Closed Sand Dune Areas
Oceano Dunes (aka Pismo Beach)
Location: San Luis Obispo County, near
Oceano, California
Managed By: California Department of Parks and Recreation, OHMVR
Division
Size: 13,500 acres closed, 1,500 remain open for OHV's
Date of Closure: 1982
Type of Closure: Permanent
Reason for Closure: Endangered Species Act
Other information:
Vehicles have been driven on the beach at Oceano for 100 years. Prior to the 1980s, vehicles were operated on the entire 16 miles of
beach from Pismo Beach in the north to Mussel Rock in Santa Barbara County in
the south. There were four access points in this are: Grand Ave., Pier Ave., Oso
Flaco Lake and Main St. in Gaudalupe. Now, street-legal vehicles are allowed on approximately five miles of
the beach from Grand Avenue south. OHVs are now restricted to about three miles
of the beach, from a point one mile south of Pier Avenue to the southerly
boundary of allowed OHV use, and on the dunes inland about two miles: the most
southern and eastern portions are closed to vehicle use. The vehicular
recreation area varies in width from a few hundred yards at the northern end to
approximately three miles at the southern end. Its 3590 acres are comprised of
sandy beach and sand dunes; about 1500 acres are available for OHV use.
Endangered or Threatened Species:
-
California least tern (Sterna antillarum browni); Federal
Status: Endangered, 1970
-
Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus);
Federal
Status: Threatened, 1993
Links:
Other Photos:
Access and dunes closed at Oso Flaco Lake
Gaudalupe Dunes to Devil's
Slide - Closed to OHVs
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