State beach trail closed by the Air Force will reopen

A popular hiking trail leading to Point Sal State Beach in Santa Barbara County could reopen as early as next week, officials said Tuesday, in time for visitors to enjoy a spectacular springtime wildflower display.

Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base closed the only public access to the remote beach near Guadalupe 15 months ago. Base officials said hikers were coming perilously close to underground missile silos as they approached the beach on the trail, which crosses the base at its northern tip.

But Vandenberg officials and the county Board of Supervisors appear to have reached initial agreement on an access plan that would allow the trail to reopen with restrictions.

Under the agreement, Vandenberg would be able to unilaterally shut down the road and clear the area during missile launches, according to a statement issued by Vandenberg.

The county, in turn, has agreed to put up signs warning walkers to stay on the trail, erect fencing to keep them off base property and improve sections of the trail that have washed out in rainstorms, said Supervisor Joni Gray, who pushed military leaders to restore public access.

“It’s taken a long time to negotiate this agreement,” Gray said Tuesday, after the board in closed session agreed to move forward with the pact. “But hopefully it’s done now, and the trail will reopen very soon.”

After a public hearing next week, both sides are expected to sign the agreement -- and the trail should reopen by the end of April, Gray and other officials said.

“I wish I could say a specific date,” the supervisor said. “But it’s really up to Vandenberg officials to take down the barrier that is blocking the trail.”

Point Sal State Beach is one of the most rugged and remote in the state parks chain. Hikers prize it for its pristine sand and wind-protected cove. The two-hour hike to the beach passes through meadows that are now covered in wild lilies, Indian paintbrush and purple lupine.

“I can’t wait to actually get down there and touch the sand once again,” said Melanie Callaway, who lives in nearby Guadalupe and hikes frequently. “It’s been too long.”

The county has long claimed a public easement for the trail, called Point Sal Road. In the past, motorists could drive down to the beach cove, a few miles in. But automobile access ended in 1998 after El Nino rainstorms caused erosion.

Pedestrian access was allowed until January 2007, when Vandenberg officials abruptly put up a barrier at the halfway point to the beach and began citing hikers for trespassing.

Base commander Stephen Tannous said he was happy that an agreement had been struck.

“Our team has proposed a solution that allows access without compromising safety and security,” Tannous said in the statement. He added that he would continue to work with county officials on a “long-term solution” to the problem.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Brooks Firestone said he is attempting to find an alternate route to Point Sal that would skirt the base. The alternate could be even more scenic, Firestone said.

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catherine.saillant@latimes.com