Hiking

15 trails match your filters.

• Bluff Trail

  Easy

  Montaña 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

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• Elfin Forest Boardwalk

  Easy

  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

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• Hazard Reef Trail

  Easy

  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

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• Islay Creek Trail

  Easy

  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

  Get directions →Source

• Los Osos Oaks State Reserve

  Easy

  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

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• Marina Peninsula Trail

  Easy

  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

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• Black Hill Trail

  Moderate

  Morro Bay State Park · State Park Rd near campground, Morro Bay

  4 mi600 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Year-round

  Hikers say

  …it's a short, well-marked 2-mile steady climb to 360-degree views of Morro Rock, the estuary, and the ocean in about 20 minutes up — watch for poison oak on trail edges and note that fog can roll in fast and obscure the summit view.

  Nine Sisters summit, Morro Bay harbor views, ocean panorama.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  MBSP campground or Museum lot; $8 day-use

  Hazards

  Exposed summit; no shade on upper trail; rattlesnakes

  summit

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• Coon Creek Trail

  Moderate

  Montaña de Oro State Park · Coon Creek trailhead, Pecho Valley Rd

  5 mi250 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Spring and cool fall

  Hikers say

  …this narrow, riparian 5-mile round-trip passes through dense willows and crosses six wooden footbridges — wear long pants for ticks, watch for poison oak near the cypress grove endpoint, and expect abundant butterflies and wildflowers in spring.

  Cypress grove, old homestead, lighter traffic than Bluff or Valencia.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Coon Creek lot at south end of park

  Hazards

  Poison oak

  hidden gem

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• Crespi Trail

  Moderate

  Morro Bay State Park · South Bay Blvd side access, Morro Bay

  3 mi200 ft gainLoopBest: Year-round

  Hikers say

  …it's a smooth, flat path meandering through wetlands and sand dunes with direct views of Morro Rock and little foot traffic — a serene, accessible route that most Morro Bay visitors overlook entirely.

  Birding, estuary scenery, no summit push.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Roadside/day-use pullouts

  Hazards

  birding

  Get directions →Source

• Cerro Cabrillo via Quarry Trail

  Hard

  Morro Bay State Park · Quarry Trailhead, Morro Bay SP, off Hwy 1

  2.5 mi600 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Oct–May

  Hikers say

  …the maintained Quarry Trail becomes unmaintained and requires scrambling for the last 500 feet to the tiki-rock summit, with loose footing and poison oak in the boulder sections — but 360-degree views of Morro Rock, Montana de Oro, and the Santa Lucia Mountains are widely called worth the effort.

  Nine Sisters summit (911 ft), ocean panorama, Morro Bay harbor, Tiki Rock.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Day-use lot at Quarry Trailhead; $8 fee

  Hazards

  Rocky steep final push; no shade; rattlesnakes

  summit

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• Oats Peak Trail

  Hard

  Montaña de Oro State Park · Islay Creek CG, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos

  10.8 mi1,325 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Oct–May

  Hikers say

  …the new route is very gradual and mountain-bike-oriented with switchbacks that feel slow for hikers — panoramic views over the Irish Hills and inland canyons rather than the ocean-facing drama of Valencia Peak, with low foot traffic.

  Big-sky backcountry, fewer people than Valencia, remote feel.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Backcountry trailhead; carry map and water

  Hazards

  Remote; long mileage; poison oak

  hidden gem

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• Valencia Peak Trail

  Hard

  Montaña de Oro State Park · Valencia Peak TH, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos

  4.5 mi1,100 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Jun, Oct–Dec

  Hikers say

  …it's 4.5 miles and almost fully exposed with no shade, but the 360-degree view from the pyramid-shaped 1,275-foot summit — ocean south to Point Buchon, Morro Rock to the north, green hills in all directions in spring — is one of the best in SLO County.

  1,347-ft summit, 360° ocean panorama, Morro Rock view, wildflowers.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Free lot at Valencia Peak TH

  Hazards

  Exposed ridge — dangerous in high winds; rattlesnakes; poison oak

  summitcoastal

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• Hazard Peak via Bloody Nose / Hiedra Trail

  Strenuous

  Montaña de Oro State Park · MDO N entrance, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos

  6 mi1,200 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov

  Hikers say

  …this alternative approach weaves through a eucalyptus grove on Bloody Nose Trail before joining Hiedra Trail for outstanding views of Morro Rock and Hazard Canyon well before the summit — a worthwhile route variation that adds scenery and loop options compared to the direct Hazard Peak Trail.

  1,076-ft coastal summit, Morro Bay panorama, dune ecology.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  Free lot near Hazard Canyon Rd

  Hazards

  Exposed ridge; rattlesnakes; poison oak; trail erodes after rain

  summitcoastal

  Get directions →Source

• Oats Peak Trail (Full Route)

  Strenuous

  Montaña de Oro State Park · Islay Creek CG, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos

  10.8 mi1,325 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov

  Hikers say

  …the extended full route is a remote, quiet experience compared to Valencia Peak, with the best views oriented inland over the park's canyons and the Irish Hills rather than oceanward — slippery near the rocky summit regardless of trail shoes.

  Second highest MDO summit (1,373 ft), Irish Hills panorama, Morro Rock views.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Allowed

  Parking

  Islay Creek CG day-use lot; $10 fee

  Hazards

  High bike traffic; poison oak; remote; long mileage

  summithidden gem

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• Point Buchon Trail

  Strenuous

  Diablo Canyon / PG&E · MDO S boundary, Pecho Valley Rd, Los Osos

  6.8 mi600 ft gainOut-and-backBest: Mar–Oct

  Hikers say

  …it's one of Central California's most beautiful and uncrowded coastal hikes — 8 miles round-trip, almost entirely flat, on PG&E land requiring a signed waiver at the gate — with a collapsed sea cave sinkhole, cattle and coyotes on the bluffs, and near-total absence of other hikers as defining qualities.

  Remote coastal cliffs, sea caves, elephant seals, tidepools, condor sightings.

  Dogs

  Not allowed

  Bikes

  Not allowed

  Parking

  PG&E permit required; departs from MDO lot

  Hazards

  Advance PG&E permit required; steep coastal cliffs; rattlesnakes

  coastalhidden gem

  Get directions →Source