Starting next month, campers will no longer be able to stay at El Capitan State Beach as the beach undergoes a year-long construction project.
State Beach is located just 30 minutes north of downtown Santa Barbara, off the 101 Freeway, and has 132 standard campsites, 5 group sites, and space for hike-and-bike campsites.
The state beach will be open for daytime use during the construction period, but overnight campers will have to wait until January 2026 to reserve their spots for the $5.5 million construction project.
A major part of the construction project is widening the entrance road to reduce wait times, expand access for large vehicles including RVs, camp trailers, and emergency vehicles, and improve public safety.
“This park hasn’t had any major renovations in decades, so it would be a great thing to redone this road,” said Dena Bellman, District Superintendent of the Channel Coast District of State Parks. spoke.
The project will also replace existing culverts with more effective bridges, remove fish barriers, and replace two separate outdated park entry buildings with one functional park entry kiosk.
Bellman said her favorite part of the project was replacing the culvert.
“It’s very effective in restoring the creek to its natural flow and natural state,” she said.
The project also includes improved ADA trails to accommodate pedestrian traffic constructed by the Park Trails Team and the California Conservation Corps.
“This is a truly sustainable product that our trail team has spent a lot of time learning how to do, and we’re hopeful that this will be its maiden voyage,” she said. I did. “We think it’s going to be a huge benefit for people to be able to use that to go to the park while it’s closed.”
Visitors will have access to the beach during the construction period.
The project is expected to take a year, but Berman said it could be delayed if the area is hit by a storm.
Certain areas of the campground, such as the beachfront and streams, are susceptible to storms.
“We really hope that we can get it done as soon as possible and have enough time to get ready for reopening,” she said.
Travelers looking to camp along the shoreline should consider making reservations at nearby Refugio State Park and Gaviota State Park.
