The Gaviota Coast consists of a 38 mile stretch of land located in western Santa Barbara County, adjacent to the new City of Goleta and continues up the coast to Jalama Beach, located approximately 105 miles north of Los Angeles. The Gaviota Coast is the last unincorporated area on the California Coast, and still today has much the same feel to it as it did in the late 1700's when the first European settlers came to the area.

Under Spain, in 1782, a presidio (fort) was established in Santa Barbara and four years later a mission was established near the presidio. In 1784 Spain issued the first land grants in California and Santa Barbara was issued it's first "Rancho Land Grant". The Rancho Nuestra Senora del Refugio was the only land grant located in what is today Santa Barbara County.

The Rancho comprised much of the Gaviota Coast, from Refugio Canyon to just this side of Point Conception. The family of Jose Ortega originally settled at Rancho Refugio in 1794, making it one of the earliest Spanish/Mexican settlements in Alta California. The Ortega family grew wheat, maintained a vineyard, established herds of cattle and horses and built a complex of adobe buildings at Rancho Refugio. Several of the adobes still stand today and are in good condition under private ownership.

Rancho Refugio was prominent in early California history and legend: it was famous as a "smuggling" port for trading vessels along the California coast. The Ortega ranch was thought to be one of the richest smuggling bases in Alta California. In 1818, two ships commanded by Captain Bouchard of Argentina arrived and the privateers burned the presidio of Monterey and then headed south, instigating rebellion in favor of the New World's independence from Spain. The Ortegas evacuated their Rancho Refugio, which was soon plundered by the privateers. The Ortegas fled over Refugio pass to Mission Santa Ines. One of the privateers, Joseph Chapman, jumped ship and made his way to Santa Ines where he later constructed Mission Mills. (Which have recently been purchased and preserved by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation).

Following California's annexation to the United States, the Ortega ranches were subdivided and sold as ranches to members of the Dibble, Hollister, Lobero, Cordero, Orella, Hazard, Baron and other families. Another rancho, The Dos Pueblos Ranch, was developed into several ranches in the 1850's and sold to the members of the Hollister, Stork and other families. In the late 1800's, members of the Pico, Romero and other early Santa Barbara families, took out several homesteads in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Refugio Pass. The Pico adobe, built in the 1890's, sits atop Refugio Pass and many years later served as the "Western Whitehouse" for President Ronald Reagan.

Gaviota Pass is one of the area's most striking natural landmarks. It is the only natural pass through the Santa Ynez Mountains for their entire length from Ojai to Point Conception. Today the Gaviota Coast continues its historic ranching tradition with some mineral development, as well as limited public park and camping facilities. Above Santa Ynez Peak, at 4,298 ft. the highest peak in the Santa Ynez range, one can overlook the many acres of private ranches, many dedicated to cattle, avocados and lemons between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Santa Barbara Channel.