No Place Like Home: Montana de Oro State Park

Posted: Aug 12, 2010 4:39 PM by Jeanette Trompeter
Updated: Oct 11, 2010 2:36 PM

California is blessed with some wonderful state parks.. and some of the best are right in our own backyard. Montana de Oro is one of them, and offers access to a rugged stretch of coastline people travel thousands of miles to come explore.

That's just what we do in tonight's No Place Like Home:

Six miles southwest of Morro Bay, the coastline opens up to more than 8000-acres of beautiful open space. You'll find amazing views, secluded beaches and mountains worthy of the hike. And it's all yours to explore.

Erin Roethlisberger is visiting with her family from Green Bay, Wisconsin. "I love all of it. It's so pretty and I love the ocean especially. It's really calming and the waves are just fun to jump in."

Montana De Oro is a state park, but the only price of admission is your gas to get there. And whatever your outdoor interest, you'll likely find a great place to do it here. Emma Baumert of Illinois likes the waves and seashells. "The views aren't bad here either." adds Paul Whalen of Genoa, Nevada. "It's pretty awesome." says Danny Baumert of Crystal Lake, Nevada.

The park is a natural playground for backpackers, cyclists, beach-combers and campers. Active sorts will find mountains and miles of trails worthy of a challenging trek. And those looking to simply unwind a little will have no trouble finding a little picturesque solitude within this amazing stretch of coastline.

Paul Whalen is camping here with his wife and son. They were enjoying just kicking back in the beautiful surroundings. "Sit around, play ball with my son, ride bikes, cook a little sit out on the cove and relax."

It's amazing how many worries seem to disappear with every few minutes you spend looking for seashells, sea glass and pretty pebbles in an environment like Spooner's Cove. Danny Baumert said combing the tide-pools was his favorite part of the visit so far. "We saw a star fish...two star fish. One was pink, and the other one was white, so it was pretty cool. And we saw crabs and other fish and things like that.!"

The name Montana de Oro, or mountain of gold comes from the golden wildflowers you'll find here in the spring. But you're sure to strike it rich any time you pay a visit to this unspoiled oasis, right in our own backyard. More proof, there's no place like home.

For more information on the park, click here.