Arroyo Beach

The Douglas Family Preserve is a 82-acre public park perched on the coastal bluffs of Santa Barbara, California, directly overlooking Arroyo Burro Beach. Historically known as the Wilcox Property, this preserved open space was saved from residential development in 1996 through a massive community fundraising effort supported by actor Michael Douglas. The park features a scenic network of unpaved, flat trails winding through native habitats, including oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, and eucalyptus groves, making it a premier destination for hikers, birdwatchers, and hang gliders who launch from the ocean-facing cliffs.

For visitors, the preserve is celebrated as one of the region’s most popular off-leash dog parks, allowing dogs to roam freely within designated interior trails. The park can be accessed from the eastern neighborhood entrance on Medcliff Road (34.3994, -119.7342), the northern Oak Grove Trailhead near Cliff Drive (34.4042, -119.7420), or via a steep, shaded pedestrian path that climbs up from the Arroyo Burro Beach parking lot. While it offers stunning panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands, the preserve is kept entirely natural, meaning there are no public restrooms or trash cans onsite, requiring guests to pack out all waste.