Refugio Road between Solvang and 101

[greg.o...@gmail.com]

I'm hoping people can help my sort through some information. I'm thinking of taking S Refugio Road from Solvang to the 101, like so.

Previewing it on Google Maps, Street View, I see a road closed sign, like so. But looking at the route on Strava Heatmap, I see that the whole road is well traveled by bikes, like so.

So, if I believe Street View, the road is not usable by bikes. If I believe Strava Heatmap, it is.

Can someone please advise whether a rider can get from Solvang to 101 on Refugio Road, and whether that's even a good idea?

Thanks

Greg Olmstead

[Ole Eichhorn]

Hi I have ridden that road many times.  The road from Solvang to the crest is not entirely paved and there are a couple of gates you have to climb.  I believe there is a section near the top which is considered “private” but I never encountered anyone or any issues.  The road from the crest down to 101 is paved and open (the pavement is horrible, and there are many steep sections; it is a tough climb up from the 101 side).  Honestly it is a better trail for a mountain bike than a road bike although it can be done – carry a spare tube!  As you are descending from the crest to 101 you’ll pass the Reagan Ranch – near the top, on the right – it is no longer called that but you can see it.  You can salute or take whatever action you feel appropriate (depending on your politics) as you ride by.

 

Cheers and best wishes

 

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Ole Eichhorn
(650) 814-9620 cell
W=UH

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[Steve Cook]

When you ride up from the 101 side, at the top, the decent has signs that say road is closed. I have not ridden down it.

[Larry Sokolsky]

I've ridden this 20 or 30 times.  I like it a lot.  It is probably my favorite route south from the Buellton/Lompoc area to Santa Barbara.  I can ride up the east side (4 miles dirt, ~1600 ft climb).  It's a bit rocky and rutted, and many people will need to walk parts of it, so it's probably good to bring walkable mountain bike shoes unless you are very confident of your ability to ride up a rough dirt road.  I usually do it on a road bike with about a 10 lb credit card touring gear.  Sometimes, I'll take west Camino Cielo south from the top, but that is much more technical after the pavement ends at the summit.  I've done it east to west and west to east.  The eastern descent is not a lot of fun on a road bike, but it is passable.

Two warnings:

1) They have been slowly replacing stream crossings with bridges on the lower paved part on the east side.  I think they are finished now so this probably.  You should check with Santa Barbara county online road conditions before you go that way, because when they are working on it, they put all sorts of threatening no tresspassing signs up.  My wife and I have had to scale some sketchy fences during construction times in the past.

2)  Right before you get to the freeway, there is a place where the stream crosses the road seasonally.  I once crashed here because I didn't slow down before crossing.  Be careful and go slow at the water crossing and you will be fine.