One Thousand Steps (Santa Barbara)
About
One Thousand Steps is a public ocean beach in Santa Barbara, California, about half a mile from the center of town. There is no fee to visit, and dogs are allowed. Summer into early fall is the warmest stretch, with typical averages from a nearby Santa Barbara weather station showing highs of about 76 to 78°F from July through September and almost no wet days. Winter stays mild, with highs in the upper 60s and around seven wet days a month from January through March. For time on foot nearby, Switch back Trail is about 1.6 miles away, and Stevens Park Trail and Jesusita sit roughly four miles off. Climbers can head to Barbeque Boulder, about 4.2 miles away.
Beach Details
Lifeguards
None
Dogs
Allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Free
Restrooms
None
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
One Thousand Steps (Santa Barbara)
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Year-round. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 66–78°F and lows of 46–60°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Santa Barbara, CA weather station, 2.2 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan67° high47° low
- Feb67° high47° low
- Mar68° high49° low
- Apr71° high51° low
- May72° high54° low
- Jun73° high57° low
- Jul76° high60° low
- Aug78° high60° low
- Sep78° high60° low
- Oct76° high56° low
- Nov71° high50° low
- Dec66° high46° low
Nearby
Switch back TrailHikingPhoto: Damian Gadal, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)1.6 mi- Stevens Park TrailHiking3.8 mi
- Historic Olive Grove Loop TrailHiking4 mi
- JesusitaHiking4.1 mi
Barbeque BoulderRock climbingPhoto: Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.2 mi- Cracked BoulderRock climbingPhoto: Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.2 mi
- Skofield ParkRock climbing4.3 mi
- Caretaker BoulderRock climbing4.3 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit One Thousand Steps (Santa Barbara)
Best months: Year-round. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
67° / 47°
7 wet
Feb
67° / 47°
7 wet
Mar
68° / 49°
7 wet
Apr
71° / 51°
3 wet
May
72° / 54°
2 wet
Jun
73° / 57°
1 wet
Jul
76° / 60°
0 wet
Aug
78° / 60°
0 wet
Sep
78° / 60°
1 wet
Oct
76° / 56°
2 wet
Nov
71° / 50°
3 wet
Dec
66° / 46°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Santa Barbara, CA, 2.2 mi away at 16 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
