Are you coming out to the California coast? If you love the outdoors and nature preservation, the Pismo Preserve is the perfect place for you! With a rich history of preserving wildlife and conservation efforts, the preserve shows environmental protection in action. Whether you want to hike the trails or learn about the conservation efforts, you’ll find it all here! When you stay at one of the gorgeous rentals Pismo Beach offers, you can take a short hike through the nature preserve.
If you’re looking for outdoor things to do in Pismo Beach, then the Pismo Preserve is the place you need to explore!
About Pismo Preserve
The Pismo Preserve offers 880 acres of beautiful and diverse landscapes to explore. Any visitor to the nature preserve can expect over 11 miles of hiking trails through the beautiful wilderness on the California coast. The park offers many opportunities to enjoy the vast landscape. There are beautiful oak woodlands that stretch down to the coastal ridgelines. There are gorgeous panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean; you’ll be able to see the water from the Irish Hills to Point Sal.
The land is owned by The Land Conservancy, a non-profit group with goals of nature preservation and conservation. They let cattle graze on the land in the spring with rotation between two pastures. The livestock that call the preserve their home are fenced off to avoid roaming freely.
At the Pismo Preserve, their goal is to conserve, care, and connect. They want to conserve the land for future generations to enjoy. The workers here care for the land by restoring and teaching others how to care for it. Lastly, The Land Conservancy wants to connect to the community through education and volunteering. The part-time preserve stewards are there to help open and close the park while also helping educate all visitors that want to learn about Pismo Preserves.
Pismo Preserve offers so many ways for you to explore the trails. First, you can take a mountain bike out on the trails. Make sure you follow all posted trail rules as you bike throughout the preserve. If you have a horse, you can also ride your horses on the trail! Just like with mountain bikes, you must follow the posted trail signs and make sure to follow the established, horse-friendly trails. You can even bring your furry friends with you! Dogs are allowed on Pismo Preserve, but they must be leashed at all times. You are not allowed to let your dogs off the leash, and just like with mountain bikes and horse rides, you must follow all of the trail rules and signs. Don’t forget to pick up after your pet.
While there are many trails throughout the park, no motorized vehicles or E-bikes are allowed. This rule is to help with the conservation efforts of the park to protect the trails and the environment.
Pismo Beach Hiking
There are close to 11 miles of hiking trails throughout the park. Each trail varies in length and difficulty. The trail map shows where all the entrances to the trails start and the elevations to each trail.
Five trails throughout the park make up the 11 miles of hiking trails. The Discovery Trail is 5.2 miles and wanders throughout the park. It intersects with the Spring-to-Spring Trail, which winds through the park covering 3.4 miles. You can also meet up to the Lone Oak Trail that cuts through the Discovery Trail. The Lone Oak Trail covers 2.2 miles throughout the southeast part of the preserve. The Vamonos Canyon Trail is a small ¾ mile trail that winds near the park’s entrance. Lastly, the Panhandle Trail is a 1.1-mile trail near the park’s northwest corner. This trail ends at the Avila Outlook, where you can get a gorgeous panorama view of the California Coast.
Protected Places
There are many protected places along the California Coast, and the Pismo Preserve is just one of them. You will also find several other protected places, including conservation and restoration projects. Several other projects in the stretch include Kathleen’s Canyon Overlook, the Vintage Organics, Paradise Beach North, and the Turley Vineyards. These areas are home to conservation efforts to help bring back and protect the natural wildlife in the area. Protecting these areas is a high priority due to climate change and natural erosion. Each of these areas is tended by a dedicated set of workers who ensure the best efforts are made to keep the land looking beautiful.
Plan Your Stay
Are you ready for your Pismo Beach vacation? Contact us today to get started!
Events
They occasionally host special happenings if you’re looking for events in the preserve. Each event will be subject to a fee and a reserve site on the preserve. They have a calendar with events for you to look for when visiting the preserve. You can find events surrounding the holidays or special celebrations exclusive to the preserve. All of the events are scheduled at random times throughout the year, so make sure that you check the events calendar so that you can find an event that you want to take part in!
Where Is It Located?
Pismo Preserve is located on Exit 191B off Highway 101 in Pismo Beach. The entrance to the preserve is located on the east side of the freeway. You will also find the parking lot in the same location. You can find this at the southern end of Mattie Road. It is super easy to find from your Pismo Beach rentals!
Hours / Operation
You can come to visit the Pismo Preserve daily, as the park is open every day from dawn until dusk. They will close the park and the trails if they are wet or if it has heavily rained. Since the park closes at night, there is no access to ride or hike after dark.
Book Your Pismo Beach Vacation Rentals with Beach Bum Holiday Rentals!
After a long day of learning about the conservation efforts in Pismo Preserve, you deserve to stay someplace luxurious. Your Pismo Beach rental is the perfect place to call home! You will have all of the amenities you can find right in your home. You will find a fully-equipped state-of-the-art kitchen so you can cook right in your rental. There are gorgeous views from your window of the California coast. Your rooms will have extra comfortable beds so you can rest the day away and recharge for the next day of adventures. You’ll never run out of things to do in Pismo Beach, so you need the perfect place to recharge. Your living room will have a flat-screen TV, and your couches will be perfect for lounging after a long day of hiking.
