The National Forest System encompasses over 193 million acres, 30% of which is considered an “inventoried roadless area.” The U.S. Forest Service first started identifying roadless areas in the 1970s. While these special places do not have the same protections as congressionally designated Wilderness, they often have Wilderness characteristics—a lack of permanent roads and other development as well as relatively intact forests.

In 2001, the Clinton administration enacted the Roadless Area Conservation Rule after a lengthy and robust public input process. This agency regulation applies to millions of acres across the country, including 635,000 acres in Los Padres National Forest alone. The Roadless Rule survived some earlier legal challenges and has been instrumental in preventing roadbuilding, clearcutting, oil and gas development, and other industrial activities for nearly a quarter-century.

Millions of people enjoy hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and driving off-highway vehicles along thousands of miles of designated trails in roadless areas.

Now, the Trump administration is trying to rescind the Roadless Rule.

This latest assault on the Roadless Rule is the most dangerous yet. The current administration is using arguments and talking points straight from the timber industry’s playbook. Rescinding the Roadless Rule will allow for permanent logging roads, the commercial removal of large trees, and other damaging actions.

See below for a map of roadless areas in Los Padres National Forest and ways you can get involved.

What’s at Stake

Read below to learn more about some of the Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) at risk in the Los Padres.

Santa Barbara County

Cuyama IRA (19,641 acres)

Mount Pinos Ranger District

The Cuyama Inventoried Roadless Area is largely covered by desert chaparral and pinyon. Cuyama Peak offers scenic views of the Cuyama Valley and, with luck, sightings of the endangered California condor. It is also one of the few remaining lookout sites, though both the lookout cabin and nearby 1940s Aircraft Warning Service residence have collapsed and lie in ruins.

The area is popular with hunters and experienced day hikers. A maintained dirt road—outside the proposed Recommended Wilderness boundary—provides motorized access to the peak. There are no maintained trails within the IRA.

The Cuyama IRA is also home to the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard and lies within a High Oil and Gas Potential Area, making it vulnerable to ongoing and proposed oil development.

The historic but largely unmaintained Agua Caliente Trail runs through the area, along with archaeological sites—including Chumash rock art—and the Upper Caliente Trail Camp.

The IRA provides habitat for multiple sensitive species, including the California red-legged frog, arroyo toad, Pacific pond turtle, two-striped garter snake, and least Bell’s vireo. Without Recommended Wilderness designation, it remains vulnerable to oil drilling, mining, logging, energy development, and land sale, though no proposals are currently pending.

The area includes nearly 20 miles of trail (some access limited), spotted owl territories, rare plants and wildlife, red rock formations, and remnants of ancient petrified forests. Grassy potreros and natural springs add to its ecological value, while expansive views stretch from the Carrizo Plain to the southern Sierra Nevada.

Fox Mountain also contains one of the nation’s largest collections of Native American rock art, including the Eastern Sierra Madre Ridge Archaeological District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The area is impacted by abandoned oil roads and remains vulnerable to future development within a High Oil and Gas Potential Area.

Juncal IRA (12,295 acres)

Santa Barbara Ranger District

Defined by steep terrain and sandstone outcrops, the Juncal IRA is blanketed in dense chaparral across the Juncal and upper Santa Ynez watersheds. It offers rugged day trips for experienced backcountry users and is popular with hunters.

The area supports several threatened plant species and borders the Santa Ynez River at critical habitat for the California red-legged frog. It also contains headwaters feeding Jameson Lake, a key water source for southern Santa Barbara County, along with numerous archaeological sites, including Chumash rock art.

Without Recommended Wilderness designation, the area remains vulnerable to oil drilling, mining, logging, energy development, and land sale, though no proposals are currently pending.

About 2,881 acres are already designated as Recommended Wilderness. The unit includes parts of the Mono Basin Special Interest Area and Indian Creek Critical Biological Land Use Zone, where research on diverse species is ongoing. Lower Indian Creek provides habitat for endangered species such as the arroyo toad and California red-legged frog.

The Buckhorn Trail forms part of a popular backcountry loop for mountain bikers. To maintain this use, ForestWatch and partners recommend zoning this trail and nearby areas as Back Country Non-Motorized rather than Recommended Wilderness.

Portions of the IRA remain open to oil and gas leasing and are considered to have high development potential.

Sierra Madre Road forms the southern boundary, though there is no formal recreational access. The area is also identified by the U.S. Forest Service as having high potential for future oil development.

The area includes a historic oil well and faces ongoing threats from illegal off-road vehicle use. Without clear protections or a management plan, it remains vulnerable to further damage.

The IRA provides habitat for California spotted owl, steelhead trout, and potentially increasing use by endangered California condors. It also supports five rare plant species found largely within this region, including Refugio manzanita, late-flowering mariposa lily, umbrella larkspur, Ojai fritillary, and Santa Ynez false lupine.

Ventura and Kern Counties

Dominated by pinyon woodland and Great Basin sage, the area borders the 95,000-acre Wind Wolves Preserve—the largest privately owned nature reserve on the West Coast.

Though primarily used by OHV riders, the IRA also attracts hikers for cross-country and peakbagging opportunities (there are no maintained trails). Valle Vista Campground, just outside the area, offers views of California condor soaring overhead. With the nearby Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge condor release site, the area remains key habitat for roosting and travel, along with pronghorn, tule elk, mule deer, mountain lion, black bear, and rare plants like pale-yellow tidytips.

The IRA also contains significant Chumash rock art sites and lies within a recognized biodiversity “hot spot.” However, it faces ongoing threats from illegal off-road vehicle use, poaching, and potential resource extraction, as well as proposed wind energy development that could conflict with condor flight paths.

The area is bisected by the Ortega OHV Trail and includes the historic Dry Lakes Trail and Dry Lakes West campsite. The Matilija Escarpment—a striking sandstone formation—dominates views along Highway 33 between Ojai and Rose Valley and makes this a popular hiking destination.

Without Recommended Wilderness designation, the area remains vulnerable to oil drilling, mining, logging, energy development, and land sale, though no proposals are currently pending.

Many of the canyons are noted for their Miocene-era vertebrate fossils and are a draw for day hikers and amateur geologists alike, though there are no maintained trails in the IRA proper.

Rare plant species are found throughout the unit. The area is threatened by illegal off-road vehicle trespass.

Dramatic, brightly colored badlands create a geologically unique landscape popular for cross-country hiking and skiing. The area provides habitat for species such as the federally threatened Kern primrose sphinx moth and endangered Kern mallow, and overlaps with the Upper Cuyama River Area of High Ecological Significance.

The IRA faces threats from proposed off-road vehicle trail construction, as well as potential mining and high oil and gas development pressure.

Terrain ranges from high-elevation conifer stands to lower riparian areas, with chaparral the most dominant vegetation type. Piru Creek provides critical habitat for the endangered arroyo toad and steelhead, and several rare species occur throughout the unit.

Well over a dozen trails run partially or wholly within the non-wilderness portion, with trail camps including West Fork Lion Canyon, White Ledge, Big Cone, Cross, Cienega, and Bluff. Numerous OHV routes, service roads, and “cherry stems” span the area, and OHV trespass remains a concern, particularly in Grade Valley and near Hungry Valley SVRA.

Mining claims still exist—especially along Piru Creek—and the potential for mineral development remains high. Ten rare plant species are found within the unit, and a 2008 peer-reviewed study identified the Frazier Mountain area as a genetic “hot spot” for wildlife in Southern California.

Numerous significant archaeological sites, including Chumash rock art, are found across the IRA. The area is threatened by mining, pending oil drilling proposals, and ongoing off-road vehicle trespass.

Steep drainages on both north and south slopes are dominated by chaparral, punctuated by prominent sandstone outcrops. Creeks from the area feed into Lake Casitas, a key municipal and agricultural water source for Ventura County.

The IRA includes numerous historic routes—including the Franklin, Steer Creek, Rincon, and Ocean View trails—none of which are actively maintained by the Forest Service, though some are supported by volunteer efforts. These routes offer access for experienced backcountry users.

The area is frequented by California condors traveling from the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, while California spotted owl inhabit dense riparian areas and critical habitat exists for endangered southern steelhead. Four rare plant species are also found here: late-flowering mariposa lily, umbrella larkspur, Ojai fritillary, and southern jewelflower.

The IRA faces threats from proposed uranium mining and is identified by the U.S. Forest Service as having high potential for oil and gas development in its southern portion. A Recommended Wilderness designation would help ensure long-term protection of this landscape.

San Luis Obispo County

Part of the Black Mountain Wild Horse Territory lies within the IRA, supporting a herd of roughly 20 horses.

Three non-motorized trails—the Wilson Canyon, Black Mountain, and Fernandez trails—are located entirely within the unit.

Navajo Creek provides habitat for the vulnerable Pacific pond turtle. The area also supports four rare plant species—Santa Margarita manzanita, dwarf western rosinweed, straight-awned spineflower, and yellow-flowered eriastrum—and may contain the Camatta Canyon amole, a plant found nowhere else in the world.

The IRA is threatened by unauthorized livestock grazing and a proliferation of unpermitted roads.

It also contains one of the southernmost stands of blue oak woodlands, which is experiencing declines throughout California due to poor regeneration.

The 9-mile Trout Creek trail is contained within this unit. Access to Stony Creek is currently restricted by private landholders.

The area is classified as having moderate oil development potential.

Portions of the Castle Crags and American Canyon trails lie within the IRA, along with the 14-site American Canyon Campground. ForestWatch and partners recommend excluding the campground from Recommended Wilderness designation to maintain motorized access.

Five rare plant species occur within the unit: Santa Margarita manzanita, Palmer’s mariposa, San Luis Obispo mariposa lily, umbrella larkspur, and Parish’s checkerbloom.

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