All photos on this page were taken in and around Santa Barbara. The area is situated between the Santa Ynez Mountains, which are unusual as they are an east-west trending range, and the Pacific Ocean, with four of the Channel Islands around 19 kilometers / 12 miles off of the main coast.
This area is the home of the Chumash people. Few remain today after colonizer devastation. Chumash have lived there for at least 11'000 years and adapted to the three main environments: along the mainland coast, in the mountains, and on the islands. The photos are grouped into these three categories.
If you are ever in Santa Barbara and would like to learn more about the Chumash people, be sure to visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
Coast: Santa Barbara
Mountains: San Rafael Wilderness
Island: Santa Cruz Channel Island National Park
