Residents in the millionaire enclave of the California enclave of Montecito fumed at tourists for visiting their beloved hidden attraction.
The Montecito Hot Springs used to be known as a picturesque, quiet space for locals to sit and enjoy the area above one of California’s wealthiest neighborhoods.
But after the hot springs became an influencer hotspot when the vista went viral on Instagram and TikTok, residents say the hangout became overwhelmed.
The issue 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.
But 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.
Houghton Hyatt, executive director of the Montecito Association, told the outlet that 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,’ Hyatt said.
Aside from the annoying presence of too many visitors, locals say the influx could have an environmental impact on the area.
The Montecito Hot Springs above one of California’s wealthiest enclaves used to be known as a picturesque, quiet space for locals to enjoy before it became an influencer favorite
This week, furious locals spotted a tourist bus ferrying outsiders to the hot springs, sparking anger from the wealthy residents hoping to keep it to themselves
‘The problem of it is that the springs are not ready for prime time,’ Woody Jackson, an advisor of primitive hot springs stewardship at the Balneology Association of North America, told SFGate.
He said the hot springs does not have the facilities or resources to welcome huge throngs of people into the summer months.
‘There’s no pit-vault toilet at the trailhead, there’s no waste management at the springs itself. So that’s a big problem,’ he said.
According to Noozhawk, Santa Barbara County officials faced a torrent of complaints from residents hoping to regulate the tour bus’s access to the hot springs.
However, 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, but said he was concerned by the rise in tourists to the area.
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
The overcrowding 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
To stop them, Jackson said 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 suggested to SFGate that the group should 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.’
