2026.04.05 Figueroa Mountain Oak

Figueroa Mountain is one of my favorite places in the Los Padres National Forest. In spring, the hills are full of lupines, poppies, and wildflowers that seem to take over the landscape. The drive up the mountain feels like entering a different rhythm altogether.This oak stands along that road—gnarled, strong, and shaped by years of weather and dry seasons. I’m always drawn to trees like this, where the form feels almost sculptural. On the way up the mountain, it felt like a marker of arrival, a reminder that this landscape is both delicate in bloom and deeply rooted in endurance.