plummeted. After Mexico gained its independence from Spain, most surviving Chumash became ranch hands and servants on the new ranchos. Today, a growing number of their descendants are rediscovering their traditional heritage. “El Capitán” The first commander of the Santa Barbara Presidio was José Francisco Ortega, who had been chief scout for the Portolá expedition when they discovered San Francisco Bay. When Ortega retired as a brevet captain after 40 years of military service, the Spanish Crown granted him 26,500 acres of land west of what is now El Capitán State Beach, which takes its name from this early Californian. Ortega’s grandson, José Dolores Ortega, obtained another 8,800 acres of land (including the site of the future state beach) from the Mexican government in 1841. He and his family lived on Rancho Cañada del Corral, raising cattle and farming until they were forced to sell it in 1866, following years of ruinous droughts. In 1953, the State of California purchased 111 acres of the former rancho to create El Capitán State Beach, and in 1967, the Legislature approved purchase of an additional 21 acres. Growing threats of development to the lands across the highway from the park led to a public/ private fundraising effort in 2002 that raised $500,000 in seven weeks to purchase 2,500 acres of land known as El Capitán Ranch. This property was added to El Capitán State Beach, and today the park offers coastal recreation while preserving an important part of California’s environment and history. PLANTS AND ANIMALS The impressive stands of coast live oaks, sycamores, and willows along El Capitán Creek create a lush coastal woodland. The oaks provide food for wildlife, while sycamores and willows provide shade. Band-tailed pigeons, flickers, and scrub jays share the acorns with raccoons, western gray squirrels, and mule deer. The dense sage along the creek is home Black phoebe to black phoebes, California thrashers, and wren bushtits. Sea birds include scoters, western and Clark’s grebes, gulls, terns, and loons. Long-billed curlews, willets, plovers, and sanderlings walk the narrow beach. Dolphins may be seen just offshore; the bluff tops offer excellent views of California gray whales during their annual migrations. Great Basin fence lizards are at home in the sage scrub. Southern Pacific rattlesnakes hunt for various rodents, including the California mouse and the Pacific kangaroo rat. Beneath the

El Capitan State Beach 10 Refugio Beach Rd. • Goleta, CA 93117 • Santa Barbara County • (805) 968-1033 PARK FEES are due and payable upon entry into the park. Use the self-registration system if the entrance station is closed. The campsite fee covers one vehicle. There are additional fees for extra vehicles. Sites A-K may be reserved as single sites when De Anza and Portola group sites are not reserved. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers, regardless of the time of day or night. OCCUPANCY: Each campsite may have up to 8 persons (including children). DOGS must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and under control at all times. They are not permitted in buildings or on the beach (except for service dogs). Dogs must be confined to a vehicle or tent at night. Please clean up after your pet. VEHICLE PARKING: Vehicles may only be parked in your assigned campsite. They must remain on the pavement and must not extend into the roadway beyond the campsite number or limit line. Three vehicles maximum are allowed per campsite. Trailers must be backed into the campsite parking space. Motorhomes may be pulled forward or backed in. CHECK-OUT TIME is noon. Please vacate your site by that time. Check-in is 2 p.m. RE-REGISTRATION: Campers without reservations who wish to re-register for another night must contact the entrance station before 9 a.m. on the morning they are due out. Site availability is not assured. SPEED LIMIT: The maximum speed limit is 15 mph. When pedestrians, bicyclists, and children are present, even 15 mph might be too fast. Use good judgment. BICYCLES are allowed only on roadways. Visitors under 18 must wear a safety helmet for bicycling, skateboarding, and scooter riding. GENERATORS may only be operated between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. FIRES AND FIREWOOD: Please be cautious when building fires. Fires are allowed only in established fire rings or camp stoves, and are not permitted on the beach. Do not build ground fires outside the fire rings or leave campfires unattended. Do not gather firewood in the park–– the nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem. You may purchase firewood from the camp hosts. NOISE: Radios and other soundproducing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day or night. GAMES that are disruptive to other campers or the environment are strictly prohibited. THEFT WARNING: Keep your vehicles locked and your valuables out of sight. Do not leave property out at night. Report suspicious activity to a ranger or camp host. CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication can be made available in alternate formats. Contact interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249. 131 132 128 130 104 103 108 Bike Path Cabrillo Group Area 107 105 106 102 93 92 116 Drake 115 113 117 118 119 111 120 Portola 121 (F, G, H, I, J, K) 122 110 123 109 101 99 © 2009 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) Ortega BEA CH 124 126 125 127 129 94 95 98 114 100 112 96 97 To Group Area Your Site # __________ 84 85 86 87 Pa 71 70 79 80 fic Oc AC H 81 BE CH 56 ean 32 31 34 35 36 37 CH 33 30 59 60 57 54 55 38 52 53 48 49 45 39 DAY USE PARKING 41 44 42 47 46 40 43 50 51 Authorized Vehicles Only RVs Only Store Trail RV Fill Station Restroom Parking 28 24 27 26 1 6 4 8 7 5 Map not to scale Nature Trail 3 2 18 15 17 14 16 13 12 CH 11 9 10 19 25 23 22 20 CH 21 911. For Emergency, 101 Dial Lifeguard Entrance Station CH Camp Host Site Campfire Center Campground: RV Bike Trail Campground: Group Campground: Hike & Bike Accessible Campsite Accessible Feature 58 29 68 69 66 67 74 63 65 76 64 CH 78 62 61 ci 82 (A, B, C, D, E) 90 De Anza 88 77 75 91 83 89 72 73 El Capitan State Beach # LEGEND