This California State Park Has One Of The State's Most Secluded Beaches
By Emily Manthei
VACATIONS
While the state is filled with national parks, the central coast of California boasts a hidden gem in Montaña de Oro State Park, which offers sandy beaches and shallow coves.
Montaña de Oro offers some great coastal California hiking trails, mountain biking paths, campgrounds, and horse trails across the 8,000-acre park.
The nearby beautiful coastal town of Los Osos also has its own pristine beaches. Surprisingly, the state park isn't on California's top 30 most-visited state parks list.
With fewer crowds, you won't likely have to share much of Montaña de Oro's dramatic coves and tide pools with crowds of visitors while you explore the area.
There's plenty to do at Montaña de Oro, such as descending the bluffs of Point Buchon Trail for a private beach or visiting the most popular yet still quiet beach, Spooner's Cove.
The park offers several camping areas with primitive amenities at Islay Creek Campground and Hazard Canyon Horse Camp, as well as dry environmental campsites.