Yesterday I spent hours calling about hotel cancellations and travel refunds – not fun. We are so grateful that we are healthy and safe, but I have to admit that I am bummed about our lack of future travel plans. Luckily, we are still able to get outside here because Santa Barbara has kept parks and beaches open to the public. This past week, Patrick and I decided to take a quick 30-minute road trip to Lizard’s Mouth Rock, a rock formation in Los Padres National Forest.
Our GPS took us to the correct area and we were able to park on the side of West Camino Cielo Road (very close to the Winchester Canyon Gun Club). We chose to go on a weekday to avoid other visitors and to maintain social distancing. Once you see the wooden sign marking Lizard’s Mouth Rock, you can take the easy, quarter-mile trail to the rock that resembles a (you guessed it…) lizard’s mouth and the gorgeous scenic views that accompany the spot. Keep in mind, there is no typical set trail and there are numerous paths that lead to the same spot – it’s more rock scramble than typical dirt trail.
We picked up to-go sandwiches from Panino and brought a blanket to have a picnic lunch. There was some fog hanging over the ocean when we went, but normally there is a panoramic ocean view. We welcomed the fog and partly sunny weather as it would have been pretty hot otherwise. I also thought that the way the clouds blanketed the ocean was pretty spectacular looking too. It was nice to have a change of scenery for a bit (while still being safe) and to take in some lovely views. The silver lining of not traveling right now is that we can finally check out the nearby spots that we are always meaning to visit. And, yes, we can confirm that the rock really does look like the mouth of a lizard!
