{"id":4620,"date":"2016-03-31T02:55:26","date_gmt":"2016-03-31T02:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/?p=4620"},"modified":"2022-09-21T19:50:50","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T19:50:50","slug":"oso-flaco-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/oso-flaco-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"Oso Flaco Lake near Pismo Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Oso Flaco Lake is an enchanting nature area located just south of Pismo Beach along the Central Coast of California.<\/strong>\u00a0 The Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area is part of the popular Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and the lake itself is surrounded by one of the largest coastal dune ecosystems on the west coast of the U.S.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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The\u00a0Trail<\/h3>

Thanks to the well-maintained trail and boardwalk at Oso Flaco Lake, it\u2019s easy to access this unique coastal ecosystem and experience it up close.\u00a0 After parking your vehicle and paying a nominal fee, pass through the gate and walk a level quarter mile to the boardwalk that crosses over Oso Flaco Lake.\u00a0 Along this short, tree-lined walk, notice all of the moss growing here.<\/p>

Step onto the boardwalk and as you stroll across the lake, take your time.\u00a0 The waters are teeming with birdlife.\u00a0 We\u2019ve taken this scenic stroll several times and we always run across bird watchers or photographers who are happy to share their knowledge of the area and the wildlife.\u00a0 The last time we were there, these people pointed out several unique bird species that we wouldn\u2019t have noticed otherwise.\u00a0 One group of birds were swimming in circles, using teamwork, to stir up small tidbits of food that were stuck in the muddy bottom of the lake below.<\/p>

After crossing the lake, the boardwalk continues through a lush habitat of plants that are typical for costal dunes.\u00a0 A few kiosks along the way point out the different plant species that grow here and, just like at the lake, there\u2019s plenty of birdlife to see so keep your eyes open.<\/p>

The boardwalk then climbs over a high dune which gives you a good 360\u00b0 view of the entire area.\u00a0 In all directions, there are views of the beach and surrounding sand dunes.\u00a0 To the north, you may hear\/see dune buggies climbing the famous Pismo dunes and, providing there is no fog, far to the north you can see the towns of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach.\u00a0 To the south is where we are going today.\u00a0<\/p>

The boardwalk ends at the beach, about a mile from the parking lot, where the fresh water of Oso Flaco Creek empties into the ocean.\u00a0 Turn left (south) and head down the beach.\u00a0 Do your best to cross the creek without getting your feet wet.\u00a0 Or, if it\u2019s a warm day, take off your shoes and just wade through it!<\/p>

More…<\/p>

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Pictures<\/h3>

Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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