MDO Bluffs Walk
Our easiest hike is more of a walk along a crushed gravel path wide enough for several to walk abreast. It's also the only regular hike that descends from the trailhead. Expect views of the rugged California coastline, some of which you can descend to the rocks and tide pools below.
Quick Facts
- Time: 1-1:20 hours
- Distance: 2-4 miles (flexible)
- Elevation gain: 100-150'
- Difficulty: Easy
- Surface: Mostly crushed gravel path
- Access: Wheelchair and stroller friendly
- Dogs: Service dogs on leash only
- Weather: Exposed to coastal conditions
Learn about elevation profiles
The Experience
We pitch this as a social event and people rarely leave disappointed. The trail is wide and flat enough for groups to walk side by side. Even veteran hikers appreciate a less-than-perky pace as they find themselves in sustained conversations. I'm surprised this isn't more popular with sightseers, but maybe Montaña de Oro State Park is too out of the way to earn attention beyond SLO County.
Photo Spots & Views
Almost exactly one mile in is a picnic table on the right. Go around that to get down to the rocks by the water, although the walk is tricky since the ground is mostly vertical slabs of rocks. Some hikers like to snap photos here, so allow five or ten minutes.
Weather Considerations
The trail faces the Pacific Ocean with no protection, unlike Pismo Preserve which faces a bay. In recent years we've gotten better cell coverage, but don't count on reliable service from any carrier. We've turned around several times when rain started to catch us. You can turn around at any point.
Group Notes
Cell reception is unreliable, so waiting at the trailhead for latecomers can be futile. If people do find our group on the can't-miss-it route, great! More than once people have driven away before I reach the parking lot with the last hikers.
Jen Henderson, who leads this hike monthly, likes to follow up with dinner at Beerwood in Baywood Park.
- Montaña de Oro State Park, south of Los Osos
- Hike time: 1–2 hours
- 2–4 miles out and back
- 100–150’ elevation gain
- Only service dogs allowed
- Wheelchair- and stroller-friendly
Photos by Joe Gremillion