SLO Outdoor Guide

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ADVENTURING MADE EASY



CONTENTS INTRO / 3 MAPS / 5 TRAILS / 12 BEACHES / 68 DOG BEACHES / 102 BONFIRE SPOTS / 104 HAMMOCKING / 106 MOUNTAIN BIKING / 108 SURFING / 110 FISHING / 112 CAMPING / 114 RENTALS + ADVENTURE TOURS / 122 SAFETY INFO / 130 FIELD NOTES / 136



INTRODUCTION This pocket guide contains a collection of information about outdoor activities in and around San Luis Obispo. In it you can find suggestions and tips on hiking, camping, kayaking, biking, and more. The content is based on our personal experiences and information gathered from multiple sources. Every location in the guide is listed from north to south. We hope this little resource is helpful and that it encourages you to explore new places! GUIDE TO THE ICONS Orange or blue = Allowed or available Gray with slashes = Not allowed or available Left to right: Dog policy, Sunrise or sunset vista point, Mountain biking, Hammocking, Fishing, Camping, Bonfires

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TRAILS 12 trails

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HARMONY HEADLANDS LOCATION Harmony Headlands State Park, 4500 CA-1, Cayucos DISTANCE 4.5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 135 feet TIME 2 hours Harmony Headlands State Park preserves 784 acres along California’s Central Coast between Cayucos and Cambria. Setting out from Highway One, a gradual 4.5 mile lollipop loop crosses a coastal valley to reach picturesque ocean bluffs. The easy bench-lined hike ascends about 85 feet up a wide dirt road before descending 135 feet to the coast where a footpath can be used to explore the rugged oceanfront. 14 trails sswteiooelrfdktfVylsiionesbwliyiltleolvwriianonsldeetdatahnvsedacoeornllioieotrtneoi!des

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ESTERO BLUFFS LOCATION Estero Bluffs State Park, CA-1, Cayucos To find Estero Bluffs State Park, drive north on Highway 1 from Cayucos and look for parking areas about four miles from town. DISTANCE 5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 150 feet TIME 2 hours 15 minutes Estero Bluffs State Park features flat open trails with expansive views of the bay and Morro Rock in the distance. The rocky coastline here is filled with tide pools and is a favorite habitat for otters and harbor seals, who like to play just offshore. You can access the ocean by scrambling down a trail near San Geronimo Creek. The coastline features several pocket coves. The bluff trail is decorated with wildflowers in the spring, and the park is always a prime spot for capturing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. This is a great spot for a picnic either on the bluffs or in one of the coves. slo outdoor guide 17

HANG GLIDER HILL LOCATION 448 Chaney Ave, Cayucos DISTANCE 1 mile ELEVATION CHANGE 359 feet TIME 20 minutes This popular hang glider launch area offers sweeping views overlooking the Pacific Ocean from Cayucos to Morro Bay. Easy to access on foot or with an off-road vehicle, Hang Glider Hill allows visitors to watch hang gliders take off and descend the hillside effortlessly. Watching the sunset here makes the relatively steep climb worth it. 18 trails

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CERRO ALTO LOCATION Cerro Alto Campground, CA-41, Morro Bay There is a day use parking fee at the trailhead. DISTANCE 5.35 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 1,600 feet TIME 3 hours 15 minutes The 2,624 foot summit of Cerro Alto is one of the highest points in San Luis Obispo County and delivers a panoramic view. It seems like you can see the entire county from the top of the commanding peak, including each of the volcanic peaks stretching between Morro Bay and Edna Valley, the Nine Sisters. 20 trails

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BLACK HILL LOCATION Morro Bay State Park, Upper State Park Rd, Morro Bay DISTANCE 0.6 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 190 feet TIME 15 minutes Of the nine volcanic plugs (known as the “Nine Sisters”) in San Luis Obispo County, Black Hill is the easiest to summit. This 661-foot volcanic peak in Morro Bay State Park can be reached by hiking 0.6 miles round trip up a dirt single track with 190 feet of elevation gain and views over the city of Morro Bay. For those looking for more, there are longer hikes to the summit starting farther down Black Hill. 22 trails

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ELFIN FOREST LOCATION The Elfin Forest Natural Area, 1103 Santa Lucia Ave, Los Osos DISTANCE 1.5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE None TIME 20 minutes The Elfin Forest is in the El Morro Elfin Forest Natural Area, a 90 acre refuge that has a mile of wooden boardwalks with a couple of viewing platforms. It has dense areas of unique 500 year old pygmy oaks and the reserve sits on top of an ancient sand dune along the southwestern shore of Morro Bay. slo outdoor guide 25

MORRO DUNES LOCATION Morro Dunes Ecological Reserve, Broderson Ave and Highland Dr, Los Osos DISTANCE 2.5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 164 feet TIME 1 hour 30 minutes This hike loops into the northern section of Montaña de Oro State Park and has a large variety of terrain. If you don’t want to do the entire loop, the first part of the trail is easy to navigate 26 trails

and is perfect for an out-and-back dog walk that provides cool views of Morro Bay. The trail’s highest point, about 800 feet above sea level, provides an amazing panoramic view of Los Osos Valley. There are some tricky narrow spots with high walls formsed by rainwater, and the trail gets steep once you enter Montaña De Oro. Dogs are allowed in the Morro Dunes Ecological Reserve portion of the trail, but not in the Montaña de Oro State Park portion. slo outdoor guide 27

HAZARD PEAK LOCATION Montaña De Oro State Park, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos DISTANCE 6 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 950 feet TIME 3 hours Looking north from this coastal 1,076 foot summit, you won’t see anything even half as tall as Hazard Peak for about 15 miles, giving you a full view of the dune-lined coast backed by the iconic Morro Rock. Hazard Peak (named after a previous landowner, Alexander Hazard, and not for some grand danger) has 360 degree views that extend west over the Pacific and east and south over the Irish Hills. 28 trails

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VALENCIA PEAK LOCATION Montaña De Oro State Park, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos DISTANCE 4.5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 1,275 feet TIME 2 hours 45 minutes At 1,347 feet, Valencia Peak is one of the highest summits in Montaña de Oro State Park and may provide the best panorama of the park’s stunning shoreline and inviting inland peaks. slo outdoor guide 31

BLUFF TRAIL LOCATION Montaña De Oro State Park, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos DISTANCE 3.25 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 100 feet TIME 1 hour 15 minutes Bluff Trail is a level coastal trail suitable for hikers, bikes, and wheelchairs with a host of side trails that allow for outings between one and five miles. A hike of around three miles round trip with 90 feet of elevation change is the perfect way to see all the tide pools, beaches, rock islands, and natural bridges, along the superb coastline of Montaña De Oro State Park, hitting highlights like Corallina Cove, Quarry Cove, and Grotto Rock. 32 trails

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COON CREEK LOCATION Montaña De Oro State Park, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos DISTANCE 5 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 250 feet TIME 2 hours 30 minutes Coon Creek Trail explores a coastal canyon at the south end of Montaña de Oro State Park. The trail heads inland for 2.5 miles to a pleasant grove of Monterey cypress at the site of an old homestead 34 trails

that has since disappeared. Take a break in the shade of the cypress trees before turning around for a 5 mile round trip hike with 250 feet of elevation gain. Junctions with Rattesnake Flats Trail and Oats Peak Trail allow hikers to explore even more of Montaña de Oro State Park. slo outdoor guide 35

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POINT BUCHON LOCATION Montaña De Oro State Park, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos DISTANCE 6.6 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 350 feet TIME 3 hours Point Buchon Trail offers some of the most scenic views of the Central Coast coastline, perfectly preserved and protected. The trail is a 6.6 mile round trip hike located on the northern end of PG&E property and is accessed through Montaña de Oro State Park. This scenic coastal trail has been open to the public since 2007 and is known for its panoramic views of beautiful headlands and off-shore sea stacks. The trail is open Thursday through Monday, year-round. slo outdoor guide 37

EAST CUESTA RIDGE LOCATION US-101 and Mt Lowe Rd, Santa Margarita DISTANCE 10.2 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 1,075 feet TIME 4 hours 15 minutes East Cuesta Ridge Road, also known as Mount Lowe Road, is a dirt road that crosses the dominant ridgeline in the Santa Lucia Mountains northeast of San Luis Obispo. Views from the trail extend over San Luis Obispo and its surrounding peaks toward the ocean to the west at Morro Bay and to the south by Oceano Dunes. 38 trails

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STENNER CREEK LOCATION 2635 Stenner Creek Rd, San Luis Obispo DISTANCE 3.7 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 650 feet TIME 2 hours Crafty mountain bikers have built a playground for themselves in a eucalyptus grove in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Cal Poly. It is 1.85 miles from a trailhead on Stenner Creek Road to The Eucs, where bikers can zip down freeride trails with impressive banked turns and jumps. Hikers can enjoy the trail up Stenner Creek Canyon too, taking in views of nearby Bishop Peak and surrounding San Luis Obispo County landscapes. slo outdoor guide 41

SERENITY SWING LOCATION Village Dr and Poly Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo DISTANCE 4 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 900 feet TIME 2 hours 42 trails

This hike is well known for featuring a tree swing with an amazing view of Poly Canyon. The trail begins in Cal Poly’s campus and passes through the “Architecture Graveyard”. The hike is gorgeous in spring when the hills are green and full of wildflowers and offers great views of the Cuesta Grade and Cerro Romauldo to the north. Make sure to spare some time for swinging and picture taking at the top. slo outdoor guide 43

BISHOP PEAK LOCATION 787 Patricia Dr, San Luis Obispo DISTANCE 4.2 miles ELEVATION CHANGE 1,175 feet TIME 2 hours Bishop Peak is the tallest of the Nine Sisters, the picturesque volcanic Morros stretching across San Luis Obispo. The iconic mountain has a rocky crown shaped like a bishop’s miter, which provides panoramic views over the city and nearby peaks. The single-track trail to the 1,559 foot summit is demanding and rewarding­—­ a truly excellent hike. 44 trails