Sedgwick Ranch Reserve

The 6,000 acre Sedgwick Reserve has a sad history with a mostly happy ending.

In 1952, the ranch was bought by Duke "Fuzzy" Sedgwick, patriarch of a wealthy east coast family originally from Massachusetts. The family was "troubled", with one son hanging himself and the beautiful Edie Sedgwick (of the Andy Warhol fame) dying of a drug overdose at 28. On his death in 1967, Fuzzy bequeathed most of the Sedgwick Ranch to the UC Natural Reserve.

Today, the Sedgwick Reserve operates on a shoestring. This is unfortunate because needed improvements have been deferred. The original ranch house, barn, and studio remain, and are somewhat dilapidated. But the reserve may have a bright future. A new meeting facility has been built as a Leeds-certified "green" building, and upgrades to the original ranch house are in the works. But it is said that the ghost of Fuzzy Sedgwick still roams the ranch!

We had little children with us so we did the "easy" hike option. UCSB runs this, so you guessed it! It has to be "educational". No walking around to be with your own thoughts and soak in God's creation....that's "recreation". That is verboten! They pretty much explain to you from the get go that you MUST be educated while here. If you look at the history of the ranch; the donor wanted it developed and sold off to fund an art exhibit..........the logic of requiring visitors to be educated, doesn't quite land with me, but I digress.

The day starts off with the lady in charge explaining that UCSB only opened up the reserve to the public for educational purposes.......(I'll stop myself from going into the weeds again). Then she proceeds to talk about how there are some rattle snakes and to watch out for them as you hike. Then she explains that the only people she is worried about the rattle snakes biting are males between 18-40 because everyone else is too smart to mess with them. (Insert sarcastic feminist tone here).

Hopefully my young son didn't catch this sexist remark but we are here to be "educated" and UCSB probably isn't free of those types of people. You know, the type that insult people to their faces because they are visiting a place of beauty, and need a good slap in their face to wake them up and says: "you're in my world now buddy, and we got our eye on you!".

Easy hike: The main proctor has some good educational subjects but it's a little too much if your under 10 and over 25. Likely a Jr. High and Highschool class would benefit from this level the most. It lasts about 2 hours, and about .5 hours of actual hiking. One lady was so tired of standing around she started to wonder off on her own. I think she was looking for some rope. There are lots of big strong Valley Oaks here.

I have to admit I enjoyed the information about lace lichen, and how the Chumash used it for many things. I enjoyed the views, and enjoyed the company of the rear proctors (yes, you have to be followed also.........did I mention that?)

As a Land Surveyor, I'm always hiking around, almost stepping on rattle snakes, getting stung by wasps, and walking through spider webs, tripping on branches, and digging holes. Once you get here though, not of that matters. They can't trust that you'll be safe on your own.

I'm going back, but will try the "moderate" hike. I will update you to see if that will be better more age appropriate.