Skip to content
Byway
JoinOpen app
Historic site · California

Grotto of Saint Joseph

Grotto of Saint Joseph from directly overhead

Grotto of Saint Joseph is a historic site in California, at a modelled elevation of 152 m. San Rafael Mountain stands 1,973 m to the east-northeast, 20 miles off. The nearest named place is Junípero Serra, a artwork less than a tenth of a mile away. 40 named summits stand within 25 miles.

The record

What the record says

Material
metal
Inscription
GROTTO OF SAINT JOSEPH DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF JOE AIREY 1933-2016 AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE OLD MISSION SANTA INES MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CLUB WHO HAVE SHARED THEIR FAITH AND TALENTS OVER THE YEARS. SAINT JOSEPH PRAY FOR US!
Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates34.59459, -120.13711
Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
Historic sites: 40
  • Camino Real Bell: 0.0 mi
  • Ballard School: 3.3 mi
  • Markowitz Memorial: 16.7 mi
  • Site of WWII Japanese Attack: 16.9 mi
  • Chuck Wagner Memorial: 17.3 mi
Peaks: 40
  • Chalk Hill: 1.4 mi
  • Bald Mountain: 5.1 mi
  • Gaviota Peak: 7.3 mi
  • Santa Rosa Hills: 8.6 mi
  • Bee Rock: 9.4 mi
Artworks: 30
  • Junípero Serra: 0.0 mi
  • Gruta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: 0.1 mi
  • Hans Christian Andersen: 0.2 mi
  • Giant Troll Lulu Hyggelig: 0.5 mi
  • St Francis: 7.1 mi
Springs: 26
  • Monjas Spring: 4.3 mi
  • Fine Spring: 12.8 mi
  • La Jolla Spring: 13.2 mi
  • Chicken Springs: 13.9 mi
  • Willow Spring: 14.0 mi
Museums: 15
Picnic sites: 14
  • Cumbre Picnic Area: 13.2 mi
  • Pino Alto: 13.4 mi
  • Figueroa Lookout: 13.5 mi
  • First Crossing Picnic Site: 20.6 mi
  • Lower Oso Picnic Site: 20.7 mi
Beaches: 11
  • Gaviota Nude Beach: 9.1 mi
  • Little Cojo Beach: 15.9 mi
  • Haskell's Beach: 17.3 mi
  • Ellwood Beach: 18.6 mi
  • Sands Beach: 19.4 mi
Gardens: 10
Nature reserves: 10
Attractions: 7
  • The Little Mermaid Fountain: 0.1 mi
  • Michael Jackson's Neverlandland Ranch Gatehouse: 10.1 mi
  • Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch: 10.4 mi
  • Neverland Ranch Park: 10.8 mi
  • Neverland Ranch Zoo: 11.1 mi
Cliffs: 4
Waterfalls: 2
Natural arches: 2
  • Elusive Arch: 16.6 mi
  • San Roque Arch: 24.0 mi
Rest areas: 1
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Grotto of Saint Joseph. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
San Rafael MountainENE1,973 m20.0 mi
McKinley MountainENE1,887 m18.2 mi
Santa Cruz PeakENE1,687 m19.2 mi
Cachuma MountainNE1,409 m16.2 mi
Figueroa MountainNE1,378 m13.4 mi
Ranger PeakNE1,376 m13.7 mi
Little Pine MountainE1,368 m22.6 mi
Zaca PeakNNE1,312 m13.6 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0518:3919:13
June solstice05:4919:4020:17
September equinox06:4918:2618:59
December solstice07:0416:1616:54

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F515255586166707169645650
Precip in4.95.33.61.30.50.10.00.00.10.81.23.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Cachuma Lake, 9 mi away.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element node/12825446560

More historic sites in California

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Plan a driveMore historic sites
Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Grotto of Saint Joseph.

Byway plans around your taste, mapped places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens