Morro Bay Camping Weekend trip report for July 19-22, 2019
My wife and I LOVE the Morro Bay area and I could easily move to the area. Our only problem is most all our family lives in Ventura County so it looks like we will have to just make do with camping and diving trips like this one to the area.
Camping and diving is my thing and doing them both together can be so much fun. It’s a little more extra work but can be well worth it. So why Morro Bay? To start the coastline and inland area from Pismo to Cambria and beyond is beautiful. Some of the BEST California has to offer! As far as State Parks, Morro Bay State Park has lot’s to offer such as flush toilets, running water, showers, some shade trees plus full hook-ups for those people wanting more creature comforts and it is in a perfect location.
If golf is your thing there is a very nice course next to the campground with a beautiful hike that skirts alongside the golf course to Black Hill. The Black Hill trail can be reached behind the group campsite and goes through a beautiful oak tree-lined canyon working its way to the parking area just below the top of Black Hill. You could drive to this point but why not enjoy the hike. From here it is a short way up to the top where you can get the best 360-degree views when the fog lifts.
The campground is also very close to many fun things to do as well as restaurants, fuel, groceries, and supplies that you might need. If you don’t like camping there is also LOTS of hotels and other types of lodging and some have awesome views of Morro Rock. The Embarcadero area is one not to miss especially out along the road leading to Morro Rock where you can enjoy some fun sea otter viewing.
Another gem close to the campground is the quaint little harbor across the street protected by the large sand large spit that protects Morro Bay from bad weather. In the little harbor is a restaurant and access to the estuary for kayaking and birding along with a nice boardwalk and trail.
To the south across the estuary are the little towns of Baywood and Los Osos which are the gateway to Montana De Oro State Park. Montana De Oro sits on some of the most beautiful coastlines and has miles of trails, a historical museum, and a campground. There is also access to diving and snorkeling at Spooners Cove and to top it off there is no entrance or parking fee. The only fee is for the camping back in the canyon which must be reserved in advance.
To the north of Morro Bay is the pretty little beach towns of Cayucos and Cambria with lots of exploring hiking that can be done in both.
For our trip, the weather was absolutely gorgeous and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. We had a small group taking up 3 campsites all very close to each other and even though the campground was full it seemed nice and quiet. My wife and I arrived on Friday and stayed till Monday. Seems most of the people I talked to at the campsite were trying to beat the heat from the Central Valley. Saturday we spend most of the day at Montana De Oro hiking, exploring the museum, and doing some snorkeling. The snorkeling was absolutely kick-ass fun going through a small arch several times and exploring the tide pools along the lower part of the bluffs. Later it was time to get back to the campsite to get ready for our group potluck which is never a disappointment and some campfire fun.
Sunday my wife and I did the hike from the campground to Black Hill in the late morning after several of the group had left to do other things. The hike was beautiful and the sun peeked out long enough for us to get some awesome 360-degree views. Later some of us took the trolley into town and out by the rock where we stopped for some sea otter viewing and of course a stop in town for ice cream. Later back at the campsite it was a snack and drink time and more fun around the campfire.
During our stay, we all went for a stroll across the street several times to the estuary where there is a nice wood boardwalk to keep people from destroying the habit. Seen some bunny rabbits, birds and fisherman doing some catch and release.
All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and now I am looking forward to our next camp and dive trip to Plaskett Creek and Jade Cove in a couple of weeks.
By Ken Kollwitz
See Morro Bay pictures on Flickr
Check out our Dive Calendar page for all our other trips