One of the most enchanting state parks on the Central Coast is Montana de Oro.  The park is just south of Morro Bay.  In the northern area of the park, there are large sand pits, and in the southern area of the park, there are large picturesque cliffs.  Along the sandpits are soft sandy beaches great for sun bathing and hiking. 

The park also features many small coves, the most famous of which is Spooner’s Cove.  Spooner’s Cove is very accessible and offers great exploration opportunities, particularly for children.   Another famous part of Montana de Oro is Valencia Peak.  In the national park, there are grass covered plains that line the ocean front that curve up suddenly to 1,500 foot high hills.  One of these hills is the famous Valencia Peak.  If you hike up to the peak, you can see 100 miles of coastline.  The view is spectacular and the hike is just as enjoyable.

Montana de Oro offers rich plant life.  The park is home to California Live Oak and Bishop Pine.  These are also Willow, Maples, Myrtle and Cottonwood.  Many of these trees grow in the deep cut canyons, which offer fantastic black and white picture opportunities.  To top it all off, the trails are well developed, allowing for easy access for hikers of all ages and levels.

Not only is there a variety of plant life, there is also a variety of wildlife.  The wildlife includes skunks, badgers, deer, fox, bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions.  Montana de Oro also offers great bird watching and wildflower viewing.  In the Spring and early Summer, golden wild flowers cover the landscape, giving the park its name – Montana de Oro or “Mountain of Gold.”

A unique feature of Montana de Oro State Park is the sand pits.  The sand pits are made up of many sand dunes, some of which reach over 85 feet.  The sand dunes offer a great get away.  You can fish, sun bath, bird watch, or just enjoy the scenery with friends.   Camping is permitted.  Visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=592 for more information.

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