The Montana de Oro State Park is so very nice, and a great place to take an easy walk along and…read moreabove the cliffs. Parking is always easy and the view is stunning. We always try to take friends who are visiting, and they've all loved it. Thank you so much!

I felt it was only appropriate to review one of my favorite state parks for my 1000th review…read more This park has an extensive history dating back to the Chumash Native American inhabitation. These people lived here long before European explorers arrived. The park was purchased in 1965 by the State of California and made a state park. Prior to it becoming a state park, the land was used for agricultural use as well as farming and dairy use. It consists of 8000 acres of cliffs, seven miles of shoreline, coastal plains, canyons and hills. There is such a peaceful and calm vibe that you feel as you enter the park. As you enter through this colossal Eucalyptus forrest, you are mesmerized with their size. Clouds flow through the forrest and open up to the mighty Pacific Ocean. I always feel like I am entering a different world when I come here. There are so many fun trails to hike at ocean level, mountain level etc. Abundant wildlife is everywhere. You can also just take leisurely walks and enjoy the beauty of the ocean. Plenty of places to picnic, and a small beach to hang out with family and friends. There is also a small campground but what a great place to camp! Dogs are allowed but need to be on a leash. My first time out here was back in 2021. I mainly walked the Bluff Trail and took in the wind shaped jagged cliffs, caves, and rocky shore. I then completed a long beach walk on the strand that led from the park to the shores of Morro Rock. I saw so many dead jellyfish which was odd. I also saw huge turkey vultures. The next summer I took a recommendation from a worker at a local coffee shop. He told me all about Coon Creek trail. I started on this trail but it was pretty flat and I wanted something a little more challenging. I saw a sign for Oats Peak Summit and I went for it. A steep climb but so worth it at the top. Views were incredible on this ultra sunny day. Last summer I took my hubby with me and we decided to hike Valencia Peak. Hiking from sea level up to 1,347 feet proved to be a challenge but such a fabulous reward at the top. I could have spent the day up there just taking in the 360 degree views of the ocean, Morro Bay, Los Osos, and the SLO valley in the background. We absolutely loved this hike! If you find yourself lucky enough to be visiting the central coast, be sure to check out this phenomenal state park. It's truly one of California's finest offerings. Most of all remember to pack in and pack out - LEAVE NO TRACE.

What better way to celebrate the end of summer than to dedicate review No. 3,000 to Los Osos's…read moremagical Elfin Forest? There may very well be elves who live here, but the name refers to the rare pygmy oaks that very definitely do live here. If you're ever in or near Morro Bay or Los Osos, this is a place you should surely visit, so I don't want to spoil too much of the surprise for you. It's about more than the oaks, though. It's the view and the bay and the wetlands and the feel and sound of walking on a handcrafted boardwalk. And what a boardwalk it is! Because of this labor of love, visitors don't ruin any of the vegetation, and it has the added bonus of allowing wheelchair users to experience the Elfin Forest, although there are some caveats.* The only real problem, and it's not that bad, is that there aren't that many places to park. You can access the Elfin Forest from any of the numbered streets from 11th to 17th, north off of Santa Ysabel Avenue, just be aware that these are residential streets without sidewalks. There are places to park at the end of each street, although there aren't marked spots or stalls except for the accessible parking on 16th Street, and even that is limited. Once you park, just walk on the path north until you hit the boardwalk. The two highlights for me are the pygmy oak area with benches perfect for photos and Siena's View lookout point. Depending on when you come and how nice the weather is, there may be a lot of other people on the trail/boardwalk with you. Be polite, and be mindful that certain areas don't have much room to maneuver, so if you're slow or are blocking something, let people pass. The boardwalk makes a big loop. Most people seem to travel counterclockwise, but other than what I wrote below, there's no real reason for that. The loop is not particularly strenuous, although it's simultaneously deceptively short and deceptively long, somehow. Unless you're really taking your time and/or stopping quite frequently, the entire loop and side paths won't take even an hour. I'm sure many locals walk these trails as a mindfulness exercise or just to get their steps in in a beautiful bay-side setting. *If you or someone you are visiting with has limited mobility, especially if you use a wheelchair or power chair, you should park at 16th Street. This will give you direct access to the boardwalk from the parking area. (From the other streets, you need to walk through sand and dirt to get to the boardwalk.) Almost the entirety of the loop is on the boardwalk, but be advised that the route is nowhere near flat. Traveling counterclockwise around the oval (turning right when you reach it from the parking area) is probably best for those with limited mobility. It's steeper going downhill that way and might be very difficult for people going clockwise and trying to do that steeper part uphill.

There are a couple of ways to mozy about this place, but the main boardwalk loop is a nice starting…read morepoint. Two nice vistas and Rose's Grove (a sanctuary space in the pigmy oaks) offer a nice place to pause. There are also ample benches throughout the walk if you want to take a break, or just enjoy the adjacent flora and fauna. It's one of my regular trails when walking, early morning or late afternoon. Both the sunrises and sunsets are beautiful!

This trail is managed by PG&E as it abuts the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, so there is a…read morecheck-in/out procedure and the trail is not open all the time. However, my wife and I hike this trail every year when we celebrate our anniversary (in October) or our birthdays (in November) nearby and love the return to it. This year we only went as far as Lookout Point before we had to turn back due to a reservation elsewhere (a kayak tour of Morro Bay). But we usually hike all the way to the end. Spectacular views of the coast and the rock formations jutting out into the ocean. Birds galore on the rocks and often seals in the water. Sometimes we have spotted whales far offshore. PG&E maintains the trails nicely and the walk is easy, though several miles long to the end. Along with the many hiking trails in next-door Montana de Oro, this is not to be missed by any hiking enthusiast on the central cost.

Wow. This might be one of my favorite trails I've ever hiked…read morein my life. My cousin and I recently re-visited the Montana De Oro State Park area. Last time, we had hiked Valenica, Oates, and Hazard Peaks, which you can read about here: http://tinyurl.com/8mjdzhha This time, we wanted to hike Point Buchon Trail through Diablo Canyon, which only accepts a limited number of hiking reservations per day. Luckily, we made it on time, and were able to register in person at the kiosk on the trail. (Technically, Point Buchon trail is owned and operated by PG&E, and is not a part of Montana De Oro State Park, but the road is the same, and the parking areas are right next to each other.) My cousin had mentioned some "cool rocks," but that barely even begins to describe what we saw here. There were spectacular geological formations around every single bend in the trail. The views were indescribable. I've never seen anything like this in my life, even though I am originally from Southern California. Most of the "cool rocks" are the remnants of eroded coastlines (the ruins of ancient beaches). There are numerous arches and caves, and even a sinkhole. Watching the waves come in through the sinkhole was one of the most interesting things we saw that day. We had originally planned to go down into some of the caves, but the tide was way too high for that. In fact, the tide was the highest I've ever seen in my life. Once we were nearing the end of the trail, from up on the cliffs near the power plant, we saw some waves that we estimated to be about thirty feet high. Down on the beach, back on the calmer side of the trail, we found all kinds of tide pools and tiny shells. While I was busy taking pictures of sea snails inside of pink abalone shells, my cousin was jumping rope with a giant piece of bull kelp. My cousin said we hiked eight miles, but I swear it only felt like one. Time flies. This trail was pretty easy to hike, but for an added challenge, it would be easy to add on any of the nearby three peaks in Montana De Oro. Point Buchon Trail is a must-see. If you haven't been here yet, I highly recommend checking it out at least once!

My enchanted forest!!!…read more ...and you don't have to travel far to the Fairy Tale Land, the Los Osos Oaks State Reserve is located right off Los Osos Valley Rd. with a small parking lot fits maximum maybe 10 cars. Look at the trail map, you will get a brief idea. Even though some reviews stated trails are not well marked, it's in fact very simple and hard to get lost. There's no scale on the map, it's smaller than I had anticipated though. The whole loop (started from Loop trail, connected to Oak View Trail and back from Los Osos Creek Trail) took me about 35 mins despite I stopped here and there to take photos and just enjoying the fresh smell of the wood after the rain. The more deep into the wood, where the Loop trail and Oak View Trail connects, the 800 years old Costal live oaks made me feel like everything would come alive when the sun goes down...and I absolutely love my solitude. Once you are closer to the entrance, you will start hearing the cars driving by Los Osos Valley Road and you know you are heading the right direction. I wouldn't consider it's a workout but absolutely good for all hiking levels and a short escape from the people. Side note: Poison oaks are natural part of the area, however, it's winter I was pretty much covered.

Located near Montana De Oro, Los Osos State reserve is a great place to hike trails and just enjoy…read morethe outdoor Beaty that the Central California Coast offers. I absolutely love those twisted oaks, they are gorgeous. Also a great place for family pictures

So pretty and peaceful. Very nice to walk around and look at tidepools and wildlife.read more

Cove Dwellers…read more Located in Montaña de Oro State Park, Spooner's Cove is an awesome little piece of beachfront with some really interesting features. The Good: *Free! *Literally the only place (besides the camp grounds) in Montaña de Oro that is dog-friendly--altho that doesn't seem to stop anybody. *Restrooms (Vault Toilets [i.e., hole in the ground with a toilet above it]) *Parking lot *Great place for tidepooling (check tide charts) *Sea caves! Again, check the tide charts. *Fascinating rock formations and some that are climbable--if you're brave enough, that is. *Picnic tables The Meh: *Large for a cove, but small for a beach The Ugly: *I'm not sure what it is about this beach, but we saw a bunch of people just grabbing tons of the rocks to take back home with them. One lady had a five-gallon bucket! Conclusion: Great place to stop, have lunch, and explore when visiting Montaña de Oro.

Montana de Oro State Park has so many fun trails I hardly know which to review. Valencia Peak is…read morethe second tallest in the park and a great hike for the views of the surrounding area. This weekend was a warm one and for this hike, that meant an early start as you are exposed nearly the full time. We did a sort of loop though, so we came down through relatively shady trails and had a great time. The sign marking the peak is not at the peak, fyi. If you get that far, the picnic table at the top is just a short bit further.

One of my all-time favorite hikes to do in SLO county! I would consider this medium difficulty and…read moreif you plan to go all the way to the top, the hike in total is right around 4.5 miles, up and back down. Doing this hike in Springtime is my favorite as the weather is absolutely perfect, and there are so many wildflowers on the trail to enjoy as you go up. Most recently I went on this hike with a friend and we spotted a number of orange poppies as well as a large variety of other flowers of all different colors. It was magnificent. When you make it to the top, the views are just breathtaking with obstructed ocean views in front of you! To your right you can see the entire town of Morro Bay and Morro Rock; great for some amazing photos! It is relatively windy once you reach the top but thankfully there's a nice little bench you can sit at. One thing to note is this hike is NOT dog friendly, so unfortunately, I had to leave my fur babies behind. Overall though, one of my favorite hikes - highly recommend!! I will keep coming back again and again!

This monarch buttery preserve location is not very well known online. It is definitely a must to…read morevisit if you're in California Central Coast area and want to go on a good hike! Let me share some details about this preserve area. Background: This is a community project that successfully created a temporary home for the beautiful monarch butterflies. They're usually available from October to March. At the time we visited in June, they were all gone. We did get lucky and saw 2 butterflies! It is about 18 acre in size Location: The preserve is situated at the end of Monarch Lane in Los Osos. Parking: Free street parking! Fee: Free! What's out here: There is a sign "Coastal Access Trail Open To The Public" when you get to the end of the cul-de-sac. The beginning of the trail is filled with eucalyptus trees and it smells amazing! As you follow the fence line in the eucalyptus grove, you'll eventually reach an open area that is filled with coastal grass land. The grass land is enormous and you can hike in any directions you like. If you just hike straight for about half a mile, you'll eventually reach the sand dune. After you hike up the sand dune, you'll reach the ocean in another half mile. The beach was extremely secluded. As you hike, you'll see various plants and critters. This is my first time out here and thought I let you know what's to expect: - This area is coastal so you'll be hiking in sand! Bring shoes and flip flop! - There is no bathroom - There is no shades after the eucalyptus grove area. In the grassland, you'll see a few trees and that's about it! I recommend bringing a hat and lots of sunscreen for your excursion. - From the entrance to the beach is about 1 mile long. - If you want to enjoy the beach, bring beach gears. - The sand dune is a huge hill. - There are lots of horse poops along the trails as the locals ride horses around the area. - Great views when you get to the top of the sand dune. - Great way to get away from crowds. - Great wildlife opportunities.

When on a highway 1 trip, its always nice to stop in at the Estero Bluffs where there are views of…read morethe bay and Morro Rock. This park provides a great opportunity for wildlife viewing and opportunity to enjoy the beach near the San Geronimo Creak at the end of a rocky trail. At this park you can also enjoy tidepools, grassland, bluffs and wetlands. And during low tide you can see a breached fishing boat that you can take pictures with or if you are tall and brave enough stand on but be careful as rusty. The boat is found on the southern end of the park. Go during low tide to see the boat and enjoy the tidepools. Multiple parking lots are located off highway one. The best access to the beach can be found at the intersection of highway 1 and San Geronimo Road.

During Camp Keep we went to the tide pools. We were able to climb rocks and look for sea life. A…read morelot of the kids did find mussels, snails, barnacles, even a sea star. It was just a great experience for us all. The naturalist was great, she was informative and so patient. The rocks could be a bit slippery so make sure you have the right shoes.

The hike down is short and very manageable. Be sure to turn right if you're heading to the…read morecove/cave, the left trail leads to the beach. We came here for sunset, and the views were absolutely beautiful. I would definitely recommend stopping by!

Ended up taking the long route to Pirate's Cove (parked near homes and took the trail) which we…read morelater found out is the Shell Beach Bluff Trail. We enjoyed this scenic trail, which had multi-million dollar homes to our right, and the beautiful ocean to our left; and a somewhat steep incline up to the dirt parking lot and Cave Landing trailhead. Good thing the weather was perfect and there was a lovely breeze; otherwise I would've stopped walking and demanded to go back to the car. Once we got to the trail, it was a fairly easy short walk to get to the cave. After taking in the stunning views from the cave, we trekked to the cove. Be cautious going down, as it's a steep dirt path and a couple flights of stairs. Also note that clothing is optional, and you may run into people in their birthday suits on this secluded beach.

I like that part of the trail was paved. This hike one way takes about 20 minutes one way, so 40…read moreminutes round trip, obviously it depends on how fast you walk. If you go beyond the paved trail, it's another 20 minutes to the cave, So pave trail plus dirt trail = app. 80 minutes

The Shell Beach Bluff Trail connects up with the Cave Landing Trail that overlooks Pirate's Cove…read moreand has a "cave" with a beautiful view. The shell trail starts out paved and easy and then there is a moderate to strong grade to get to the cave trail. The shell trail is not really a trail and is a paved walkway. The cave trail is rock and dirt and more like a "trail." There is a separate and larger dirt lot for the cave trail that you need to walk through from the shell trail to access Pirate's Cove and the cave. There is a steep "natural" staircase going down to Pirate's Cove. If you are either older or afraid of heights, you might not want to go down to the cove. The cave has a beautiful view, but no guard rail on the view side. For this reason, we would recommend you not bring your kids on this trail unless they are older, mature, and well behaved. Depending on whether you say on the shell trail or go on to the cave trail, the whole thing is anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours and depending on which sights you see and how long you look at them. This is really one of nicer trails in the area, especially if you take the shell to the cave trail. Definitely recommend visiting.