Explore This Secret Trail Around The Largest Natural Salt Lake In Southern California
By Natasha Kayes|Published October 13, 2023
×
Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
At the southern end of California’s Central Valley is the Carrizo Plain, a beautiful and somehow still pristine grassland region that is one of the least-visited natural preserves in California. Even less well-known is the salt lake that exists here, and a little-known trail in Santa Margarita, CA – a spot that I happened upon once by accident and have never forgotten.
One of the most prominent features of Carrizo Plain National Monument, just north of Santa Barbara County, is Soda Lake. It is the largest remaining natural alkali wetland in the southern half of the state. It is also an area so rarely visited that it is often said you “can hear the silence.”
To find Soda Lake, you must enter the Carrizo Plain via either State Route 33 on the south or State Route 58 on the north, and take Soda Lake Road which runs between them. There are no real signs for trails, but the lake can be seen in the distance from the road and there are small turn-outs on either side of the road.
The short and easy Soda Lake Overlook and Boardwalk Trail is actually a two-part trail. The turn-out and trailhead on the side of the road opposite of the lake lead up a small hill to the Soda Lake Overlook which offers some amazing photo opportunities.
The trail leads down the hill and across the road directly toward the lakeshore with views of the mountains in the distance. In the spring, the area around the lake is especially striking, carpeted with yellow and purple wildflowers.
Winter rains - little as they are in this area - refresh the water in Soda Lake and spring visitors will actually see a *lake* here. For much of the year though, the lake is dry and becomes a vast sparkling field of salt flats. This wild, mainly dry, region is a harsh environment but is home to many small plants and animal species.
As the waters recede, salts are concentrated and mass white deposits are left behind which, as the name of the lake implies, look a lot like baking soda!
This little-known trail is just one of the spots to explore in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Have you ever been to Soda Lake in Santa Margarita? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! This vast and virtually untouched area does not have any provisions, so make sure you have plenty of water and your hiking essentials before heading out to explore!
