Valencia Peak
Montaña de Oro State Park, near Los Osos · near Los Osos · Central Coast
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 4.5 miles
- Elevation gain
- 1,275 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Spring (Feb-May) for wildflowers; clear winter days for best views
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- Free - no entrance fee or permit at Montaña de Oro. Loose shale on the descent; full-sun exposure. No dogs on trails.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 0 of 5
What is here
- Features
- A 1,347-ft summit above the Montaña de Oro coast · Views from Morro Rock to Point Sal · Spring wildflowers ('mountain of gold') · Gray whales offshore in migration season
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- The summit hike at Montaña de Oro - a moderate climb to huge coastal views from Morro Rock to Point Sal. Best on a clear day (and in spring for wildflowers). Loose shale on the descent, full sun - bring water. Free; pair with the Bluff Trail below. No dogs.
The guide
Valencia Peak is the summit hike of Montaña de Oro - the 'mountain of gold' - a state park named for the blazing spring wildflo…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Valencia Peak — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 35.2729, -120.8888