Overview
This 3,600-acre off road area with over 5 miles of beach open for vehicle use and 1,500 acres of sand dunes available for off highway motor vehicle recreation is quite popular and unique in California State Parks. Surfing, swimming, surf fishing, horseback riding and bird watching are popular activities. Located off Highway One in Oceano, three miles south of Pismo Beach. Phone 805-773-7170 weekdays or the number below under Beach Access.
Picnic Area
Grand Avenue Kiosk Picnic Area: Accessible picnic tables and accessible van and car parking are available. The route of travel is accessible, but blown sand is a constant problem here. Restrooms are accessibly designed.
Pier Avenue Kiosk: Accessible picnicking, parking, including van accessible parking, and restrooms are present. Routes of travel between facilities are generally accessible.
Trails
Oso Flaco Lake Trail: Located along the southern end of the park, Oso Flaco is a day use area set in the quiet countryside with access to a small lake and a fishing bridge. The bridge has slots in the rails designed to allow playing of the fish. Beyond the bridge lies the Ocean View Boardwalk, which takes visitors through the dunes. This 1 mile section of the Oso Flaco Lake Trail provides a coastal dunes hiking experience with ocean views.
Parking: Designated accessible parking is in an uneven but hard-packed dirt lot usable in dry weather.
Routes of travel:
Access to the fishing bridge and boardwalk from the parking lot is mostly over asphalt, but there is a short section of road base that is subject to weather and wear.
Restrooms. A portable restroom in the parking area is generally accessible and located on a usable route of travel. A large, accessible vault toilet is located halfway along the boardwalk. It may be accessed from the boardwalk or from a special disabled user ATV landing area and connecting walkway.
Beach/Shore Access
Call (805) 473-7220 for information about available beach wheelchairs, one at each park entry kiosk. Generally, they are offered on a first-come basis, but special arrangements may be possible. A neck/back adapter may also be checked out. Pier Kiosk restrooms are accessible. One no-flush toilet along the beach is accessibly designed. Outdoor rinsing shower is accessible.
Definitions & Terms
Accessible
Meets all or most of the current accessibility standards; most visitors with disabilities will not need assistance.
Generally accessible
Meets many current codes and has few barriers, but some visitors with disabilities may need assistance.
Usable
Meets some current codes but has some barriers; many visitors with disabilities may require assistance.
Designated accessible
Describes facilities that have been set aside and usually signed or “designated” accessible because they met accessibility codes when built. Such facilities may vary from newer suggested guidelines in specified ways, and improvements may be planned or ongoing. Minor variations from guidelines are not usually described. This term is often used for parking spaces that are reserved for visitors with disabilities even though there may be minor issues with slope, signage, or size.
