Anza Trail Hike Through Carpinteria

Join the Trails Council for a five-mile living heritage trail hike from Rincon Beach County Park to Santa Claus Lane on February 22, 2026.

Walk in the footsteps of history as you follow ancient Chumash trading routes later traveled by the Anza expedition. In 1775–1776, Juan Bautista de Anza led 240 migrants—including families with women and children—northward toward the San Francisco Bay Area and camped near present-day Rincon Point at a site known to the expedition as La Rinconada, in proximity to the established Chumash village of Mishopshnow, within an area the expedition referred to as La Carpintería; a journey now observed as a National Historic Trail.

The Anza expedition arrived at Rincon Point on February 24, 1776—almost exactly 250 years before this commemorative hike. Father Pedro Font’s diary brings the scene to life: a stunning coastal landscape, whale spouts rising offshore, and the remarkable Chumash people whose masterful craftsmanship, maritime prowess, and vibrant community left him awestruck.

We will meet at Rincon Beach County Park at 10 am and walk five miles to Santa Claus Lane, arriving at about 1 pm. The route will generally be flat, but it includes a steep section. Participants will need to arrange their own shuttle by leaving a car near the destination and driving another to the starting point at Rincon Beach County Park. Carpooling is encouraged.