Heres all you need to know about the best hikes in SLO County
Hiking is a huge part of life in San Luis Obispo County, but getting information about those hikes isn’t always easy. Can I bring my dog? How long is it? Will my child be able to keep up? To help you out, we’ve sent Tribune staffers out to scout various hikes around the area and listed them here. This list will be updated as we continue explore new trails.
Click the links to find directions to each hike, as well as parking information, dog-friendliness, facilities, tips and more detailed descriptions.
The trail: Cal Poly Architecture Graveyard
Distance: About 3 miles round trip; about a two- to three-hour hike total.
Difficulty: Easy. The walk out is flat and covers about 300 feet of elevation gain — mostly at the end. The walk back is a slightly uphill.
Distance: 1 mile out and back with 359 feet of elevation gain.
Difficulty: Easy. The trail is well-maintained, with some standing water following heavy rain. The trail was muddy in certain areas, but there were several options for alternative routes.
Difficulty: Easy. The trail is well maintained and clearly marked. After rain, the trail can get muddy, and water will continue to trickle down the trail several days after.
Difficulty: Easy. As far as hikes go, this is as easy as it gets. This hike provides grassy, wide, well-marked and well-maintained trails. It’s more about the views and wildlife than the workout.
Distance: Depending on where you start, 2.7 or 3.5 miles.
Difficulty: Aside from the Foothill Boulevard entrance, which is an 8 on a difficulty scale of 1-10, most routes aren’t bad. I’d give it a 5 overall, which is part of the reason why this trail is so popular.
Difficulty: Moderate. While a bit lengthy, the trail is stable and inclines are gradual. For the more aerobically inclined, this hike makes a safe and steady running trail.
Distance: 5.35 miles roundtrip, rising 1,325 feet from the canyon floor to a ridgeline in the Santa Lucia foothills.
Difficulty: The first half of the hike is level and easy. The second half varies between moderate and difficult as you head up the back of the hill into a series of switchbacks and false summits.
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. The trail starts with dramatic inclines and rocky trails but gradually tapers in the second mile and turns into meandering dirt pathways and gravel roads.
Hiking to San Simeon Point can add a little spice to a day at the beach. Bring a picnic, swimsuit or both, and spend some time exploring the landscape. Dan Itel ditel@thetribunenews.com
Distance: Round trip 2.5 miles, but there are a number of alternative routes.
Difficulty: Easy, but alternate routes can take you on some cliffside trails.
Distance: 2 to 3 miles, or less depending on how far you walk along the bluffs.
Difficulty: Easy. The ocean at Estero Bluffs are no more than 300 yards away at any point. Take the trail down to the bluffs and turn left or right to follow them along the ocean.
The Cerro Cabrillo Trail at Morro Bay State Park is an intense climb, but the views are worth it. Dan Itel ditel@thetribunenews.com
Distance: 2 to 4 miles, depending on which trails you take to the Cerro Cabrillo summit. Taking the Quarry Trail directly to Cerro Cabrillo is about 2.5 miles round trip.
Difficulty: Moderate to extreme. The trails surrounding Cerro Cabrillo are normal dirt pathways that traverse the rolling hills surrounding the peak. The trail to the summit starts off steep and progresses into light rock climbing to reach the top.
Distance: This area covers 720 acres and contains more than eight miles of trails, which are friendly to hikers and mountain bikers.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. King Trail was designed by mountain bikers, so the lower portion of the loop is smooth with switchbacks and a few sections of exposure.
Those who hike Islay Hill Open Space's 1.8-mile trail will be greeted with stunning views of Edna Valley in southern San Luis Obispo. The footbridge pictured above marks the beginning of the trail. Jayden Norris jnorris@thetribunenews.com
Distance: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: If you take the Sweet Bay Lane trail, it’s easy to moderate. The first 80 percent of the hike is hardly taxing at all, and there’s next to no elevation gain aside from a quick back-and-forth incline about three minutes into the hike. The last stretch of the trail, however, has four or five switchbacks that rise quickly and are much steeper until you reach the peak.
Located just a few blocks from downtown San Luis Obispo, the Lemon Grove Loop wraps through an abandoned lemon grove and offers remarkable views of the bustling city below. Lucas Clark lclark@thetribunenews.com
Distance: 2.2-mile loop.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. After a surprisingly steep incline over the first half-mile, the trail levels out for the next mile and makes for an easy trek.
A view from the Stenner Creek trail. Cerro Romauldo, one of the Seven Sisters, can be seen in the distance. Jayden Norris jnorris@thetribunenews.com
Distance: 4.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. There’s a bit of an uphill, and it gets steep in short bursts toward the top, but half the trail is largely flat with only minor inclines.
The trail: The Bluff Trail, Montaña de Oro State Park
A view from the Bluff Trail at Montana de Oro State Park. Valerie Vaz vvaz@thetribunenews.com
Distance: 2.1 miles one way (4.2 miles round trip)
Difficulty: Easy. The trail is basically flat. Even if you hike to the very end of the Bluff Trail, there is only 140 feet of elevation change, making the trail suitable for hikers of all abilities.
The Avila Ridge Trail offers views that stretch from San Luis Bay and Avila Beach, down south to the Oceano Dunes and even up Highway 101 to Cerro San Luis Obispo. Travis Gibson tgibson@thetribunenews.com
Distance: The main trail is a 3-mile loop with mostly loose gravel, but there are many different routes.
Difficulty: Moderately difficult with very steep sections followed by flat sections.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are plenty of rocks that dot the hillside. Be sure they are stable before stepping on them. The trail can get muddy after rain, which can make traction difficult.
Distance: Approximately 6 miles out and back to the summit of Mount Lowe.
Difficulty: Easy to hard. The separate trail up the last section of Mount Lowe is a steep, single-track switchback with plenty of downed logs and loose gravel to navigate. The bulk of the trail is on Mount Lowe Road.
