What a way to start the day after a good Starbucks experience. The views are breathtaking. We…read moreparked anf walked for 4.7 miles through many of the meandering trails at the Preserve. So amazing and the fresh air is nature's ambiance and so heavenly. Highly recommended

Parking is 5.55 and I was able to log on and use apple pay…read more This hike was very easy and moderate. The incline was slow, therefore you are not really able to feel it. But you can see it once you see other people hiking the same route. The view itself on the way up is beautiful, your able to smell the ocean smell, enjoy the view and just take it all in. Really green everywhere, watch out for the cow droppings because they do roam. If you lucky you can see them afar enjoy their grass and space. I would say it was maybe about 1.5 miles back and forth, I want to try the loop next time but these was just a quick little hike before we stuff ourselves with food!

One of my favorite places in SLO! I really appreciate the work the city workers (and/or volunteers)…read moredo to maintain this trail. I would say it's an easy to moderate hike to the top if you take the trail head near Meadow Park. I prefer the second trail on the left to the top of the main hill.

Hard to believe this open space hasn't been reviewed yet, unless everyone else is trying to keep it…read morea secret. ;-) I've been hiking and trail running through South Hills countless times since moving to SLO - if offers a peaceful serenity that borders on spiritual. It's also much farther from campus than any of the college kids are willing to go (LOL, but seriously). A great place to go if you want to get up high and get a gorgeous 360 view of SLO: Downtown, Bishop Peak, Cerro San Luis, Islay Hill, Laguna Lake, the airport, and south toward Pismo are all visible during from the footpaths in South Hills. Dogs are welcome, but it's worth nothing that the paths are considerably rockier in some places than the more traveled trails around SLO. You probably don't want to drag a 5-year-old on a "nature hike" up the more risky ones, but pick-up trucks have driven some flat frontage roads into the hillside that make for great running. Wildflowers, lizards, and red tail hawks run amok in the open space, and sunsets are truly gorgeous as the fog rolls in for the night. If you're looking for a relaxing walk or a place to clear your mind, check it out.

Very fun experience playing at the dunes! Took my 2 dirt bikes and also rented ATVs with my…read morefriends. SUPER affordable camping prices. Would recommend to people who's okay with camping in the car/RV that don't mind the sandy inconvenience. 4WD/AWD and basic low traction driving knowledge is necessary to get to the camp areas. Ocean view is nice to wake up to and the sound of the waves is super relaxing.

Driving on the beach just feels weird to me but my daughter really wanted to visit so we went to…read moresee what this experience was all about. The Oceano Dunes cover 1,500 acres and are a huge draw for ATV's, Razors, four wheel drive and motorcycles. It is open daily from 7am - 10pm for day use. The beach area can handle normal cars and trucks. We arrived late in the day and there was not a ranger in sight. There is a small fee of $5.00 to take your vehicle on the beach. We paid by the honor system since the fee station was closed. After we paid, we went ahead and drove down the driveway onto the sand. Speed limit is 15 mph. We did not go far but found a great place to park and take in the views. The second time we went back for sunset and parked in the paved parking lot instead. Everyone that was there was having a great time with campfires, waves rushing in and out, dogs and kids running around. The temperatures were perfect, just a light hoodie was needed. Overnight camping is available but does require a reservation especially during high season. My grandfather spent many summers with his buddies camping here and fishing away the days. It did feel good to be here knowing this was one of his favorite getaways. This is definitely a unique experience.

This is an amazing trail. There's free parking right before the start of the trail. The view of the…read moreocean is amazing and the breeze is refreshing. This is an easy hike that anyone can do without hiking gear! It's a long trail that goes all the way down along the coast before turning around and going back the same way. Theres benches to sit and enjoy the view along the way. As well as designated spots to enjoy the view over the cliff. There's also animals you could potentially spot! We saw deers and sea lions. I saw a sign about tidepool and all the animals they have but we didn't walk far enough to see it! Please note the sign says no pets.

Trails Never Fails…read more Four-mile out-&-back trail located at Montaña de Oro State Park that hugs the coast giving hikers a stellar view of the Cali coastline. The Good: *Free! *Stunning views *Flat and easy trail for all ages *Trails are/were in pretty good shape when we were there. *Small paved lot, as well as some roadside parking available. *There's a vault toilet in the aforementioned paved lot. *Easy drive up from Morro Bay; it's just a few miles if windy roads and you're there. The Meh: *Park is very popular so get here early to secure parking. The Ugly: *There are some annoying little gnat bug things that hang around in areas where the wind isn't strong, so be sure to bring bug spray. Conclusion: Fantastic, Family-friendly hike that's 100% worth visiting if you're in the SLO area.

A fun jaunt amongst hike-lovers. The terrain is reasonably safe, with lots of mud and cow pies…read more During these atmospheric rivers, I'd urge you to wear, at minimum, mid-height water proof hiking shoes. Bring water, because there will be lots of beautiful sun exposure. Great spots to take pictures of the rolling green hills against a cloud lit backdrop and the historic Waddell Ranch Estate. Will return with the kid's and plan to hike the entire loop. (As long as the crest side isn't fully flooded.)

What a great location…read more First, it couldn't be easier to find as it is at the end of Madonna Road (at Devaul Ranch Rd) in between two houses, with Laguna Lake Park across the street. Residential parking is easy to find. You can even watch someone's TV while you stretch. Second, there is a variety of hikes. Check the a map out front. Take a picture of that. You will have some forks and decisions to make and that will help. We climbed UP the Maricopa trail. The first half is a steady incline under a shady canopy. Shady in both senses of the word: a) it shields you from the sun, b) it's a sneaky place for a mountain lion to hide. You will cross some teeny-tiny bridges. The second half is under the sun. There are at least three stretches steeper than 45 degrees, so stretch first. We made it to the fork and decided to go down. We were close to the 600' elevation gain, or so I'd like to think. I'm mid-40s with premature arthritis and I'm 20-30% heavier than I should be, so it wasn't too hard, but I didn't want to push it. We went down King trail. King trail has no shade as it zigs and zags through an open meadow of knee-high fire bait. That will do a number on your calves. The decline is much more consistent that the Maricopa, and is longer. You could go UP the King and DOWN the Maricopa, but I feel Maricopa's uneven terrain is better suited for climbing. Plus, going up the King, backwards in my eyes, you would be zagging and zigging.

This was a gorgeous hike, but I recommend taking Avila Beach Dr to Cave Landing Rd and parking…read morethere. Go clockwise around the trail, so you'll start by going UP! It's steep, and the ground is loose... Sphew!!! Once you're up, though, everything feels easier (and you know your strength!). There are a couple of spots with rope swings at the top! We missed the one with the wooden bench part but loved the one we did find anyway. I used my hiking poles, and more than one person we met along the way said they wished they had some too! There were also some trail runners (how?! No clue!) who clearly did not need poles. :P So, you do you!

We parked at Cave Landing lot at 2:30pm, it was hot in mid June, not ideal temp for hiking but we…read moremade the best of it by taking breaks in the shade. This was a short but challenging hike with rewarding views all around. We hiked counter clock direction with the extreme steep downhill part at the end. This was a wise decision because if my graduating daughter saw that steep grade at the start, she would have quit on the spot. My son and I christened our new hiking boots, his Keen Targhee 4, mine Altra Lone Peak 6. It took us 1.5 hours to complete 3 miles, with a longish rest stop at the swings. I told the family that next time we drive by this hill along 101N, we can be proud that we have hiked it.

Took a one night camping trip here for our grandson's 12th birthday. Rented the cutest little cabin…read morethat had electricity and large double size bunk beds. Close to the marina and restaurant as well as bathrooms. Went fishing from docks here and went paddle boarding. Nice people here and a lot of fun!

Would not recommend, we booked for Wednesday and Thursday leaving friday, but they have some stupid…read morerule where fridays and Saturdays have to be booked together and even though I didn't book for friday they tried making us book Friday and Saturday

Hiking eval.: "Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill"…read more I am not sure what some people are smoking, but for those who are not in great shape, if you do happen to take the path to the very top, it can be quite challenging. It can also be rather hazardous, since the trail is very narrow, and is composed of a lot of loose dirt. Higher up, there are wooden cross pieces that hold the dirt in place, but some are damaged, broken, or missing. If you are afraid of heights this is not a place to go. The cow with the binoculars on top of the hill is kind of cheesy, but it is a good illustration of the nice views both on the trails, and on top. Of course, since there are three different entrances, you can make the hike easier by just going part way up and then toward a far entrance. You can even return to your point of origin by either walking inside of Islay Park or in the residential areas. The hiking trail entrances, trails, & they way up the hill are maintained a bit. As for me, I made good use of hiking poles, especially on the way down. If you are as slow as I am, then you periodically need to make way for those who go faster [and in my case, that is everyone]. If you do not want to be bothered with too many other fast hikers, then going on a weekday before rush hour is a good bet. On the part of the trail that goes down to the Orcutt Road side, there can be quite a few cows in the afternoon and thus there is Cow Manure to avoid. Of course, rating the difficulty of any given trail depends upon a whole host of factors. I think Alltrails, which I do use with a grain of salt, rates this one as easy to moderate. As for me, I rate it difficult to get to the top & down. Including walking in Islay Park & the residential area, we did close to 6 miles of either walking or hiking. I already broke my back & knee from various falls in the past, so I am especially cautious. One definitely needs to have either trail sneakers or hiking shoes in view of the dirt and the real possibility of slipping. Not that anyone plans to get injured, but this trail is so narrow toward the top and the slope is so steep, I do not see how a rescue can easily happen on the way up. While I hear that this is "easier" than going up Bishop Peak, I imagine it is all relative. I think even though this is called a hill, once you manage to get up on top, it sure seems more like a "mountain", but I grew up in the Flatlands area of Brooklyn....which was...quite Flat!

One of the easier hikes out of the "Nine Sisters". It's definitely moderate and gets a little…read moreharder towards the top. You'll be rewarding with a great, 360 view of San Luis Obispo. Wear some sunscreen and a hat as there's no cover here to protect you from the sun. I started from the trail entrance near the Islay Hill Park (where I also parked my car). There's a cow statue at the top which I found hilarious. Wasn't expecting that but there are cows and farms in the area so it makes sense. It's also neat that they had dog leashes for free at one of the trail entrances since dogs are allowed on leash here.