Morro Bay State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- $3 per adultAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(805) 772-6101
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Morro Bay State Park is a 2,781-acre park in San Luis Obispo County, about 2 miles southeast of Morro Bay.
Things to do include surfing, historic sites, boating, fishing, and ranger programs. Water access includes a boat ramp and boat or kayak rentals. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
| Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — | |
| Visitor center | Daily | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Park is open 6am-10pm Museum & gift shop open 10am-5pm daily
A visit to the Central Coast of California is not complete without a stop at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, located within Morro Bay State Park. The museum is open daily from 10am - 5pm. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 18 and under. The museum feautures interactive exhibits and overlooks Morro Bay, which is both a State and National Estuary and a Marine Protected Area.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adult Museum Entry Fee | $3 |
| Children (18 & Under) Museum Entry Fee | Free |
| Vehicle Day Use | $8 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Adult Museum Entry Fee: $3.00 • Children (18 & Under) Museum Entry Fee: Free • Vehicle Day Use: $8.00
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed
Are dogs allowed? Dogs are allowed only on leash in permitted areas. • Dogs must be monitored and leashed within the campgrounds.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Morro Bay Campground
The Morro Bay Campground offers over 140 campsites for tent camping, recreational vehicles, and group camping. The maximum length for an RV is 35 feet and electrical hookups are available in some campsites. Each campsite has a fire ring and picnic table with water spigots nearby. There are flush toilets and TOKEN-operated shower facilities in place. An RV sanitation station and water-fill station are also available.
Firewood is for sale from the campground hosts and proceeds help the Central Coast State Parks Association fund State Park educational programs. As of June 2026, Morro Bay State Park is piloting a “Buy It Where You Burn It” firewood program. Learn more about the Buy It Where You Burn It program.
Recreational activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, surfing, beach exploration, bird watching and wildlife viewing.
All camping reservations must be made in advance online through ReserveCalifornia or by calling 1-800-444-7275 8am - 6pm Pacific Time (PT).
Overnight facilities: Tent Camping, Group Campsites, Hike-and-Bike Campsites, RV/Trailer Campsites w/Hookups, RV Dump Station, RV Access
Max trailer: 35 feet
Max camper/motorhome: 35 feet
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
BoatingPicnickingFishingHistoric sites and toursRanger and interpretive programsWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHikingCamping
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Nature center or museum
- Restaurant or food service
- Parking
- Group facilities
Water
- Boat ramp
- Boat, canoe or kayak rentals
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Group camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Morro Bay State Park features lagoon and natural bay habitat. The park has opportunities for sailing, fishing, camping, hiking, and bird watching. The park museum has exhibits on natural features and cultural history, Native American life, geology, and oceanography. Phone (805) 772-2560 for more information.
Camping
Family Campground: Three RV campsites with electric/water hookups (#24, #26, and #29) and nine tent campsites (#47, #60, #91, #99, #108, #113, #114, #130, and #132) are generally accessible. Restroom/shower combo buildings are generally accessible, including pathways to them.
Group Campground: At least one space and accompanying restroom/shower is generally accessible.
Campfire Center: Adjacent to the picnic area, the campfire center is generally accessible, including parking and the path from the parking to the campfire center. Generally accessible restrooms are adjacent to the Camp Host (site #135).
Read more from the park
Picnic Area
Adjacent to the campfire center, generally accessible picnic tables are dispersed in a lightly wooded area. Some visitors may need assistance with the route to the picnic tables, which is across compacted soil. Generally accessible parking is available. Generally accessible restrooms are adjacent to the Camp Host (site #135).
Trails
The Marina Peninsula Trail is an 0.70 mile accessible loop trail/boardwalk with dynamic views of Morro Bay and Morro Bay Estuary. The surface is compacted soil and boardwalk. This trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes. Trailhead and accessible parking are located at the east end of the Morro Bay State Park Marina parking lot. Accessible restrooms are located adjacent to the Bayside Café.
The Museum Trail is an 0.1 mile accessible paved trail from the museum parking lot to the Museum of Natural History. Accessible parking is located at the museum parking lot. An accessible unisex restroom is at the museum.
Trail Name Running Slope Cross Slope Trail Width Trail Surface
Marina Penisula Trail 1% Average 4 FT Average Aggregate & Wood
4% Maximum 2% Maximum 4 FT Minimum
Exhibits/Programs
Morro Bay Museum of Natural History: The museum is accessible, with interactive accessible exhibits. Accessible parking and restrooms are available.
Virtual Photo Walks is a non-profit organization that harnesses the power of the internet and mobile communications to enable the disabled infirm and those isolated and hospitalized – young and old – to visit distant places. More information is available by visiting Virtual Photo Walks.
An archived Virtual Photo Walk that took place at Morro Bay SP Discovers the Playful Side of Life with Mama and Baby Sea Otters.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 1 State Park Road
Morro Bay, CA 93442 - Nearest town
- Morro Bay — about 2 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 35.3465, -120.8420
- Phone
- (805) 772-6101
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Telephone and Address Museum of Natural History (805) 772-6101 Campground Reservations (ReserveCalifornia) (1-800-444-7275) Morro Bay Campground Kiosk (805) 772-7434 Morro Bay Campground State Park Road Morro Bay, CA 93442 From the town of Morro Bay: South on Main St., which becomes State Park Rd. (Look for the state park entrance sign). Continue south to get to the marina and campground. From San Luis Obispo: North on Highway 1 to the South Bay Blvd. offramp. Turn left, go about 1 mile and turn right (Look for the state park entrance sign). From the south on Hwy 101: Northbound on Highway 101 to the Los Osos Valley Road offramp in San Luis Obispo. Turn left toward Los Osos and travel about 10 miles to South Bay Blvd., then turn right and go about 3 miles to the state park entrance (Look for the state park entrance sign). For those seeking an adventure, an even more scenic route may be taken south from Monterey through Big Sur on a 124-mile journey winding along Highway 1 (When road conditions permit). The Museum of Natural History is in the park, 500’ feet from the entrance to the campground and marina parking lot (Look for the museum entrance sign).
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: Morro Bay, California 01.JPG — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Blake Carroll
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology