Dan and Hannah Cross Into Rattlesnake Canyon Creek Six Times – Santa Barbara, California (2024)

Over wine Monday night during this first week in March 2024, Hannah decides that tomorrow she’ll have me hike alone at the Rattlesnake Canyon in Santa Barbara.

You see, the reality is that during this rainy winter of atmospheric rivers, we know that we will be crossing into the surging creek many times to get to the meadow rock.  Hannah is not a fan of cold feet.  Who is?  But her life is one of perpetual cold feet.  Ergo, hiking through 40F (est.) creeks in water-logged hiking shoes is not her idea of a good time.

As for me, it turns out doing that for me is “let the good times roll.” Just last week at the Arroyo Quemado Trail on the Gaviota Coast, 25 miles north of Santa Barbara, I had two mid-calf creek crossings and found it pretty darn cool.   Though the water may be chilly Willy coming down from the 3000’ coastal mountains, I take a mere fifteen seconds to plod through the six- to eighteen-inch water to the other side. 

So tomorrow, I will see what hiking is like sans Hannah. 

A little after 5 AM the next morning, I am journaling about hiking alone without Hannah for the first time in forever.  It feels weird. 

Twenty minutes later, Hannah wakes up and immediately says, I’d like to come with you.  I’ll bring a pair of creek shoes and change into them anytime we have a water crossing.  I am thrilled that today is not the day I am going to learn about hiking on my own.

14 miles in 25 minutes

On a sunny-on-the-coast, overcast-in-the-mountains kind of day, we drive to the trailhead at Skofield Park high above the mansions of Santa Barbara.

Immediately, we opt for the opposite-side-of-the-creek trail that doesn’t require an initial creek crossing.

Hannah at the start with Rattlesnake Creek to the left of the trail.

Climbing into the mountains on a sandstone-like trail, we are water-free, for the moment.

Then the flowing, gushing, surging creek becomes part of the action.   Check out the pictures to see what we are dealing with.

In her creek shoes, Hannah carefully steps into the tumbling creek. We choose to cross to the left of the picture in the calmer pool of water.

Up and out of the creek (I just plod through.), we have a dry trail until the next creek crossing.

Finding another cool pool, Hannah does her thing of putting on her creek shoes while I plod carefully through the stony bottom. One great joy of my morning is reaching back with my hand to support Hannah’s crossing.

Again we find the quieter waters in the pool for our crossing.

We make it across, Hannah now in dry socks and hiking boots and me with happy soggy hiking shoes.

Rattlesnake Creek for much of our hike into the mountains.

Creek crossing Hannah waves the towel she uses to dry her feet after each creek crossing.

We find this little guy on the trail. The butterfly is at most a half inch across.

Arriving at the meadow, we have come 2.5 miles from the parking lot at Skofield Park.

At the end of the meadow is appropriately named meadow rock. The Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands are in the distance.

With three creek crossings ahead as we return to the trailhead, Hannah is at stage one going from hiking boots to creek shoes.

Stage two

Stage three, bare feet and ready for her creek shoes to cross through the pool on the right side of the picture.