Figueroa Mountainwildflowers
Springtime flower displays on Figueroa Mountain, per the U.S. Forest Service. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Right now at Figueroa Mountain
Right now in Figueroa Mountain · September
- Figueroa Lookout day-use area: open daily all year, but it may close in winter when it's wet · Jan–Dec
Next 7 days at Figueroa Mountain
- TodaySunny79° / 65°–
- ThuSunny81° / 67°–
- FriSunny85° / 73°–
- SatSunny88° / 73°–
- SunSunny87° / 72°–
- MonSunny87° / 71°1% rain
- TueSunny86° / 71°1% rain
Today: sunrise 6:55 a.m., sunset 6:47 p.m., light until 7:12 p.m. · moon waning gibbous, 77% lit (our calculation)
Your guide to the area
Best spots around Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest)
- Figueroa Lookout Day UseAtop the mountain beside the fire lookout, with views over the San Rafael Wilderness and Santa Ynez Valley; picnic site and two vault toilets, no water. 13 miles up Figueroa Mountain Road from Highway 154, then left on the dirt Figueroa Lookout Road
- Figueroa Mountain's open grasslands (via Figueroa Mountain Road)The recreation area's open grasslands fill with goldfields, sky lupine and California poppies; it's about thirty minutes north of Los Olivos on narrow Figueroa Mountain Road (or Happy Canyon Road), so drive slowly
Nearby
- Channel Islands53 miby late January through March, during a normal year of rainfallSatSunny
- Pinnacles131 miUsually March through MaySatSunny
- San Luis Refuge183 miAprilSatMostly Sunny
- Yosemite206 miMarch at the park's west edge to late August in the high countrySatSunny
- San Joaquin River Refuge212 miAprilSatMostly Sunny
- Cabrillo213 mitypically between late March and early AprilSatSunny
The year at Figueroa Mountain
- Figueroa Lookout day-use area: open daily all year, but it may close in winter when it's wetNowJan–Dec
- Springtime flower displays, February through AprilFeb–Apr
- Mar: Purple shooting stars, the early bloomers, in late MarchMar
Questions people ask
When is peak wildflowers in Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) in 2027?
Springtime flower displays on Figueroa Mountain, per the U.S. Forest Service: Springtime (February through April). That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
Is it blooming in Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) right now?
Not now: its usual wildflowers window for this year has passed. Next time: Springtime (February through April), local timing.
Do I need a pass?
Yes, at the Figueroa Lookout day-use site: a Forest Service Adventure Pass ($5 a day or $30 a year) or an interagency annual, senior or access pass.Source: US Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest: Figueroa Lookout Day Use ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is the lookout site open all year?
It's open daily, year-round, for day use only, but may close in winter when the weather is wet; check its status before you go (the Forest Service page said 'Site Open' on September 30, 2026).Source: US Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest: Figueroa Lookout Day Use ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Which flowers come first?
Purple shooting stars, in late March. Chocolate lilies and scarlet Indian paintbrush follow, while the open grasslands fill with goldfields, sky lupine and California poppies.Source: US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, on a leash no longer than six feet.Source: US Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest: Figueroa Lookout Day Use ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What should I bring?
Layers, good hiking boots and plenty of water: there's no drinking water at the lookout site.Sources: US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest: Figueroa Lookout Day Use ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest)?
Figueroa Lookout Day Use: atop the mountain beside the fire lookout, with views over the San Rafael Wilderness and Santa Ynez Valley; picnic site and two vault toilets, no water. 13 miles up Figueroa Mountain Road from Highway 154, then left on the dirt Figueroa Lookout Road; Figueroa Mountain's open grasslands (via Figueroa Mountain Road): the recreation area's open grasslands fill with goldfields, sky lupine and California poppies; it's about thirty minutes north of Los Olivos on narrow Figueroa Mountain Road (or Happy Canyon Road), so drive slowly.
What is Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) like through the year?
Springtime flower displays, February through April (Feb–Apr), Purple shooting stars, the early bloomers, in late March (Mar) and Figueroa Lookout day-use area: open daily all year, but it may close in winter when it's wet (Jan–Dec).
How we know · Sources (3)
How we know
US Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area (Los Padres National Forest) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · US Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest: Figueroa Lookout Day Use (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Weather Service forecast and alerts (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30)