Los Osos Oaks State Reserve

We drove by the signs to this preserve several times during our Morro Bay trip, and then we picked up a flyer for it in the Museum of Natural History. Being desert rats, my kids were impressed with the photos of the sprawling oak trees and dense greenery, likening them to an Ewok village. So on our last full day in Morro Bay, we packed some sandwiches and started our late-start morning here at the preserve.

You really want to be paying attention if you're coming from Morro Bay because after making the left turn onto Los Osos Valley Road, the preserve will be on the right, and it is nothing more than a small roadside parking lot that you are looking for. The challenge doesn't stop there because is is also a great place to get lost in. There are numerous side trails that are quite confusing, but luckily they all pretty much join back together at one point or another. We think we've discovered the best way to describe a loop hike after a few turn-arounds and mis-steps. Watch for poison oak!

the clearing of intersecting trails - go right

From the parking lot, you will go over a bridge and come to signage for various trail starts. You will want to go left and follow the Los Osos Creek Trail so you will be making a clockwise loop around the preserve. You will hear Los Osos Valley Road on your left and start the trail heading due east; however, you will continue to veer right at all potential trails. It gets confusing through here, but if you veer left then you will get closer to the road and eventually end up in a bog so you will know that you did not take the appropriate trail for a loop. Just keep going to the right at your trail choices. Do not take these trails too quickly because Los Osos Creek is just at the bottom of the cliff, and there is no warning until HELLO, there is the bottom of the ravine. This part of the trail is a nice place for some photography, and the lichens hang very low on the oaks closer to the water. Soon you will enter an area of newer growth oaks with spindlier branches, before getting to an area where clearly, several trails are intersecting. You will want to turn right here so you can begin the Chumash Loop. The signage is a little confusing, but you will want to take the second Chumash Loop/parking lot sign that you see because ours is the wider loop. Once on the Chumash Loop Trail there is an area of very old oak trees with heavy shade that makes a nice place to pull out a sandwich while sitting on an oak recliner. The parking lot is just a short walk away, and you are about 3/4 through your hike at this point.

Length: 1.2 miles for the loop described
Elevation gain: none
Time it took us: 1.5 hours with a lunch stop
Dogs: No
Fees: None