 Photo Courtesy Gary O'Toole
VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
State Park Location Maps:
(click here to zoom and navigate local map)
(click here to zoom and navigate regional map)
View TOPO Maps!
Get directions to this park:
State Park Photo Gallery:
volunteer positions open
State Park Link:
Morro Bay State Park
Nearby Parks:
Montana De Oro State Park
San Simeon Beach State Park
|
| State Park Contact Information: |
 |
Morro Bay State Park
3220 South Higuera St, Suite 311
Morro Bay, California 93442
Phone: 805-772-2560
Reservations: 800-444-7275
|
| Adopt-A-Park Contacts: |
|
Photography: add your photos
|
| State Park Reservations: |
|
Reservations: 
|
|
| State Park Overview: |
| Morro Bay State Park features lagoon and natural bay habitat. The bay?s most prominent landmark is Morro Rock. The park has opportunities for sailing, fishing, hiking, and bird watching. The park museum has exhibits cover natural features and cultural history, Native American life, geology, and oceanography. The park also has a colorful marina and an 18-hole public golf course. On the bay?s northeast edge is a pristine saltwater marsh that supports a thriving bird population. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
| Be the 1st to Review Morro Bay State Park. You can rate it, post a comment on it, or do both. |
| |
| Trails: |
| Black Hill Trail
To Black Hill summit is 3 miles round trip with 600-foot elevation gainA series of nine peaks between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay originated as volcanoes beneath the sea that covered this area some fifteen million years ago. After the sea and volcanic explosions subsided, erosion began dissolving the softer mountain material around the volcanic rock and left nine volcanic peaks standing high above the surrounding landscape. These volcanic plugs include Hollister Peak and famed Morro Rock.
Black Hill, the last peak in the volcanic series before Morro Rock, has a trail that tours a little of everything?chaparral, eucalyptus, oaks, pines, and coastal shrubs. From the mountain?s 640-foot summit, you can view the Morro Bay Estuary, the sand spit, and the hills of nearby Monta?e Oro State Park.
Directions to trailhead: Follow Coast Highway for 12 miles north of San Luis Obispo to the Los Osos-Baywood Park exit just before Morro Bay. Turn south on South Bay Boulevard and go 0.75 mile to Morro Bay State Park entrance. Bear left on the first fork beyond the entrance, heading one mile to the campground entrance directly across from the state park marina lot, where you should park. Park along the first crossroads inside the campground. Walk up the campground road to join the trail.
The hike: Walk up the group camp access road, past the group camp rest-room. Follow the trail under the power lines between the golf course on the left and Chorro Group Camp on the right, cross a paved road and begin ascendingthe mountain. A mile from the trail-head, there?s a junction. Bear left. The route becomes steeper, passing first through coastal shrubs then conifers. The trail passes a water tank, then switchbacks to the summit.
After enjoying the fine view, you may return the same way or return via the east fork of the old exercise trail by backtracking 0.5 mile to the trail junction, then heading straight (east). You?ll discover a eucalyptus grove, where monarch butterflies cluster. Cross a golf course road and rejoin the eastern section of the Exercise Trail, which returns you to the trailhead. |
| |
| |
| | Advertise your park related business
on stateparks.com
...vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental, etc read more.... |
|
| Related Links: |
| Morro Bay State Park, Montana de Oro State Park, Central Coast Camping, Central Coast Cali - ... San Luis Obispo coastal country Coastal access in fromt off Morro Bay State Park Park Info & Rangers: 805/772-2560 805/772-2694 ... Beach | Morro Bay State Park Primitive Camping Enviromental ... | | Morro Bay State Park Marina - TRAIL: Morro Bay State Park Marina LOCATION: Morro Bay HIGHLIGHTS: The largest, least disturbed saltwater marsh on the California coastline. HOW TO GET THERE: From San Luis Obispo take Hwy 1 ... | | Morro Bay State Park - A guide to relocating, traveling and living on the Central Coast of California from Malibu to Santa Cruz ... Dedicated to the Central Coast explorer. Official Link Map Museum of Natural History ... | | Hearst Castle Going Online - The official web site of Hearst Castle. Includes tour information, historical sketches, news ... California State Parks to Renovate Morro Bay State Park Campground Morro Bay, CA - After 25 years ... | | Inn at Morro Bay, Morro Bay California Oceanfront luxury hotels in Morro Bay, California - The Inn at Morro Bay, minutes away from the town of Morro Bay California, is unique among Morro Bay ... hotels, our expansive grounds are inside Morro Bay State Park?s 4,000 acres. Within walking ... |
| Area Attractions: |
| Museum of Natural History:
A visit to the Central Coast of California is not complete without a stop at the Museum of Natural History in Morro Bay State Park. The museum offers activities for all ages: nature walks, exhibits, lectures, puppet shows, videos, docent led tours and special events.
Visit the Chumash garden along the side of the museum and learn how the Chumash used native plants of this area in their daily lives.
The Museum of Natural History is within minutes of the Heron Rookery, Morro Bay State Park, Monta?e Oro State Park, the El Moro Elfin Forest and Audubon's Sweet Springs Nature Preserve. The museum overlooks Morro Bay which is both a State and National Estuary. |
| Area Campgrounds | | |
| Directions: |
| Location - DirectionsFrom San Luis Obispo take Highway 1 north to the Los Osos - Baywood Park offramp. Turn left, go about 1 mile and turn right into the state park.
From the South, take Highway 101 northbound to the Los Osos - Baywood Park offramp. Turn left toward Los Osos and travel about 10 miles to South Bay Blvd., then turn right and go about 3 miles to the state park entrance.
The Museum of Natural History is in the park. Drive about one mile, past the campground and the marina, then turn left into the museum parking lot. |
|
|
| |
|
USA
