Central Coast

Santa Barbara County is famous for its beautiful beaches, and El Capitán State Beach is one worth noting, allowing visitors to camp on a low bluff just above the ocean. El Capitán State Beach is a fun place to camp with family and friends, relaxing by the ocean and falling asleep to the sound of the waves each night. The campground is located on a point 17 miles west of Santa Barbara, between Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean. ...Read more.

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. ...Read more.

Are you looking for a hike that's an action-packed adventure? Rarely does a 2.1-mile loop offer as much excitement as the hike to the Cave of Munits and Castle Peak. You'll start with a gradual warm-up across El Escorpion Park to Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve to find a fun vertical cave just begging to be explored. You won't need any ropes or gear to get through the cave, just an adventurous spirit that will lead you out the top of the cave to a tough off-trail ascent to Castle Peak, a panoramic summit towering over the west end of the San Fernando Valley. ...Read more.

Bishop Peak rises high over San Luis Obispo and there is nothing it overshadows more than Felsman Loop Trail. This 2.7-mile loop in Bishop Peak Natural Reserve crosses oak, sagebrush, and grass-covered slopes around the base of Bishop Peak, providing excellent views of that notable rocky summit and its San Luis Obispo surroundings. Felsman Loop Trail can be combined with Bishop Peak Trail for a 5. ...Read more.

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 through the park 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. ...Read more.

Located along the Pacific Ocean, twenty miles west of Santa Barbara, Refugio State Beach has 66 standard sites and one group site that can be reserved in advance for an ocean view camping experience. Palm trees line the beachfront campground, which is split down the middle by the leisurely flowing Refugio Creek. The meeting of the Refugio Creek and the Pacific Ocean makes the campground a haven for birds. ...Read more.

If one park is good, than two parks are better, and a trail between those parks brings out the best of both. Opened in the spring of 2013, the Connector Trail between Johnson Ranch Open Space and the Irish Hills Natural Reserve links two of San Luis Obispo County's great parks. The new trail also connects hikers with grassy slopes and oak-covered ridges with views across San Luis Obispo and Edna Valley. ...Read more.

Of all the Morros in San Luis Obispo County, Black Hill is the easiest to summit (even easier than Islay Hill. 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. ...Read more.

If you are looking for a peaceful stroll in the peaceful Central Coast city of Montecito, examine Ennisbrook Trail. This 1.85-mile lollipop loop with 150 feet of elevation change explores an oak woodland in the 44-acre San Ysidro Creek Preserve. The easy trail is charmed by old stone bridges spanning San Ysidro Creek, which you will follow on this creekside hike. ...Read more.

The city of Cambria is located on Highway One at the north end of San Luis Obispo County, and has earned the nickname "Gateway to the Big Sur Coast." Like that stunning area to the north, Cambria has its own beautiful waterfront. Explore sandy beaches and rocky tide pools on a 2.85-mile round trip hike down Moonstone Beach Boardwalk, crossing a pristine beach that is preserved by Hearst San Simeon State Park. ...Read more.