Los Osos State Park – Morro Bay, CA
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The Central California coast is an exceptional place. Between Monterey and Santa Barbara, there’s very little developed right on the coast which as served to save so much of the beauty. The truth of it is, access to the coast is neither easy nor convenient along most of the way. The shoreline is rough, rocky and in most places sheer cliffs to very small beaches that are only usable during low tide. In Los Osos State Park, there is a small road that parallels the coastline for several miles. A few parking areas at trailheads that lead to the shore. If you drive along the road a bit south of the main park headquarters, there is a shorter trail that leads to the water.
Along the coast in the state park, there are very few beaches or places to actually access the water safely. At the southern end of the park, the cliffs are about 50 feet high and lead straight down to where the Pacific relentlessly pounds them. The result of thousands of years of this brutal attack of waves is some very interesting coastline. We came across this section of rock that looks an awful lot like wood. It’s difficult to tell from the photo, but from the foot of the cliff we are standing on to where the waves break onto it is about 150 feet. It’s amazing how the rock in its enormity looks so much like the planking on an old porch or a seaside dock, yet in reality it is an enormous slab of volcanic rock. Incredible!
The park itself is located on the south side of Morro Bay. From the flowered cliffs, you can look across the deep blue waters of the bay to the mountains on the north side that stand above Cayucos. On a clear day, the view is nothing short of spectacular. Bring a picnic and stay a while. Somehow, time seems to stand still here.
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