Montana de Oro State Park

We might have been on our way home, but our adventures were not quite over yet! The last leg of our Great American Road Trip, The Second, was up the Central Coast. This part of California is light on population and heavy on great scenery: just the way we like it. One of the irresistible stops was this one: Montana de Oro State Park!

A selfie of the author and her husband at the top of Hazard Peak in Montana de Oro State Park. They're grinning, despite the rain pouring down on them and the camera.

While it wasn’t exactly a mountain of gold on the rainy fall morning that we visited, it was worth its weight in the stuff. Although we love hiking, after many days taking it nice and easy, we were ready for a real run! Hazard Peak Trail provided the perfect opportunity for us to get out and stretch our legs.

The rain also provided the perfect motivation to do a sprint for the summit! Knowing we’d get wet – but not wanting to get cold – we decided to run to Hazard Peak as quickly as we possibly could.

In this action shot, Carrie chases Kent along a narrow, rocky trail on the slopes of Hazard Peak in Montana de Oro State Park. Kent is the one taking the photo, wile Carrie is several paces behind and slightly behind Kent's head.

Dodging raindrops and racing each other on the narrow single-track, we took very few photos but had a blast. It took us around 30 minutes to climb 300 meters over 5 kilometers.

A portrait of the author at the top of Hazard Peak. She's wearing a hat against the rain, but smiling and pointing to the summit sign. The wooden sign bearing the peak's name is old, dark wood and hard to read. But below is a bright hazard sign and a box of bike bells for the descent.

Once on the top, we paused to spend a few moments on the rain-soaked summit: posing with the sign on top and laughing as we tried to determine which water was sweat and which was rain.

We were even speedier on the descent. Kent zoomed past me, and shrieking, I tried to give chase while maintaining my footing on the slippery slope. It was still pouring when we made it back down to the base of the mountain, one fun-filled hour later.

Another action-selfie. Kent is running and looking ahead, holding the camera close to his face and aimed over his shoulder. Carrie follows close behind him, smiling widely or laughing - it's hard to tell.

This was a short visit, but oh what a sweet one. Not to mention speedy!

Once again, we barely skimmed the surface of this vast park and its dense network of trails. I’d love to revisit it and explore more. If you’ve been there, where did you go? I’d really love to know! If you’re going, head to the Montana de Oro State Park website for up to date information on trail conditions and closures.

A snapshot of the Hazard Peak Trail information sign. There's a map, some historical information about the trail and some distances written out.

Up next: a stop at nearby Morro Bay State Park in slightly less inclement weather. Ready for more? Explore California state parks with me! Happy trails to you!

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