13 trails match your filters.
Bluff Trail
EasyMontaña de Oro State Park · Spooner's Cove, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos
3.5 mi120 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
Hikers say
…it's the best easy coastal walk in SLO County — flat, wide, and wheelchair-accessible, with side spurs to tide pools at Corallina Cove that get crowded on weekends, but the bluff views of Spooner's Cove and natural rock arches reward any pace.
Sea cliffs, tide pools, coastal wildflowers, whale watching. The park's most universally appealing walk.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Free day-use lot at Spooner's Cove; crowded spring weekends
- Hazards
- Unstable cliff edges; erodes after storms
coastalfamily-friendly
Avila Beach · Ontario Rd at Higuera St, SLO
8.6 mi60 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…this paved, mostly flat path is shared heavily with e-bikes, families, and strollers, with the Secret Garden restaurant as a popular midpoint stop and clear coastal weather making it a reliable year-round walk to the beach.
Creek corridor, birdwatching, finishes at Avila Beach pier. Paved multi-use path.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Parking
- Free lot on Ontario Rd; Avila Beach lot fee in summer
- Hazards
- Road crossings; busy with cyclists on weekends
local favoritefamily-friendly
Los Osos · 15th St & Santa Ana Creek Rd, Los Osos
1 mi40 ft gainLoopBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…the 800-year-old coast live oaks top out below head height, the well-maintained boardwalk off 16th Street is the only stroller and wheelchair-accessible entry, and the views of Morro Rock from the ridge overlooks are the standout payoff of an easy 45-minute loop.
Pygmy manzanita, ancient live oaks, Morro Bay estuary views, birdwatching.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Small free lot on 15th St
- Hazards
- Boardwalk slippery when wet; stay on trail
hidden gembirdingfamily-friendly
Montaña de Oro State Park · Hazard Canyon trailhead, Pecho Valley Rd
0.8 mi50 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Year-round; best at low tide
Hikers say
…this short out-and-back drops quickly through Hazard Canyon to a rocky shoreline with tide pools and a postcard-straight view north to Morro Rock — a quick and distinct complement to the Bluff Trail.
Reef and tidepool scenery, coastal views.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Hazard Canyon day-use parking
- Hazards
coastalfamily-friendly
Montaña de Oro State Park · Islay Creek Campground, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos
6 mi250 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
Hikers say
…it's a gentle 6-mile round-trip dirt road up a sycamore-lined canyon with a small waterfall at the midpoint — wear long pants for ticks and narrow vegetation, with a shaded Monterey cypress grove at the old homestead as the turnaround reward.
Oak-shaded canyon, small waterfall, historic barn, creek crossings.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Islay Creek CG day-use lot; $10 fee
- Hazards
- Creek crossings impassable after heavy rain; poison oak
Johnson Ranch Open Space · End of South Higuera St, SLO
2.3 mi340 ft gainLoopBest: Oct–May
Hikers say
…this exposed, rolling-hills trail has virtually no shade and closes after heavy rain due to sticky mud, but spring wildflowers and the heron rookery overlook make it worth combining with the yellow loop for a fuller experience.
Gentle grade, pond views, broad meadows.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Parking
- Dedicated trailhead lot
- Hazards
- Rattlesnakes spring–summer
family-friendlylocal favorite
Laguna Lake Loop
EasyLaguna Lake Park · 504 Madonna Rd, SLO
2 mi60 ft gainLoopBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…it's a casual dog-friendly walk around a lake that looks like 'chocolate milk,' the off-leash dog park is the real draw, and the homeless encampments near the parking area have deterred some families in recent years.
Lakeside birding, waterfowl, cattail marsh, Cerro San Luis views.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Parking
- Free lot at park entrance; fills on weekends
- Hazards
- Algae bloom late summer; muddy after rain
family-friendlybirding
Los Osos · Los Osos Valley Rd, Los Osos
1.5 mi30 ft gainLoopBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…the eerie, shaded atmosphere of 800-year-old pygmy oaks draped in seafoam lichen is unlike anything nearby — the unfenced reserve has unofficial trails that make it easy to get lost, and poison oak is serious if you leave the path, but it draws very few crowds.
800-year-old coast live oaks, pygmy forest, rare plant habitat.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Small roadside lot; free
- Hazards
- Stay on trail — fragile soil crust
hidden gemfamily-friendly
Morro Bay State Park · State Park Rd, Morro Bay
0.7 mi20 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…it's a flat loop transitioning from dirt to boardwalk across a salt marsh with close-up shorebird viewing and direct views of Morro Rock — a hidden gem that most visitors miss entirely.
Heron rookery Feb–Jun, cormorant nesting, Morro Rock views, estuary.
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Morro Bay SP Marina; $8 day-use fee
- Hazards
- Sandy and steep at far end; muddy in wet season
birding
Morro Bay · San Jacinto St & Coral Ave, Morro Bay
3.5 mi40 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…it's a simple half-mile walk from Cloisters Park's wetland boardwalk through sand dunes to the beach, then a mile of open sand walking directly toward Morro Rock — an easy and scenic 3-mile round-trip with virtually no elevation gain.
Beach walk, Morro Rock, coastal wetland, shorebirds, harbor seals.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Parking
- Free lot at Cloisters Park; gravel lot at Morro Rock
- Hazards
- No climbing on Morro Rock — peregrine nesting
coastalfamily-friendly
South Hills Open Space · 385 Woodbridge St, SLO
1.5 mi450 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Oct–May
Hikers say
…it's a short but rewarding summit run through blue-gray boulders with an increasingly panoramic view of Laguna Lake, the Irish Hills, and Bishop Peak, set minutes from downtown — easy to reach but rocky near the top.
Serpentine wildflowers, 360° city views, rock outcrops.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Roadside on Exposition/Woodbridge; free
- Hazards
- Slippery serpentine rock when wet; fire closure risk in summer
hidden gem
Terrace Hill Open Space · Near Bishop/High side streets, SLO
0.8 mi275 ft gainLoopBest: Year-round
Hikers say
…the summit was quarried flat in the 1920s, leaving a broad mesa with 360-degree city views in under 10 minutes — but loose pebbles on the descent make traction critical even in good shoes.
Panoramic city views, excellent sunrise and sunset destination.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Street parking only
- Hazards
hidden gemfamily-friendly
Whale Rock Reservoir, Cayucos · Old Creek Road entrance, Cayucos
4.2 mi282 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Spring and mild fall
Hikers say
…it's a peaceful, rolling-hills 4-mile out-and-back past cattle, oaks, and sycamores along a fishing access road, with simultaneous reservoir and ocean views from the hilltop — seasonally open Wednesday through Sunday from late April to mid-November only.
Reservoir shoreline, raptors, spring wildflowers.
- Dogs
- Allowed
- Bikes
- Not allowed
- Parking
- Small fee area with restrooms and picnic spots
- Hazards
hidden gem