Franklin Trail Extended

Santa Barbara County Parks recently reached an interim agreement with Rancho Monte Alegre to allow the public access into the middle or “Phase 2” section of the Franklin Trail in the foothills above Carpinteria. All of the gates are open for this 3.3-mile stretch, and the trail, now more than five miles total, is signed all the way to the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest. The next steps toward reopening the entire trail into the backcountry include fundraising, environmental review, and then re-construction. To support the cause, see franklintrail.org.