Rising above Pismo Beach on California’s Central Coast, Pismo Preserve offers 880 acres of unspoiled beauty. Opened to the public just last week, we were excited to be among the first to explore the 11 miles of hiking trails that weave up and down the hillside.
We chose the Discovery Trail, a 5.2 mile path that led us up the grassy slopes and through groves of twisted oaks. The views were stunning…we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.
We traveled the perimeter of the preserve, eventually arriving at Lover’s Point, 780 feet above the Pacific Ocean. As luck would have it, there was a bench and it was lunchtime.
The trail system is open to the public daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. with hours extended to 9:30 p.m. from March through October. Best of all, it’s free! Parking is competitive…the lot is on the small side, but you might get lucky. We had to park about a quarter mile away and walk in. There are restrooms and drinking water available at the parking lot.
Pismo Preserve is located at 80 Mattie Road, just off Highway 101 in Pismo Beach, California.
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