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Six friends braved a very muddy Baron Ranch Trail in January with a goal in mind: to end up at LaFond Winery and Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills for a glass of wine.
The hike was difficult and wet, so not everyone was able to finish, but it was fun and beautiful anyway, Kristen Hislop said. It’s just one adventure the group planned to tackle in 2026 as part of Los Padres ForestWatch’s Wine for Wilderness Passport program.
Last year, when Hislop found out about the passport—which costs $75 for the year and enables holders to snag a free glass of wine at each of 24 participating wineries across the Central Coast—she sent it to her friends, encouraging them to purchase one as well. Each winery is paired with a hike, and the proceeds benefit the conservation, education, and advocacy work that ForestWatch does.
“It just looked like such a fun compilation of hikes and wineries, and what a fun thing to combine, right?” the Santa Barbara resident said. “A bunch of us bought the passport. You get to do a ton of wine tasting, if you’d like, at a very reasonable price, and that money goes to support the organization at the same time.”
The wineries were “carefully curated,” according to ForestWatch.
Keri Setnicka, the nonprofit’s communications director, said they all incorporate sustainability into their missions, such as being certified organic, being biodynamic, or operating with regenerative practices. LaFond, for instance, is Sustainability in Practice certified and is certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
The wineries and hikes span the Tri-County area, from Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, which is paired with the Madrone Trail at Three Bridges Oak Preserve, south to Native Bloom Winery in Ventura, which is paired with the Harman Canyon Loop Trail.
The collaboration reflects a strong connection between the region’s vineyards and their surrounding natural landscapes, according to ForestWatch. Solminer Wine Co. Owner Anna deLaski said her winery was “honored to be included in this meaningful initiative.”
“Solminer is rooted in the belief that great wine belongs with healthy ecosystems,” deLaski said in a press release. “Protecting the Central Coast’s public lands is not just essential for our vineyards—it’s vital for future generations to enjoy the landscapes that make this region so special.”
It’s the first year that ForestWatch has offered the passport program, which is Development Director Jessica Dias’ brainchild, Setnicka said.
“She thought it would be a really great way to tie in our mission of protecting wildlife and wilderness on the Central Coast with something that is also enjoyable for everyone,” she said. “Which is wine tasting.”
Before Conservation Director Bryant Baker left last year, he matched up the wineries with trails that were relatively close by so people can hit both in the same day if they wanted to. Each winery will bestow a stamp or signature on a passport holder after a visit, as well. Not all of the hikes are in Los Padres National Forest, and some are more difficult than others.
“People can sip great wine and help protect the wild places that make this region so special,” Setnicka said.
Take a hike
Find a map of the wineries and trails at forestwatch.org/passport, where you can also purchase up to four Wine for Wilderness Passports and learn more about Los Padres ForestWatch. Passports are valid for the entire 2026 calendar year.
This article appears in Get Outside – Winter/Spring 2026.