Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park - Santa Barbara, California

Address: CA-154, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States.
Phone: 8057333713.
Website: parks.ca.gov
Specialties: State park, Tourist attraction.
Other points of interest: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Good for kids, Dogs allowed.
Opinions: This company has 378 reviews on Google My Business.
Average opinion: 4.3/5.

📌 Location of Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park CA-154, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States

☎️8057333713

⏰ Open Hours of Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park is a fascinating archaeological site located in Santa Barbara, California. The park is situated along CA-154, with the address being CA-154, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States. Visitors can contact the park via phone at 8057333713, and find more information on their official website at parks.ca.gov.

Specialties

State park
Tourist attraction

Other Points of Interest

Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

The park is particularly renowned for its Chumash pictographs, which are estimated to be around 500 years old. Although visitors cannot enter the cave, they can view the paintings through metal mesh barriers, providing a unique glimpse into the ancient Chumash culture. The cave is located 2 miles up a steep, winding road, which may be challenging for some visitors.

In addition to the cave, the surrounding rock formations are also quite impressive. The park itself is well-maintained and offers a short walk to reach the cave, with a staircase made of rocks. This makes it an accessible destination for families with children and those with limited mobility, as long as they are aware of the steep road leading up to the site.

Reviews and Opinions

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from visitors. On Google My Business, the park has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars based on 378 reviews. Many visitors express their fascination with the ancient pictographs and the opportunity to view them up close through the mesh barriers. They also appreciate the park's accessibility features and the overall atmosphere of the site.

However, some visitors do note the challenging road leading to the cave, which may be unfavorable for those with limited mobility or those who are not comfortable driving on steep, winding roads. Despite this, the majority of reviews suggest that the experience of seeing the Chumash Painted Cave is well worth the effort, making it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in archaeology, Native American history, or simply appreciating stunning natural beauty.

👍 Reviews of Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park - Santa Barbara, California

Alfredo G. J.

4/5

I found it fascinating! The pictographs in the cave were awesome. You can't go in the cave, but rather look at it through metal mesh barrier.
The cave is 2 miles up a pretty steep winding road barely enough for two vehicles.
At the site there is parking for two vehicles top barely.
The site is clearly marked and just a short climb up a rock staircase.
The surrounding rock formations are awesome! And once you look inside the cave through the grating, you go WOW!
Is it worth it? Yes, it is just for the archeological aspect of it!

Lesley M.

3/5

To be fair I didn't take the time to read if there were other areas to explore and how to get there. The cave is enclosed with a metal gate so you could easily miss it. The road to drive to the cave is winding, steep, and fairly dangerous in some spots. I'm glad we took the kids to see it but probably best explored as a grownup trip with those who can hike and climb. My kids are barely in double digits and I just didn't feel safe with them exploring much more.

Brandon N.

5/5

Absolute Amazing!!! Gorgeous Spot with Immediate Access to the Cave beside the road. HOWEVER, Very limited parking and extremely tight quarters on the small road. Maybe enough room for 2 cars or 1 truck. Right next to a flowing creek aswell.

Thomas J. P.

5/5

Cool little spot of California history. Old paintings made by the indigenous people of the area. It’s a single cave and not much else. I thought it was worth the short detour. There’s maybe a space for two cars at front. It’s a single lane road up a steep winding road. It might be a scary drive for some.

Sameer D.

5/5

The caves themselves weren’t a big deal for me as they are tiny and you can spend probably 5 min and that will be more than enough but if you drove down on road towards south 154
You will get see one of the most mesmerizing view of the Sahara Barbara

Gabriel D.

5/5

Wonderful Chumash historic site, with protected cave paintings in an easy to access trail just off the road. There are a few parking spaces in-front of and relatively near the cave/signage. Please respect the fenced areas and keep the stone preserved for future generations. Take care from Poison Oak along the trail and road.

Piotr K.

1/5

Let's be honest. There were paintings. There was a cave, but the cave was locked - safeguard with an iron gate. I took some pictures with my phone. Does it make me happy after driving there for 2 hours one way?

Horacio A. B.

5/5

There is more than meets they eye here at the Chumash Painted Cave in Santa Barbara!

A towering rock formation resembling a coyote's head jutting out from the mountainside near the Chumash Painted Cave of 'Alaxulux'en, and the Ursa Major Great Bear entrance to the cave itself, with its nose pointing to the coyote formation.

Unknowingly, I uncovered this hidden legend - the "Sky Coyote" rock formation - near the cave's entrance (as seen in the picture I took and in the one from Google Maps Street View).

Intrigued, I penned two books: the first a fictional tale, "Chnawaway and the Sky Coyote," (on Amaxon) and the second a research-driven non-fiction book, "Beyond 'Alaxulux'en; Starry Secrets, Sacred Connections" (pictures attached) weaving together Chumash history, myth, and the mystery of this enigmatic site.

When you visit be sure to take a moment to realize the true importance of this place, and give respects to the native americans to whom this land once belonged to. 🙂