Last weekend I explored the Oceano Dunes. They were stunning. I can’t believe I’ve lived on the Central Coast this long without having wandered among the sandy shifting hills of white.
Perhaps it’s because I’d pretty much avoided Oceano, considering it the exclusive territory of off-road vehicles. Oceano is a village of off-road enthusiasts. To get to the dunes, I walked parallel to the beachfront highway of RVs, pickup trucks loaded with quads, ATVs and dirt bikes, and brave sedans hoping to ford the Arroyo Grande Creek without getting stuck.
But if you can get past that, and the horse droppings and the snowy plover preserve, and if you wander two rows of dunes away from the beach, you’ll find an entirely different landscape. Note: Only hike in the area where vehicles are not allowed. Duh.
Footprints at Oceano Dunes
If you find yourself at the dunes with no engine other than your heart and no 4-wheel drive, here are some ways to entertain yourself.
- Jump off the edge of a tall dune and see how far out you can get and how deep into the sand you sink.
- Pick a target and play horseshoes with your sandals.
- Race up the face of a steep dune.
- Find a spot where you’re surrounded by nothing by white sand and see if your camera will focus on anything at all.
- Head back toward the beach and look for funny bumper stickers on the RVs and pickup trucks.
