The Coast Property and Beaches of Hearst Castle Country mostly belong to you now.
There have been many, many changes regarding U.S. Government and State Properties, the National Forests and State Beaches and Parks along the California Coast. Most recently some of the state parks and beaches on this page have been renamed to Hearst San Simeon State Park as of February 2008. San Simeon State Beach at the bottom of Hearst Castle Enchanted Hill and the San Simeon State Park just north of Cambria and newly acquired coast lands from Santa Rosa Creek to Ragged Point have become the all encompassing "Hearst San Simeon State Park". The most marked change has been all the new acquisitions and conservation easements that have come about making almost all of the coastal lands that are the concern of this website either belong to or are at least legally accessible to the general public. The state parks department acquired 959 acres and 13 miles of coastline as part of the historic $95 million Hearst Ranch conservation deal in 2004. You can use this information to make yourself more at home on Hearst Castle Country's beaches and coastlands; few changes or improvements have yet been made so you probably won't notice any change from the Pacific Coast Highway 1 and few noticeable changes have yet been made to the state properties or even to their websites. |
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Closest Camping to Hearst Castle, the Campgrounds at
Hearst San Simeon State State Park, (was San Simeon State Park),
San Simeon Creek Campground & Washburn Primative Campground
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San Simeon Creek Campground
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San Simeon Creek Campground |
The closest camping to Hearst Castle, San Simeon Creek Campground is 2 miles north of Cambria (source for supplies and
restaurants )and off Pacific Coast Highway 1 and 5 miles south of the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Visitor Center. This campground is a short walk to the beach which allows no dogs to protect the Snowey Plover shorebird. The San Simeon Creek Campground has 115 campsites for tent camping or recreational vehicles up to 35 feet; each campsite has a fire ring and picnic. There are community water spigots and restrooms with flush toilets and coin operated showers. Pay phones and firewood is available; for RVs there is water fill-up and RV sewer dump station.
Washburn Primitive Campground
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Washburn Primitive Campground |
Washburn Primitive Campground uses the same entrance and kiosk as San Simeon Creek Campground; Washburn Campground is about a mile further inland so it is about 3 miles from Cambria and 6 miles south from the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Visitor Center. These primitive campsites are 1 mile inland from the beach on a plateau with views of the Santa Lucia Mountains as well as the Pacific Ocean and California Coast. Washburn campground facilities include a fire ring and picnic table at each campsite; communal drinking water spigots, chemical toilets and use of the RV sewer dump station and water fill-up.
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San Simeon Creek Campground & Washburn Primative Campground at Hearst San Simeon State Park (San Simeon State Park)
Phone: 805-927-2035 or
805-927-2020
500 San Simeon Creek Rd
Cambria CA, 93428
Van Gordon Creek Road at San Simeon Creek Road;
Reservations: Campground Reservations can be made from March 15 to September 30 by calling 1-800-444-PARK.
BOOK CAMPSITE ONLINE
Recreational Activities: camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, beachcombing, jogging, kite flying, bird watching and whale watching, horseshoe pitching; Junior Ranger Program; interpretive walks of the San Simeon Trail may also be available.
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Pier Fishing Book |
Morro Strand State Beach Campground
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Morro Strand State Beach Campground |
Morro Strand State Beach is 2 miles south of the Beach Town of Cayucos, take the Yerba Buena Street exit off the Pacific Coast Highway 1 the North most exit of Morro Bay and continue to Oceanside Drive. There are 76 campsites located in this park each has parking, a fire ring and picnic table; there are communal restrooms and drinking water spigots but no showers. Campsites are sold by reservation from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends and on a first come first served basis for the rest of the year. Dogs are allowed in the developed campground areas on a leash but not on the beach to protect Snowy Plover habitat. RV's are limited to 24 feet and there is no RV sewer dump station, RV electric or water hookups. Morro Strand State Beach is very popular for surfing, kite surfing and wind surfing spot; other popular recreational activities are kite flying, beachcombing, jogging and surf fishing. This is a wonderful beach front campground with a nice large white sand beach 27 miles south of Hearst Castle Visitor Center. |
Morro Strand State Beach Campground
Phone: 805-772-2560 or
805-772-8812
Oceanside Drive
Morro Bay CA 93442
Reservations: 1-800-444-PARK from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends and on a first come first served basis for the rest of the year.
BOOK CAMPSITE ONLINE
Recreational Activities:
swimming, surfing, kite surfing and wind surfing spot, kite flying, beachcombing, jogging and surf fishing.
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Other Area Campgrounds, some near the California Coast and one in the Santa Lucia Mountains:
There several other wonderful campgrounds in the area if you don't mind being over 30 miles from Hearst Castle San Simeon or not on the beach. The featured campgrounds on this page or near or on the beach and if camping on the beach is what interests you then Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (Oceano Dunes SVRA)this is the only State Park on the California Coast that allows the ultimate camp right on the beach experience and you can take your vehicle onto the beach and dunes too. If you are looking for a more forest mountain type camping experience you should check out the recently refurbished campsites at Morro Bay State Park, the wonderful campground near the beach at Montaņa de Oro California State Park (popular horse and mountain bike trails) or another of my favorite campgrounds, a Santa Lucia Mountain campground called a mountain bike trail paradise,
Cerro Alto Campground (best mountain bike trails).
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Closest picnic spot is Hearst Memorial State Beach Day Use Area, beautiful and wonderful but Ragged Point Inn Ocean View Resort is incredible! Take your pic for a picnic: the best spots on the California Coast to have a picnic near Hearst Castle San Simeon.
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Ragged Point Inn Ocean View Resort
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Ragged Point Inn Ocean View Resort |
One of my favorite picnic spots any time I am in Hearst Castle Country is the Ragged Point Inn and Resort, it is a great place to have a picnic; throw out your blanket on the lush green lawn and enjoy the best Pacific Coast ocean view from San Simeon to Big Sur! If you like, Ragged Point Inn ocean view resort has a large outdoor patio with picnic tables surrounded by supporting business to compliment your Pacific Coast picnicking adventure like a general store in case you forgot some of your picnicking supplies and a hamburger stand if you'd rather something tasty and hot or a refreshing and icy cold drink. Then when you have finished your feast enjoy the spectacular ocean views and multitude of meandering paths to transverse the 12 acre properties ornamental gardens and scenic view points.
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The best place to picnic is a beautiful 15 mile drive north up the breathtakingly scenic Pacific Coast Highway One from Hearst Castle; the elephant seal rookery and Piedras Blancas Lighthouse are on the PCH along the way.
Ragged Point Inn Ocean View Resort
19019 Highway 1
Ragged Point, California 93452
Hotel/Gift Shop Phone:
805-927-4502
Restaurant Phone:
805-927-5708
Recreational Facilities:
hiking trails, scenic ocean view decks, adirondack chairs, green lawn, picnic tables, restaurant, hamburger stand, expresso bar, general store, gift shop, art gallery, hotel, full service ocean view resort
Recreational Activities:
hiking, fishing, dining, wine tasting, picnicking, sightseeing
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W.R. Hearst State Beach Day Use Area at
Hearst San Simeon State Park
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W.R. Hearst State Beach Day Use Area at Hearst San Simeon State Park |
The paramount of picnic sites William Randolph Memorial Hearst State Beach just across the Pacific Coast Highway 1 from Hearst Castle State Historical Monument Visitor Center is a virtual playground for all ages!
My #1 choice for picnicking and playing outdoors on the beach close to Hearst Castle near the old town of San Simeon. This State Park has an incredible expansive sandy beach, sheltered cove, long pier and handicapped accessible public restrooms. This day use area offers 24 ocean view picnic sites with picnic tables, 150 parking spaces, drinking water faucets, barbecue grill stands and easy beach access. Visitor activities include picnicking, swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and sunbathing. There is a kayak and boogie board concession with equipment for rent.
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W.R. Memorial Hearst State Beach Day Use Area at Hearst San Simeon State Park
Phone: 805-927-2020
750 Hearst Castle Road
San Simeon,CA 93452
Recreational Activities:
OPEN DAWN TILL DUSK picnicking, swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and sunbathing. There is a kayak and boogie board concession with equipment for rent.
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Camp, Picnic, Hike Map |
Washburn Day Use Picnic Area
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Washburn Day Use Picnic Area |
W.R. Hearst State Park also has a day use picnic area next to San Simeon Creek (on the south side of San Simeon Creek across from the campground) which is accessed by a turn off from the Pacific Coast Highway 1 just south of San Simeon Creek Road (5 miles south from the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Visitor Center). This no fee day use area is protected from the ocean winds and offers several sites for picnicking with picnic tables and barbecue grill stands; there is a handicapped accessible restroom, parking spaces, drinking water faucets, and easy beach access. There is an entrance to a 3 plus mile nature trail which includes scenic overlooks, rest-stop benches and interpretive panels with information on wildlife and habitat. A portion of the trail along the seasonal wetland is wheelchair accessible.
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Washburn Day Use Picnic Area at Hearst San Simeon State Park (San Simeon State Park)
Phone: 805-927-2020
Pacific Coast Highway 1, south of San Simeon Creek Road;
Cambria CA, 93428
Recreational Activities: picnicking, barbecue, beach access, fishing, beachcombing, interpretive self guided wheelchair accessible nature trail. Picnic By the Sea There are several ocean view picnic tables by the gravel parking lot on the bluff above the beach directly across the highway from the Washburn Day Use Area; a wonderful place to picnic when it's not windy, there is no barbecue grill, water or restroom just picnic tables, parking, the beautiful ocean view and beach.
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Leffingwell Landing Day Use Picnic Area on Moonstone Beach
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Leffingwell Landing Day Use Picnic Area on Moonstone Beach |
Leffingwell Landing Day Use Picnic Area is on a small bluff at the north end overlooking Cambria California's beautiful Moonstone Beach. There are picnic tables, drinking water faucets, barbecue grill stands and restrooms at this wonderful little park located 6 miles south of Hearst Castle Visitors Center but the biggest visitor draw is the spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the beautiful stretch of California Coast called Moonstone Beach. Besides enjoying the view recreational activities popular at Leffingwell Landing California State Day Use Area are tide pool viewing, beachcombing, kite flying, there is good hiking close by. Whale watching, fishing, skin diving, scuba diving, boating and kayaking are also popular, there is a small boat ramp to launch your watercraft; remember this is in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sancutary.
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Leffingwell Landing Day Use Picnic Area on Moonstone Beach
Phone: 805-927-2020
Moonstone Beach Drive
Cambria CA, 93428
Recreational Activities:
tide pool viewing, beachcombing, kite flying, hiking, whale watching, fishing, skin diving, scuba diving, boating, kayaking
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Shamel Park, Cambria Community Park
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Shamel Park |
Shamel Park, is an ocean front day use San Luis Opispo County Park on Windsor Boulevard North Park Hill in the village of Cambria California. Shamel Park is a 6-acre County Park with a large grass playing field, scores of picnic tables, barbeques, and barbecue grill stands, horseshoe pits, a community swimming pool (open in season), and a children's play area with kids playground equipment. |
Shamel Park, Cambria California Community Park
Phone: 805-781-5930
Windsor Boulevard
Cambria CA, 93428
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The very best hiking near Hearst Castle Visitor Center? Finest hike close to Hearst Castle San Simeon is a walk on the beach at William Randolph Hearst State State Beach!
UNIMPROVED COASTAL BLUFFS: Hikes, Hiking and Unimproved Hiking Trails near Hearst Castle San Simeon.
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There are no "back country" marked or developed trails or hikes near Hearst Castle or San Simeon like there are to the north in the Los Padres National Forest Big Sur Country (trails and beach access near Ragged Point). Most of the land which surrounds Hearst Castle belongs to the Hearst Ranch (128 square miles / 82,000 acres) most of the open land to the south of Hearst Ranch is privately held as well.
The golden opportunities for hiking in Hearst Castle Country in and near San Simeon are Coastal Bluff Hikes. Most of the San Simeon Parks coastal bluff or beach hikes and hiking areas are newly acquired and yet to be developed and marked; thirteen miles of coastline, 959 acres in all were added to the state park system in 2004 as part of the historic $95 million Hearst Ranch conservation deal; there are also many nicely developed and marked hiking trails near San Simeon and in not far away village of Cambria, several self guided interruptive nature trails are even wheelchair accessible.
Hike San Simeon Point - Arroyo Laguna Beach -  -  -  -  -  - 
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One of the most interesting coastal bluffs in the Hearst Castle San Simeon area is San Simeon Point to Arroyo Laguna Beach (Arroyo Laguna Beach Access). There is a large variety of landscapes and geological features along this hike; eucalyptus and Monterey Pine forests, coastal bluffs with beautiful sweeping ocean views, rough rocky beach areas with tide pools, sand dunes, and long stretches of pristine white sandy beach. Plenty of free parking is available at W.R. Memorial Hearst State Beach Day Use Area; hike west on the beach and look for the easiest path up the cliff past Hearst's Spanish styled warehouses on the Bluff and follow the seldom used road out to the end of San Simeon Point then follow the trail which skirts the coast; turn back if any time you want or hike all the way to the popular wind and kite surfing beach, Arroyo Laguna Beach or further if you choose. You could also reverse this hike and park in the dirt parking lot at Arroyo Laguna and hike back to San Simeon State Beach, either way you go you could end up having to wade the Arroyo Laguna Creek if it is close to the rainy season, usually you can find a dry strip down by the beach to cross.
Coastal Bluff Hike South of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse - -
There is some nice hiking allowed on the coastal bluffs south of the light house but the beaches are reserved for elephant seals (elephant seal calendar)and other wildlife. There is small separate parking lot north of the main Piedras Elephant Seal Rookery viewing area where you should park for hiking this area; you may have to climb over the gate to get to the bluff trails but San Simeon State Park managers say to stay on the trails and off of the beaches. Looking for more information about hiking the coastal bluffs in this area see this article about hiking these trails north of Hearst Castle San Simeon.
South San Simeon Acres - Junge Ranch Coastal Bluff Hike - - - -
There is a nice coastal bluff hike with primitive trail just south of San Simeon Acres on the Junge Ranch. The trail starts from either the south end of San Simeon Acres at the corner of Balboa Avenue and Vista del Mar (through a barbed wire fence then trail goes south)or at the end of Lone Palm Drive off Highway 1 at San Simeon Creek Road across Pacific Coast Highway 1 from San Simeon State Creek Campgrounds (over the gate then trail goes west skirting a private residence then heads north). Looking for more information about hiking the coastal bluffs in this area see this news paper article about hiking these trails north of Hearst Castle San Simeon.
DEVELOPED HIKING TRAILS NEAR HEARST CASTLE SAN SIMEON;
marked trails with signs, self guided interpretative nature trails and wheelchair accessible trails.
The Washburn Nature Trail, in Hearst San Simeon State Park next to San Simeon Creek
Washburn Nature Trail starts next to San Simeon Creek at the Washburn Day Use Area. Turn off Pacific Coast Highway 1 just south of San Simeon Creek Road; free parking is available at the Washburn Day Use Picnic Area (5 miles south from the Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Visitor Center). There is a short trail to the beach or an easy 3.3 mile loop trail runs through parts of the San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Washburn Campground. The hiking trail includes scenic overlooks, rest-stop benches and interpretive panels with information on wildlife and habitat. A segment of the trail along the seasonal wetland is wheelchair accessible. Hiking and Developed Trails in Cambria, California.
Cambria is roughly 10 miles from Hearst Castle but they have some incredible hiking and well developed trails and more in the works! For the past decade Cambria has been working hard toward becoming an ideal place to hike, run, walk, ride or roll to appreciate the California Coast magnificent natural beauty. My two favorites Moonstone Beach Boardwalk and the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Ocean Bluff Trails provide breathtaking sweeping ocean vistas and are wheelchair accessible too.
Click for more information about the Trails and Parks of
Cambria California from the Chamber of Commerce.
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Moonstone Beach Boardwalk - Parking lots at both the north and south end of the boardwalk, additional parking in-between. This trail is a very popular walking spot with striking ocean vistas and a very friendly atmosphere. The raised wheelchair accessible boardwalk runs the entire length of the coastal bluff along Moonstone Beach Drive, now a part of the State Park lands of W.R. Hearst State Park. Beach access is available as well as the coastal bluff hike, nice place to fly a kite.
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Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Ocean Bluff Trail -
Park at the south dead-end of Windsor Boulevard. A magnificent mile long trail that skirts the ocean bluff and is a combination boardwalk compacted rock gravel both are easy to navigate a wheelchair and there are eclectic wooden benches to provide rest and reflection. The Marine Terrace trail is also very popular, a bit higher on the bluff this hike combined with the coastal bluff trail can provide a nice loop hike; the over 400 acre Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is a maze of trails which can provide some nice hiking and exploration.
Click for a nice MAP and information about the hiking and mountain biking trails
on the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve from Cambria Computer & Internet. |
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