The moment you round that final bend and enter this coastal jewel, you surrender to your senses and deeply breathe in the beauty surrounding you. An archway of tall eucalyptus trees welcomes you to this unique landscape of diverse topography, scenic vistas, and natural coastal beauty. Montaña de Oro State Park (Mountain of Gold) is named after the abundance of wild mustard and California poppies covering the hillsides each spring. Stretching out over 8,000 acres, it includes cliff top trails, miles of shoreline, sand dunes, coastal plains, streams, canyons, and mountain peaks.
At the center of the park lies the Spooner Ranch House, now used as a visitor’s center. Once a part of the Pecho/Islay land grant and later home to the Spooner family, three generations lived here for close to 40 years. Also once owned by Alexander Hazard, hundreds of eucalyptus trees were grown in hopes of cashing in on California’s need for lumber. While proving unacceptable for commercial use, they are still thriving in the park today. In 1963, the state started purchasing land for California State Park use.
The park’s most popular beach (Spooner’s Cove) lies directly across the road from the visitor’s center. The ideal spot for contrabandists during the Mission era, bootleggers during Prohibition and later a dock for coastal steamers, was originally home to the Northern Chumash and Salinan tribes.
Walk the coastal bluff trail, climb 1,347-foot-high Valencia Peak trail for incredible panoramic views, spend some quality time tide pooling in Spooner’s Cove. On your way back head down Sand Spit Road with the surfing, fishing, and beach walking enthusiasts. Gleaming crab shell fragments define the ocean’s tideline and enormous sand dunes frame the long corridor. This beach walker’s dream continues several miles to Morro Bay Estuary and hosts incredible views of sea life along the way.
With over 50 miles of hiking trails, equestrian and camping facilities and plentiful ocean access, Montaña de Oro State Park is well worth the visit for an entire day or longer.
