No Place Like Home: Coastal Hike

Posted: May 5, 2011 5:51 PM by Jeanette Trompeter
Updated: May 5, 2011 7:29 PM

We are blessed with such diverse terrain around the Central Coast. We have beaches, valleys and mountains, all within a radius of a few miles. And you can get a great perspective of that by hiking one of the many mountains that line our stretch of coastline. Photographer Kelly Teel and I hoofed it up one recently and found breath-taking proof there's No Place Like Home.

At the northern edge of Shell Beach there is a mountain ridge that runs along the coast to Avila. It separates the freeway from the freedom to be found along the Pacific and as lovely as any section of this coastline is from below, it seems to get even more picturesque from above. Wayne Miller of Shell Beach hikes the ridge almost every day. "When it's clear you can see the Oceano Dunes and up there you get some beautiful views of Avila Bay." he says as he gestures toward the top.

Getting to the top is a bit of a journey.

The Trail starts where the neighborhoods of Shell Beach end. The only flatland is a short trail that leads to the base. From there on out, it's pretty much an uphill journey to the top. It's a bit rocky in spots, especially at the start, but it's a far cry from rock climbing. Miller says most people ought to be able to handle it if they take it slowly and take lots of breaks.

Taking it slow is good because you'll want to savor the views that just seem to get better with every step. You'll likely find yourself having a little real estate envy when you see the cozy little homes of Sunset Palisades below you, but none of those offers the views you'll be taking in for the next hour or two.

There's a reason people tackle this trek several times a week, because the vistas are as magnificent as the exercise you get reaching them. Miller has done the hike hundreds of times but says he still gets overwhelmed by it's beauty. "everyday. Everyday it's beautiful. This is a great way to exercise. I love coming up here."

It takes him about an hour an a half, but if you're really moving you can get it done in an hour, or take your time and take all the surroundings. "You see a lot of wildlife. I've seen turkeys, quail, a lot of rabbits and birds...." says Miller. "It's good for everyone. It's good for the soul."

It's also good for the heart, the lungs, the legs. And when you get to the top and take in all that surrounds you, it's worth it. So worth it.

On your journey up you can see Pismo, Point Sal and the aqua-marine waters of Pirates Cove below. You'll also get panoramic views of coastline only visible by boat otherwise. You'll know you've reached the top when Port San Luis starts coming into view. That's Miller's favorite part. "It looks like a scene out of a Pirate Movie".

What it looks like is a little corner of paradise. The protected harbor ahead, the sheltered rocky cove below, and the expansive coastline extending south. You just don't find panoramas like this everywhere, and but you can here on the central coast, right in our own backyard.