Great place to stroll. Saw some whales. The walkway was clean with beautiful flowers. The trail…read morewas easy to navigate gate. Spectacular views of pacific coast. It's a must. Wear comfortable shoes hats and water. Donation is optional. Free admission

On my annual trip to Cambria, this trail walk is a must. It's so beautiful! They have a very nice…read morewalkway that borders the ocean on one side and rolling hills on the other side. When your on the trail closest to the water, a lot of times you can find seals, or birds, or if you look way in the distance, whale spouts. Along the trail they have really cool driftwood made beaches for you to sit and just take it all in. The tide pools by the homes are fun to walk around and experience as well. It's just a breathtaking walk. On my last trip it was really neat to see all these people out painting. I loved watching them create their masterpieces. I would almost love to find out if they are for sale. Some of them were amazing that I would love to have in my home! I definitely recommend walking this trail. It's a very easy flat loop to walk.

People say there's nothing to do in San Simeon except Hearst Castle...Of course, those with inside…read moreknowledge know where the cool non-touristy stuff can be found. Where.. The Jung Ranch Trail has two entry points where you can park and hike. The most accessible starting point (perfect for those staying in the area's motels) is at the end of 271 Vista Del Mar Ave. The other end of this trail is off Lone Palm Dr. The Hike.. The Jung trail about 1 mile in length from endpoint to endpoint. For the most part, it's pretty flat and could be easily walked by most people. This trail goes along San Simeon's breezy beach cliffs with plenty of access to the beach and the tide pools below. The Tide Pools.. If you have kids be sure to come here around low tide. While the specimens not be amazing when compared to other famous tide pools, there are crabs and sea anemones everywhere. You'll like see a sea lion of the farther out rocks. The kids said this was the highlight of our most recent trip. Know this! It can be very windy and cold on this trail. Dress appropriately. Definitely snakes in the field so stay on the path..

This trail isn't far from Hwy 1. There is a small area on a side road to the North park, or a…read morelonger side road on the south end to park. you can walk the trail which I believe is around 2-3 miles. We saw the pictures of the tide pools so was hoping to see something. So we made our way down and was walking the tide-pools getting looks as if we were nuts because the waves were big so we had to wait until the wave went down to walk a little bit, stop, and go again. But we didn't see anything in the tide-pools.

This is a viewing spot in a residential area. While it is great for sitting on a bench and viewing…read morethe sea life below the cliffs, there is no stairs down to the beach currently. The storm washed them away, so no tide pool rock hopping until the stairs are back. There are otter, herons and seals to watch and an amazing spot for sunsets. If you are looking for a quiet spot to propose to someone, this would be a winner.

We stopped by the park on our way out of town to get one more view of the ocean. Luckily for us,…read morethe tide was out. So we parked in the tiny lot and followed the trail towards the staircase- where we had full access to the beach and tide pools below. There were only a handful of other people exploring. I think unfortunately the stairs and rocky beach puts a limit on who can enter. However don't be discouraged because the views from the benches on the cliff are just as amazing. The hour we spent there was so peaceful and tranquil. My husband and our dog perched themselves on a large rock while I sat on the beach and enjoyed the sun warming my back. We left with a renewed energy and appreciation of the ocean.

This trail is a great way to explore some of the central Cali coast! And PRO TIP: there are about…read morefive other beaches used by the Elephant Seals so their breeding season is a wonderful time to visit (winter months). And these are much less crowded view points than the main one. Another tip - sunsets along this trail are positively magical too! The Pacific coast along this trail is packed full of giant boulders for the waves to crash against- just gorgeous views all around. And bonus - you get to see the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse from several different angles and view points too! You'll see lots of wildlife too - ground squirrels, tons of birds, definitely Elephant Seals, and sea otters if you're lucky and have a good eye. AllTrails says this trail is just over 5 miles with 252 feet elevation gain. I honestly didn't notice any elevation gain - seemed flat to me but probably bc it's so gradual. The trailhead is located at the larger, paved parking lot in the main Elephant Seal vista point (the north view point). From that location, it's about 2 miles to the end. There's a lovely, more wild beach area at the end of the trail that puts you pretty close to the seals too. It's fenced for their safety (and you're lol) but the views are fantastic. The trail can get muddy in places but they installed boards and bridges in those spots - it's pretty well maintained. No bugs in winter either. But my understanding is it gets pretty buggy in summer and watch out for ticks! Parking is in the two lots for the "Elephant Seal vista point" and is free and ample. There are no bathrooms anywhere around here so be prepared.

The trail runs from the paved elephant seal viewing parking for near two miles, to a half mile…read morenorth of the Piedras Blancas Light Station, which offers spectacular scenic vistas of the coastline and opportunities for wildlife viewing. The trail includes coastal bluff, grassland, and wetland areas, however, no dogs are permitted.

In the coastal seaside town of Cambria, the town has a boardwalk. No not the kind that has hot dog…read more stands and carnival games. Instead the kind that's an ADA compliant walking path. The boardwalk sits on the bluff with ocean views. From the boardwalk, there are cut out trails leading towards the beach. Those trails may be carved out paths and some may be purposefully maintained access points. The boardwalk stretches one mile (one way, 2 miles round trip). Start or end either from the North end or Leffingwell Landing. Those points have parking lots. The boardwalk was refreshed in October 2023. The boardwalk material is all natural wood. The planks are level, spaced tightly close to each other, and weather proofed and slip resistant . Great!

It's a very well maintained boardwalk that stretches across the edge of the beach. The views are…read morebeautiful and there's several sets of stairs that'll take you down to the sand. When you visit Cambria you want to make sure you take a walk on this boardwalk. There are also a few spots with benches to be able to take a break. This area of California is quiet and very scenic. You'll also be able to park your car along the boardwalk and it's free. Very rare for a CA beach.

Nice as far as it had friendly host, regularly cleaned bathrooms, and shower availability. But be…read morecareful about getting campsites closer to the water - it gets windy during the day and can be a little miserable. The upper campground - Washburn is further from the water but with nice views of the mountains. In between is nice too, just avoid the high hundreds numbers - 131. 132,133 for wind. Beach access was cool. Lots of green rocks and driftwood for kids to build with. They also had an amphitheater and we saw a ranger talk on great white sharks. Also a nice home base to go your Hearst castle or do wine tasting. Cambria and Harmony are cute nearby towns to see.

April 18, 2025 The…read morelocation of this state park can't be beat. Located on the coast, it is near many "must-see" attractions, such as Hearst Castle and the Elephant Seal viewpoints. This State Park has a day-use area and two campgrounds: Washburn Day Use Area, San Simeon Creek Campground and the more primitive Washburn Campground. San Simeon Creek Campground is closer to the ocean; Washburn Campground is about a mile or two inland, overlooking the Santa Lucia mountains. The day-use area is open from 8AM to sunset, and is easily accessed from Highway 1, has picnic sites, parking, restrooms, water faucets, barbecue grills, and easy beach access (unless you are a dog...) One star down from an excellent rating for two reasons: The beach, sadly, is NDA (no dogs allowed), and the day use picnic tables are located next to the highway.

Beautiful, secluded, and sandwiched between San Simeon and Ragged Point - well worth a stop if…read moreyou're in the area! A true hidden gem - I only found it bc I caught the sweeping views of the creek flowing onto the beach flanked by cliffs with vibrant blue-green waters against rich, deep brown sands while driving along the PCH. It was so breathtaking I just had to stop! And eventually I found the trailhead - there's a gated entrance that almost looks like someone's private property but the hiking trail becomes obvious as you approach. The trail is sandy and mostly flat. It's part of the Los Padres National Forest and also a Snowy Plover nesting site - so be sure to stick to the trails while heading to the beach. The creek flows to a large pool created by a rise in sand on the beach, trapping the creek waters and creating a refuge for shore birds. At low tide and when the creek isn't overflowing, you can easily get onto the beach itself by walking to the end of the creek pool - there's a little dry, sandy spit taking you out onto the beach. But at high tide you may have to wade in the creek a bit bc it sometimes joins up with the ocean waters. The sand is the deepest, richest brown I've ever seen - very unique! And really makes the gorgeous blue-green waters on the Pacific pop! The trail is pretty short - only 1/2 mile to the beach. Flat and easy. It's part of the CCT (California Coastal Trail) so that's always fun. There's a large coastal pine with a makeshift fire pit under it right before you get to the beach - apparently someone was living there at one time lol - but not anymore. The beach is full of beautiful pieces of driftwood- such a lovely place to explore. There are also sea caves but unfortunately I was on a time crunch - wish I could've explored more! There's a small bit of paved parking at the trailhead - maybe room for 1-2 cars. But across the street there's plenty of parking along the side of the street. There aren't any bathrooms or facilities here so plan ahead. The trail is listed on AllTrails - Incredibly beautiful hidden gem that I will definitely leave more time to explore on my next visit - highly recommend!

Another one of San Simeon's secret trails and beaches. The San Carpoforo Beach Trail has amazing…read morescenery and seclusion. The Trailhead is just past the San Carpoforo Creek bridge ( 13 miles north of Hearst Castle) and across the street from a Lime colored house. Park in front of the trailhead or across the street. The walk isn't a long one at less than half a mile, but when you count all the exploring options around the beach and lagoon you will definitely get a lot of steps in. There's a ton a driftwood around this beach and if you hike to the north below the cliff ( if the tide is low) you can find a small secluded beach and a large sea cave. To the south is Ragged point. Note - The sand here is different than the other beaches in the area especially close to the water. It's very porous. There are also unique sand fleas/flies only found at this beach next to water. Tip - Keep a keen eye on the fields on the both sides of the road when driving here (Highway 1). I've seen herds of Elk and various deer.

This is always a must stop for me while I'm in these parts near San Simeon, CA. I still think it's…read morepretty darn special to catch a glimpse of an elephant seal. Plus the parking and vista point viewing is free. FREE! I was in these parts in mid-summer. I was able to see quite a good number of elephant seals including some juveniles. They were all on shore to molt (shed their skin). They are known to come to shore to molt in April-August. The vista point has a large parking lot. There are boardwalks to the right and left with views of the beach below. Nobody is allowed onto the beach; it's against the law. Plus as large and blubbery as those seals are; they can move rather quickly and attack. There are informational boards about the elephant seals and habitat. Quite informative. Plus it's worth mentioning again... so here it goes. Parking and access is free. However there are donation boxes and QR codes to the website accepting donations.

Elephant Seal Vista Point is a great pit stop to include on your road trip. The area offers an…read moreamazing views of the elephant seals lounging along the shore, complemented by refreshing ocean breezes. Additionally, there is a pretty, easy one mile walking trail nearby that provides a great opportunity to stretch your legs. Overall, it is a delightful, completely free experience that the whole family will enjoy, making it well worth the quick stop.