


Mountain Getaway at El Deseo Ranch
El Deseo Ranch is 1/2 mile east of La Cumbre Peak, the highest mountain in back of Santa Barbara. Our gate is off of East Camino Cielo, one of Santa Barbara County's most scenic mountain roads with spectacular views of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands and Santa Ynez Valley. Our 160 acre ranch offers a quiet mountain retreat in the wilderness yet is only a half hour drive to
El Deseo Ranch is 1/2 mile east of La Cumbre Peak, the highest mountain in back of Santa Barbara. Our gate is off of East Camino Cielo, one of Santa Barbara County's most scenic mountain roads with spectacular views of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands and Santa Ynez Valley. Our 160 acre ranch offers a quiet mountain retreat in the wilderness yet is only a half hour drive to the City of Santa Barbara. Our land is mostly chaparral with pine forests on the higher peaks. There are several hiking trails nearby as well as rock climbing and bouldering. We are next to the Los Padres National Forrest. Hang gliders and paragliders have two launch spots close by. It is a popular spot for both mountain biking and road biking. We are 8 miles west of Divide Peak OHV area. We have a small herd of Miniature Nubian dairy goats on the property that enjoy hiking with guests. We also have chickens and four friendly dogs. We welcome visiting dogs who are friendly to strangers and new dogs. We can not accept any aggressive dogs on our property.
We offer private tent camping with scenic mountain and ocean views. Our tent area is about 60 feet from our parking area so you will need to walk a bit away from your car. We welcome car campers but our parking areas are not as private as our tent camping areas. Our RV space is just off our driveway so you will experience some traffic although it is usually less than 10 cars per day.
- Check in: After 2PM
- Check out: Before 11AM
- Cancellation policy: Moderate
- On arrival: Go straight to camp
- Minimum nights: 1 night
- Accepts bookings: 6 months out Weeknight discount: 25% off
- Response time: Within an hour
- Response rate: 98%
You know what would make this trip even better?
Take advantage of these offers available to add to your trip to Mountain Getaway at El Deseo Ranch
Hike with the Goats
Enjoy a hike in the mountains with our friendly herd of Miniature Nubian Goat...Read more
Learn how to make Goat Cheese
Learn how to make delicious goat cheese with fresh milk form our dairy goats....Read more
Guided Nature Hike
Enjoy a hike our beautiful surroundings and learn a bit about Santa Barbara's...Read more
Rent a Tent
We have 2 dome tents available for renting.
Activities
Offered on the Host's property or nearby.
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Mountain Getaway at El Deseo Ranch in California.
Places to see near Mountain Getaway at El Deseo Ranch
62 Reviews
I've been to Santa Barbara many, many, times and never experienced it like this before. The drive up was stunning view after stunning view, and then when we got to the site, the views were even better! You just feel like you're on top of the world up there.
Our dog got along wonderfully with the dogs at the site, and there were dog-proof containers to put our food in. Our trip was in the spring and there were so many wildflowers.
We did the goat hike. The goats were dehorned and super sweet, we even got to feed them. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the land, pointing out local flowers, etc. This will be a great memory to treasure. My only regret is that we didn't have time to explore the rock formations and pine trees.




Beautiful place to camp; we stayed at campsite #1
All the animals are wonderful: Gracie, Oli, the goats, etc
The hosts Andrea & Paul are lovely - we would highly recommend if ya looking for a retreat up In the mountains; just a 5min drive from beautiful views on top of the Camino Cielo.
Thanks again,
Dan & Morgs

Site 2 was heaven on earth, I’ll
Be back!

Yes, please come back and visit us again!
Easy directions, easy access with easy to identify signage. I love all the extras that come with the space and it felt very private. Would visit again!
We loved camping on Andrea's land! We camped in site 2 and the tent sites were level and very private. The layout was well thought out and we really enjoyed the space. Andrea was a wonderful host. We got to meet the goats and learn all about raising and caring for them. We also loved the ranch dogs and enjoyed taking Gracie on our sunset hike with us. Andrea gave us a great hike recommendation that had epic views of the coast line and surrounding area.


The camp site was gorgeous and had everything we needed! Andrea was super sweet and informative. She brought the dogs and goats along the path to visit us, which was always such a treat to see. This was the perfect place to get away from the big city. We would love to visit again sometime soon!




Great spot! Beautiful views and a quiet remote camping spot. Friendly dogs on the property that spent time with us at camp. Plenty of hike options. It can get windy at night so a low profile tent was helpful. The road to arrive is best for those that don’t get car sick easily, and keep a very close eye out for bikers.
This special ranch is nestled in the high peaks just 30 minutes outside of Santa Barbara. Our family of 4 stayed in a campervan on site 1. The quiet, the views and sheer rugged beauty of this area were striking. The ranch was a perfect home base for hiking, bouldering and scampering (as well as road and mountain biking, if you are so inclined). Andrea was a truly warm and gracious host and was happy to share her knowledge and experience of their ranch and off-grid lifestyle. What a special experience it was to hike with her and the goats, as well as make goat cheese right in our own van! We were treated with about a pound of delicious cheese to take with us. The ranch dogs were all friendly and extremely well behaved, especially Gracie, who was happy to visit but was never intrusive. In fact, she guided us faithfully along a solo hike through tough terrain. Many thanks to Andrea and her ranch animals for an experience never to be forgotten!
Andrea's land is so dreamy! Hiking trials available right off the property, and the sites are nestled right between little hills. Very lovely, quiet, and rejuvenating - truly a special place! Andrea does a lot to make the sites homey and welcoming too. Thank you! We loved our time here.

Thank you for visiting and taking Gracie on a hike. Come back anytime!
- Property
- Mountain Getaway at El Deseo Ranch
- State
- California
- Country
- United States
- $70/night
- 2 Sites
We enjoyed hosting you Dan. You are welcome back anytime.