This trail is managed by PG&E as it abuts the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, so there is a check-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. read more

Point Buchon Trail - The trail as far as Lookout Point. It is quite beautiful all the way to the end. - Hiking Near Me - Los Osos, California

Wow. This might be one of my favorite trails I've ever hiked in 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! read more

See all

Wow! The views along this trail are incredible! Nothing compares to certain sections of the California coast line and the only way to see these views are along this trail. The hike is 6.6 miles round trip on mostly flat land so it's an easy walk that can be enjoyed by everyone. The trail has a few different stopping points along the way, many benches throughout at various lookout spots, and even a restroom at the best spot to stop and turn around. The trail technically goes 4 miles out but the last .7 of a mile is not really worth hiking; there isn't much of a view and nothing interesting beyond the lookout where the restroom is located. If I hike this trail again I will most likely stop where the restroom is instead of the turn around point at the very end. The views are worth coming to this trail for a nice easy hike. This is PG&E land and the trail is very well maintained and marked throughout the entire length. Very clean with informational signs all along the well marked path read more

Point Buchon Trail - Trailhead - Hiking Near Me - Los Osos, California

I went mid-March and it was a great time. You see whales spouting and the poppies are popping with I'm sure more to come. Pretty easy, very peaceful. Beautiful rock formations and beaches to admire from above. It is much less traveled than the Bluff hike. You have to check in and out and a max of 275 ppl a day any day that it is open. Especially if you've done the Bluff Trail, this is a nice change and also starts from the same parking lot as Bluff trial (just to the left of the lot to start ascent up to the check-in station. read more

See all

One of the best casual trails in SLO. To access this trail you must enter Montana de Oro state park and keep driving down Pecho Valley Road until you hit the end parking lot. Walk toward the property line of PG&E (metal gate) and continue up the private road to the guard station. Because this on PG&E property it's not freely open to the public. You have to pass a security gate and go to a sign in at the guard station. This trail is NOT open on TUESDAY and THURSDAY, and under some weather conditions. It also closes at 4 or 5 PM depending on the season. The Point Buchon Trail is a great walk along the coast on a well maintained trail. There are many exploring options here including going down to a private beach (with a sea cave), a sinkhole, and several viewpoints of coastal rock formations. It's 7 miles to do the whole down-the-coast and back, or 2 something miles to just hit the beach, the sinkhole, the first viewpoint, and take the shortcut back.. - During spring ( Late February through April) this place is loaded with yellow flowers and poppies. - They lock the gate promptly at close time. - If you do walk down to the beach the sand is very tough to walk on. Sandals wont work very well because the tiny pebbles will get in your shoe. - Not as busy as the other trails in this area. I'm guessing the large security gate scares most people away. - Limited to 275 people a day. - If you time it right, there are some cool tide pools right next to the Sea Cave. Tip - If for some reason the trail is closed ( or has exceeded the daily limit), there are other trailheads from this parking lot (Bluff Trail and the Coon trail).. read more

See all

This trail has lots of great views sod the ocean and plenty of picturesque views as well. I enjoy hiking it very much but it can be a strenuous if you choose to complete the entire hike. It's about a 8- 10 mile round trip hike but I will tell you tight now it's worth it. Make sure to bring snakes and plenty of water. read more

BEST hike I've done in a while, and I hiked some Portland waterfalls last year, and have hiked some Bay Area trails from time to time. Point Buchon Trail might be a bit confusing to get to, but it's basically a PG&E-owned trail in the Montana de Oro State Park, which is owned by California. To get there, you'll drive into the state park on windy roads for about a solid 20 minutes before reaching the end, which is the last parking lot next to a chain-linked fence. Along the way you'll pass a beautiful Eucalyptus tree area that makes a sort of tunnel-like overhead while you drive (roll down the windows!) as well as lots of beautiful viewpoints and some mountainous houses. Keep going all the way until you don't have any road left to drive. Because this trail is PG&E owned, you abide by their rules and the safety regulations they've put out to ensure no lawsuits! You'll have to sign in and sign out of their logbook, but in the process you can learn a bit about the trail itself and the wildlife with the representative. We had a very friendly mustach'd man who informed us that the whale-like-monotonous wail we heard in the distance was the sound the buoy makes to alert fishermen that this area was off limits! HOW COOL. The trail itself took 2.5 hours for us round trip, 1.5 hours on way and 1 on the way back because we took excessive photos of everything on the way there. We hiked through sandy parts, pebbly/rocky turf, and were surprised to encounter a lot of runners who were ambitious enough to run the whole thing. It's not an intense hike, meaning that there aren't a lot of elevation changes, but it is quite narrow in some parts so be prepared for that. There is a portable restroom stop along the way if you're desperate to use the toilets, but I would recommend using it at the parking area so you won't feel unsanitary throughout the hike. Weather in late June was superb, as inland in SLO it reached 80's-90F, but by the time we got close to the Pacific for this hike, it remained a cool and not so foggy 70! Great weather in the summer, and so many elements to document with your phone or just take in. I loved this hike and applaud PG&E for preserving this area through community education and all of the trail markings along the way. Absolutely wonderful! I can't wait to hike this again in the future, and even bring my kids here in the far far future. I think everyone should hike this whether you're doing a Highway 1 road trip or passing through Paso Robles or SLO! read more

See all

*This trail is NOT a part of the Montana De Oro State Park* This trail is called Point Buchon Trail. The land is owned by PG&E, but last year they've opened up the land to the public for hiking. When you drive all the way through the Montana De Oro State Park to the end, there is a parking lot. From there you see a gate and a sign "Trail Open" and trail hours (see picture). Walk through the gate about 1/4 mile and there is a "check in" station manned by 2 guys, who'd ask you to sign a waiver to enter the trail. Well let me tell you, it is well worth the trouble of signing the waiver and all that. The view from the trail is very beautiful, and trail is well marked (over marked I would say) and well taken care of. There are some roped areas where could be dangerous (i.e. sink hole), some edge of the cliffs are eroding but use your common sense not to cross the rope and stand on the edge of the cliff to look into the ocean or to take pictures.... jeez... The whole trail is about 3.8 miles, in and out. (1) Short way --Go to the Coon Creek Beach - Point Buchon Lookout- then take the shortcut and come back to the trail entrance. (2) Longer way --You can go to the Coon Creek Beach - Point Buchon Lookout - Disney Point Lookout - last Lookout and turn back. * please see the picture of the trail map My fiance and I were at a gallery in downtown Morro Bay and one of the photographer who was showing a picture taken at this trail at the gallery told us how to get here. Trail is very quiet, could be foggy and windy/chilly but we were very glad to find this trail. Hope PG&E will keep this trail open for public. read more

See all

Looking for a beautiful coastal trail? Well look no further! It's a relatively flat trail at the end of MDO and the views are incredible! I would advise going on a week day and going early- I went on a Thursday when they first opened and had the trail all to myself. Also, make sure to check the hours before driving out there because they aren't open everyday and have limited hours when they are open. read more

Point Buchon Trail - Hiking Near Me - Los Osos, California

See all

It's quite lovely to go when the wildflowers were at their peak. Get ready for a jaunt through: * Grassy expanses where cattle roam free * Windswept hills -- hold onto your hat! * Curious and completely otherworldly coastal rock formations Thank you, PG&E, for opening up this wild private space for public enjoyment! read more

See all

So glad I found this place. The last stop basically at Montana de Oro so you can't miss it. I only went halfway because I spent a good amount at coon creek beach which was gorgeous! It's flat pretty much the entire way so you get a great deal of steps in and awesome views. On a clear day you can see everything and there were a lot of birds out. read more

See all

Hard to believe a few others claim there wasn't much to see. Panoramic views, ground erosion such as sink holes and arches beneath the ground's surface make for just part of this ultra scenic place. It's a landscape photographers' heaven as far as coastal view points go. I've been to the 12 apostles in southern Australia outside of Melbourne and this is equally as jaw dropping (search this online and you'll see what I'm referring too). We visited this trail a week ago and I'm unable to stop thinking about our journey. The wind can be intense as well as the ultra violet rays. We were fooled by gray cloud cover and when we returned our faces were red for several days. The glare of the ocean and sky can be a bit much, sunglasses and sun screen recommended. I've posted 7 photos at my flick account which is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/revup67/14234648990/in/photostream/ read more

See all

One of the most beautiful trails I have ever walked through! I can't recommend this enough. There are so many spots where you can take pictures and just enjoy the beauty sitting on a bench. The rock formations right off the cliffs are crazy. So this time when I went to Montana de Oro I was prepared. I knew I would not get service once inside the park, so I followed other yelpers advice on how to get here by taking screen shots of their reviews. Take the road all the way through the park. There are plenty of other hiking spots and bluffs, but keep going till it ends into a parking lot (past the Bluff and Hazard trail). Park your car and walk through a gate that informs you the hours and days the trail is open. You walk up a rather steep hill (this is as steep as it will ever get for the rest of your journey). There are two officials that check you in and have you sign a waiver that basically says PGE is not responsible for what happens to you here. The trail is around 3.7 miles one way and then you turn around. The trail is very well maintained. It is very wide, but there are some parts where it narrows. Nothing to worry about though. The flowers were in full bloom and the hills were full of orange poppies, purple and yellow wild flowers. It was really windy but the sun was shining. Make sure to wear sun block and bring a hat and sunglasses. I was tricked by the cool air and didn't realize till the night that my face and lips got sunburned. Also, bring water. There is a porter potty where you sign in and another one in the middle of the trail. Towards the end of the trail you walk through this cattle ranch where there are cows five feet from you. It is a beautiful scenic route and because of the distance can be a good work out. I would never say it is strenous or even medium, so if you are looking for a challenge, this is not it. If you are looking for a breathtaking walk through different types of plants with ocean views, you need to go here now. Great place to take visitors too! read more

Hello To all the People who Can't read the NO TRESPASSING SIGNS on the fence between the state park and coon creek beach. The only way you can have access to the beach is to come through the gate and fill out a waiver. The trail is open Thursday Thu Monday 8 am to 3:45. If people continue to trespass they will start to prosecute. and nobody wants that... read more

Point Buchon Trail - rainbow at Point Buchon - Hiking Near Me - Los Osos, California

See all

This a a great hike. Not too strenuous, and beautiful scenery. There are a few random unteathered cows and horses that are a little scary in one part, but they leave you alone. Word to the wise: We showed up at 2:15pm or so on a Sunday and we were the last ones let in. They want you off the trail by 4:45. We were able to go the length of the trail except for the last leg of it in two hours. read more

This is and ok trail not risk ,flat the entire trail what is beautifully is the view that is what paid off I recommend how do it during the weekend weeks day is hardly people around read more

It's very pretty but the park guide claims there's no PGE area. Finally found it and it's a very nice hike on flat trails.

Not a bad trail but not much to see nor was it very challenging. It's a very flat trail that basically wraps around. You get to walk alongside the ocean which was very nice, but the view didn't change much so it got a little boring after walking for about 30mins. The most challenging part is probably making it from the parking lot to the check-in point since there was a nice little hill. Other than that, not too exciting. There is one small part of the trail that you can hike down to a small beach, but the beach is covered with kelp and the waves come crashing, almost half way into the beach. If you're wearing tennis shoes (which you should be to hike) then you might not want to get wet. We did go down to take a few pictures but again, it wasn't super exciting. And when we came back up to the trail, my shoes were filled with sand, as were my socks. X_X Fail. Had to shake it out before continuing. I would say that it's not the best trail out there, but if you want to get a good stroll in, this can be your place. Remember to bring water and do your business before your start the trail- portable bathrooms next to check in point. read more

What a wonderful 7 mile hike along the coastline in Los Osos, California!! A 6.8 mile RT hike on relatively flat land, winding along the coastline. Beautiful! Can often spot whales. read more

I wouldn't call this a hike. It's more of a walk. Perhaps the Point Buchon Trail is lovely in the spring when wild flowers are blooming (providing we have had enough rain). But in July, it was rather dried up and baron. Consequently not a lot to see or experience. The only enjoyable part of the walk was the small beach with rocks and caves. The ranger folks at the check in location were rather hostile and unfriendly. I told them we would not be back nor would we recommend Point Buchon to any of our friends. read more

Thought I would do a quick review for you trail runners out there. This is an almost perfect trail for a nice fast run. It is mostly flat, but has just enough challenging hills to make it interesting. Most of it is more dirt road than trail, although there is some single track towards the end. The first 2.5 miles is right along the bluffs with spectacular views of the ocean and rocks. The last .8 miles to the trail terminus turns inland, is single track and is almost entirely downhill to the terminus. So you hit 3.3 miles and then have to turn around and go back up that long downhill. I ran it for the first time today. We actually took a different route back and ended up doing 3.75 miles in 1:12. I highly recommend this trail for runners. read more