Montecito Millionaires Fuming as Tour Bus Invades Stunning Hidden Gem
By WILL POTTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Published: 22:51 EST, 22 February 2025
Updated: 22:55 EST, 22 February 2025
Residents in the millionaire enclave of Montecito, California, are fuming at tourists for visiting their beloved hidden attraction, the Montecito Hot Springs. The hot springs, once a picturesque and quiet space for locals to sit and enjoy, has become an influencer hotspot, and residents say it’s become overwhelmed.
The issue has plagued the hot springs for years, and in March, some locals were fined for placing boulders and obstructions along the roads leading to the hot springs to stop outsiders parking on the trailhead. However, this week, tensions boiled over as Montecito residents spotted a chartered tour bus from Orange County ferrying busloads of tourists to the hot springs, reports Noozhawk.
According to Houghton Hyatt, executive director of the Montecito Association, after the tour bus was seen by residents, his association had received "numerous emails, videos, and messages" complaining about the issue. "This has sparked widespread concern and disappointment within the community," he said.
Aside from the annoying presence of too many visitors, locals say the influx could have an environmental impact on the area. "The problem of it is that the springs are not ready for prime time," said Woody Jackson, an advisor of primitive hot springs stewardship at the Balneology Association of North America. "There’s no pit-vault toilet at the trailhead, there’s no waste management at the springs itself. So that’s a big problem."
The hotspot is accessible via a public road, meaning that local authorities can only do so much to bring the tourist trips to a halt. Jackson added that the hot springs are also on land owned by the US Forest Service, further limiting any legal action authorities could take. However, he warned that unless the tour bus company is "actively involved in finding a holistic solution" to the overcrowding issues, "their presence is likely adding to the problem and making the matter worse."
Local authorities faced a wave of complaints from residents about overcrowding in recent months, but officials say their legal options are limited. The hot springs have become a firm favorite of locals in recent years as they serve as an idyllic spot to relax and enjoy the California weather.
To stop the problem, Jackson suggested that some locals have banded together to create a "neighborhood watch"-type group to try and halt littering and party groups from ruining the area. He also suggested that the group form an accredited land trust to conserve and maintain the springs, which he said could cost upwards of a million dollars. "The springs are not ready for the public," he concluded. "It requires a sustainable funding mechanism. It requires a sustainable volunteer mechanism to serve as docents or trailhead and soak area guides to ensure the behavior aligns with the Forest Service, Santa Barbara County, and the impacted neighborhood."
FAQs:
Q: Why are Montecito residents upset about the tour bus?
A: Montecito residents are upset because the tour bus is bringing in large numbers of tourists to the hot springs, which they feel is overwhelming the area and causing environmental concerns.
Q: What is the current state of the hot springs?
A: The hot springs are not equipped to handle large numbers of visitors, with no pit-vault toilet at the trailhead and no waste management at the springs themselves.
Q: What is being done to address the issue?
A: Local authorities are limited in their ability to address the issue due to the hot springs being accessible via a public road and being on land owned by the US Forest Service. However, some locals are forming a "neighborhood watch"-type group to try and halt littering and party groups from ruining the area.
Q: What is the potential solution to the problem?
A: Woody Jackson suggests that a sustainable funding mechanism and volunteer mechanism are needed to conserve and maintain the springs, which could cost upwards of a million dollars.
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