Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Also known as Oceano Dunes SVRA
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- $5 per dayAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- ohv.parks.ca.gov(805) 773-7170
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Covering about 3,458 acres, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area lies in San Luis Obispo County, in Grover Beach.
Visitors come for snorkeling and diving, surfing, off-highway vehicle riding, horseback riding, and historic sites. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day use | Daily | 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Vehicle Day Use: 7am – 10pm.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Day Use | $5 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Vehicle Day Use: $5.00
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, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: oso flaco lake or pismo state beach dune preserve.
Are dogs allowed? Yes: Leashed dogs allowed. Dogs not allowed at Oso Flaco Lake or Pismo State Beach Dune Preserve.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
BoatingHistoric sites and toursFishingOff-highway vehiclesSnorkeling and scubaSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHikingHorseback riding
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Nature center or museum
- Parking
Water
- Swimming beach
Recreation
- Horse trails
✓ 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
Oceano Dunes SVRA offers a 3,600-acre off road area with over 5 miles of beach open for vehicle use and 1,500 acres of sand dunes available for off highway motor vehicle recreation. Surfing, swimming, surf fishing, horseback riding and bird watching are among the other popular activities at this SVRA. Located off Highway One in Oceano, three miles south of Pismo Beach. Phone (805) 773-7170 or (805) 473-7220 for more information.
Picnic Area
Grand Avenue Kiosk Picnic Area: Accessible picnic tables and accessible van and car parking are available. The route of travel is accessible, but blown sand is a constant problem here. Restrooms are accessibly designed.
Pier Avenue Kiosk: Accessible picnicking, parking, including van accessible parking, and restrooms are present. Routes of travel between facilities are generally accessible.
Read more from the park
Oso Flaco Lake: Located along the southern end of the park, off Oso Flaco Lake Road, the Oso Flaco Day Use Area is set in the quiet countryside at the trailhead to the Oso Flaco Lake Trail. Accessible picnicking, parking, and vault restrooms are available.
Trails
The Oso Flaco Lake Trail is an ‘out-and-back’ accessible trail that is 1 mile each way that offers fishing, coastal dunes hiking, and views of the ocean. The trail begins from the Oso Flaco Day Use Area and travels along an asphalt road roughly 0.25 mile to a bridge. The bridge, which crosses over a portion of Oso Flaco Lake, has slots in the rails designed to allow fishing. Beyond the bridge, the trail continues for 0.5 mile along a coastal dune boardwalk, and terminates at an ocean overlook. The surface is asphalt and wood. Sections of the boardwalk navigate over or through moving sand dunes that occasionally deposit sand on the boardwalk surface. The trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes with intermittent sections between 5% to 10%. Along the bridge and boardwalk, benches and educational panels invite visitors to rest and learn about the native people, animals, and plants of the area. Accessible picnicking, parking, and vault restrooms are available at the trailhead parking lot. An additional accessible vault restroom is available roughly 0.8 mile from the trailhead parking lot. It can be accessed from the boardwalk or from a special disabled user ATV landing area and connecting walkway.
Trail Name Running Slope Cross Slope Trail Width Trail Surface
Oso Flaco Lake Trail 5 FT Average Asphalt & Wood
10% Maximum 2% Maximum 4 FT Minimum
Beach/Shore Access
Call (805) 473-7220 for information about available beach wheelchairs, one at each park entry kiosk. Generally, they are offered on a first-come basis, but special arrangements may be possible. A neck/back adapter may also be checked out. Pier Kiosk restrooms are accessible. One no-flush toilet along the beach is accessibly designed. Outdoor rinsing shower is accessible.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 928 Pacific Avenue
Oceano, CA 93445 - Nearest town
- Grover Beach
- Coordinates
- 35.0932, -120.6179
- Phone
- (805) 773-7170
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
No directions available for this park.
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)
“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