Bluffs Trail at Fiscalini Ranch in Cambria
The Fiscalini Ranch in Cambria is a 400-acre property that was once planned to become a golf course. The city eventually stepped in and bought it, turning it into an amazing open space area that it is today. There are miles of trails here with everything from hiking to biking trails, and each gets more amazing as you head toward the coast. The standout trail for me is the Bluffs Trail which runs right along the ocean and provides beautiful vistas and access to tide pools. With two access points on Windsor Boulevard North and South, the Bluffs Trail is a fantastic way to work up a little sweat and take in stunning scenery, all within a two-mile round-trip trail.
Details
- Free
- Two miles
- Best in the afternoon and sunset
- Wheelchair accessible
The Trail
After parking on either side, you will proceed up to the start of the boardwalk/trail which has a lot of information about the area. This walkthrough in this post is from the north side.
The trail will wind around before it drops you on the very well maintained dirt path that you will be walking on for the rest of the time. Many small spurs lead to various bluffs if you want to get closer to one, but I would recommend staying on one of the trails that have already been there, so you do not make your own.
As you start to walk the views get progressively better and you leave the houses and get out to the bluffs themselves.
The trail meanders along and is pretty flat most of the way. It provides many stunning views, but be sure to watch kids closely here and to be careful if you head close to the edge.
All along the trail, here are benches you can sit and relax at, which are usually pretty full on weekends, especially with beautiful weather. I love that these are not traditional benches either; some are even made of driftwood.
I also recommend taking this trail in the springtime as the wildflowers bloom here and dot the landscape. That way when you can see the ocean and cliffs on one side and wildflowers on the other, a win-win.
As you near the turn around point there is finally access down to the water itself (before that it is mostly cliffs). From here there are tide pools for the kids to enjoy and I saw a lot of sea anemones while I was exploring there.
From here you can turn around and head back the way you came, finishing up the beautiful walk. You can even opt to walk back through one of the many other trails in the park if you want as well.
Make to provide yourself ample time to explore and to not be rushed as it is worth it. There are also many other trails in Fiscalini Ranch if you want to do more hiking, but this is the closest to the ocean. This trail reminds me a lot of the bluffs trail in Montaña de Oro State Park, and I highly suggest both of them.
Here is a video of the trail.
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