Outdoors
Refuges, lakes and wild areas near Paso Robles for wildlife viewing and birdwatching.
Good to know: Early mornings and evenings are best for wildlife; bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance.
Cerro Alto Campground is a well-known hiking and mountain biking paradise. It is located a short distance from the sandy beaches of Morro Bay, where visitors enjoy surfing, fishing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and more.
Managed by San Luis Obispo County Parks, the park is set in rolling oak woodlands and offers boating, a marina and camping. Swimming and other water contact sports are prohibited.
Private property surrounds Stockdale Mountain. Do not enter through private gates or fences.
Navajo Flat Campground, off-highway vehicle (OHV) Trailhead and day use area is an ideal location for OHV enthusiasts to enjoy the many trails in the surrounding area.
Located in southern Monterey County, and standing over 2,700 feet in elevation, Williams Hill offers great views of the surrounding Salinas Valley.
Parking access onto nearly 1,800 acres of Bureau of Land Management property in this area is provided through an easement from the California Department of Fish and Game.
The Coalinga Mineral Springs National Recreation Trail was designated under the National Recreation Trails System Act in 1981. The trail is located on the scenic southern tip of the Diablo Mountains.
Located on the outskirts of the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA), Condon Peak offers rolling grass-covered slopes with a few tall pines and shrubs, as well as steep slopes and rocky outcrops covered with pine and brush.
Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities.
Plaskett Creek Campground offers a beautiful location just minutes from Sand Dollar Beach, one of the largest and most popular beaches in central California.
A walk along the boardwalk offers solitude and beauty among the different plants. Even in summertime, the area has a special beauty with numerous white dust devils spinning across the dusty alkaline playas.
The Laguna Mountain Area consists of somewhat rugged terrain with rolling hills covered in dense brush. The area's vegetation is characterized by classic chapparal habitat, oak forests, and grassy meadows.
Point Sal is a 77-acre promontory on the coast of northern Santa Barbara County near the north end of Vandenberg Air Force Base. It is a fragile area, with sandy soil and a unique blend of wildlife.
Kirk Creek Campground is an oceanside paradise, with each site overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It offers a variety of opportunities for relaxation and recreation.
Here you are standing on the San Andreas Fault. At this location it runs northwest to southeast a the base of the hills.
The center offers the visitor interpretive displays and exhibits explaining the uniqueness of the Carrizo Plain and adjoining Elkhorn Plain.
The El Saucito Ranch house is the oldest standing house in the Carrizo Plain National Monument, dating back to circa 1878. This is the only ranch house in the monument to have been occupied from the pioneer period to modern day.
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city at Memorial Park -- a scenic and remote campground tucked away in the Santa Lucia Mountains.
The sandstone formation at Painted Rock has long drawn the attention of Carrizo Plain National Monument visitors. About 3,000 - 4,000 years ago, Native Americans began to paint their sacred images with the alcove of the rock.
Camping is available on a first come-first serve basis. Thirteen campsites with picnic tables, fire pits, horse corrals and a wheelchair accessible vault toilet. Electricity and drinking water is not available.
Arroyo Seco Campground is a semi-rustic, but developed facility in California's westernmost national forest.
Camping is available on a first come-first serve basis--we do not take reservations. The campground has 12 campsites, 3 with elevated tent pads. There is an accessible vault toilet, along with picnic tables and fire rings.
Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California. The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano.
Within the steep and rugged Griswold Canyon, BLM land straddles both sides of the road.
Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky spires and deep canyons.
All vehicles including UTVs on the monument must be street-legal (DMV plated) and all vehicles must stay on roads. REMINDER: Please follow warning signs and respect private property when visiting your public lands.
Pleasantly nestled under a large canopy of pine trees, China Camp is a campground where peace and quiet is commonplace. The spacious campsites allow you to set up camp with more than enough space between you and your neighbors.
Look closely at the ground you will find evidence of the vast inland sea that once covered the Tumey Hills. The light porous rocks are composed of diatoms, the tiny, bleached, shell-like skeletons of sea algae.
The Van Matre family owned several farm properties throughout the plain. This property, known to them as "The Camp" was orginally homesteaded by Jerry Hagerty in 1930.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Paso Robles. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Cerro Alto Campground (USDA Forest Service), about 15 miles south of Paso Robles as the crow flies. Next are Santa Margarita Lake (23 mi) and Stockdale Mountain (25 mi).
Federal agencies including Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.