A hike to the sands of Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

That California’s Central Coast is known for its beaches, is no secret. But did you know that it also plays sanctuary to a fragile dune system? Called the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, the over 22,000 acres of sandy coast here, preserves not only the sand but also the fauna and flora that feel at home where the dunes are.

While we were at the Pismo Beach area for the second time, we took our car for a beach day at Oceano Dunes SVRA and then headed further south to see the dunes. It was a last-minute decision we had taken when we found that we had a free afternoon. I hadn’t done any pre-trip reading, so seeing that the Dunes Center was not too far away from where we were, we decided to drive there. And then, hike to the dune area that lay behind it. 

Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes from Highway 1.

As we approached the town of Guadalupe, in the Northern part of Santa Barbara County, we could see tall dunes from Highway 1. It was a euphoric moment when I spotted them. To our dismay, the Center was closed when we got there. It looked like they had closed early that day. So I was back on my favourite Search Engine looking for another place to see the dunes of the area. 

Our next option seemed to be a hike from Oso Flaco Lake at the southern end of San Luis Obispo County. So we drove north again and took a left at a signboard for the lake. We were halfway down the Lake Road when our navigation system announced that we were at our destination. And we thought bad luck had struck us again. It was not just the second time that we had faced disappointment that day. 

Having come that far, hubby suggested we go all the way to the dead end (we’d seen a board that said that we were driving to a dead end).  Thankfully, when we got to the end of the road, there was a parking lot and a few cars on it.

Oso Flaco Lake Trail, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes

We parked and decided to walk to the lake that couldn’t be seen from the parking area. My quick reading had promised me the boardwalk from the lake would take me to the dunes.

A bulletin board at the beginning of the trail warned us to be careful as there had been recent bear sightings there. I looked ahead and saw that we were in what looked like a long road in the middle of some thicket. There was a family returning from the lake or the dunes and there was absolute quiet for some time, and hubby wondered if it was a bad idea to be out with the kids that day. 

Just then we saw directions to the beach and another information board warning us about mountain lions. 

Having come that far, and taking some comfort from the fact that were a few cars back in the parking lot, we took a chance and decided to go see what lay ahead of us. 

We soon found ourselves on a boardwalk over a lake that was surrounded by reed and tall grasses. The area seemed to be home to several birds too. There was a lot of chirping going on. All else was quiet. Later, I would learn that the Oso Flaco Lake is a safe haven for winged creatures. 

What seemed like a never-ending boardwalk on the lake extended into some scrubland and it seemed to go on and on.

We walked and walked and saw a few groups of people returning but our destination just wouldn’t be in sight for another half hour or so. We finally asked one couple on their way back, about how far the coast was. When they told us that two more bends on the path would take us to the dunes, there was more pep in our step. 

Soon we started seeing more sand between the bushes. As such, we could see more animal footprints on the sand. Could I say there might have been some pugmarks too? I’m no expert so I’ll show you some shots and maybe you can help figure out what animal they might belong to.)

A few minutes and more walking later, we finally caught sight of the boardwalk turning into a walk-bridge over the dunes. At the end of it, was a vista point. And there before us were sweeping vistas of the vast stretches of the sand of Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. And of course, there was also the pleasant blue of the waters of the Pacific Ocean/San Luis Obispo Bay. 

The other end of the Oso Flaco Lake Trail in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes area. A picture from the vista point.

After a few minutes there, we started what was supposed to be a long walk back. However, now that we knew where we were going and how far we had come, the walk seemed shorter. Only our little one was a bit tired from the walk so mommy and daddy took turns to give her (then-) 3-year-old legs some rest. (This reminded us of our older one’s hike at Ana Nuevo SP to see elephant seals during moulting season.)

On our way back, there were more people along the trail, going both ways. We even saw a couple of racoons sniffing around near the trail.

Back at the parking lot, I found a brochure by the entrance of the lot. It spoke about the rich plant and animal life in the area but said almost nothing about the hike. I wish I had found information about the hike.

Anyway, here’s some info if you would like to hike that way:

• I think it might have been a 2.5 to 3 mile hike on the whole. It is a fairly easy-trail. (But little kids might get tired from the long walk.)
• There are some restrooms near the parking area and one, halfway into the trail.
• We didn’t see any water fountains around there. (You might want to carry your own drinking water. You are going to need it during the hike.)

I must say that the hike was good. The environment was very rich. And the sight of the dunes along with the view of the ocean was SPECTACULAR! They were a great set of rewards for the walk. 

(If you are considering this hike, I’m so sorry for stripping off the thrill of not knowing what to expect on this hike and at the end of the trail. For the rest of you, I hope it was a good vicarious trip to Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. :)) 

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