From the Santa Barbara Mission Rose Garden through Rocky Nook Park following the most direct path (of least resistance) up Mission Canyon and the infamous Tunnel Road turning into Tunnel Trail over Angostura Pass, just below La Cumbre Peak, and down Gibraltar Road (the unpaved fire road portion) to the aptly named Gibraltar Dam, and back. The Mission Rose Garden Gibraltar Dam Marathon is a clean 42k with good gain & 90ish% dirt! The frontside (Tunnel Trail) is fairly slow, steep and technical singletrack running with drop dead gorgeous views of the city and Channel Islands National Park, but the backside is smooth and wide open with gradual gradients and spectacular Los Padres National Forest and Santa Ynez Valley views.
The turn-around is at the locked boat dock ramp ('do not enter') on the right side of Forest Route 5N18.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar_Dam
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/lpnf/recarea/?recid=11097
https://www.strava.com/activities/1469971639/
