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· Volunteers Needed
· Ranger-Led Hikes
· Trail Workdays
. Jr. Ranger Activity Camps
· Virtual Tour
·
Living with California Mountain Lions
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Hiking Trails/Open Space Map
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Directions for Hikes & Workdays
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Slacklining
The Ranger
Service acts as the voice of nature, speaking to the users and
uniting the community to help protect the natural resources of San
Luis Obispo. Through enforcement, education, maintenance and
rehabilitation of the parks, creeks and open space, City Park
Rangers manage the land for the public and for future generations to
enjoy.
Protecting
open space is not just a job for the Park Rangers. There are over 40
miles of trails and roads available to the public. The City
encourages every user to aid in the preservation of the natural
surroundings while enjoying time spent in these areas. Through
environmental education on
Ranger-Led Hikes, after-school programs and public contacts, the
community builds awareness of the human effect on the natural
environment and how people can personally help to restore its
natural beauty.
Some simple guidelines to protect open space users
and make the most of the experience:
Keep Dogs on Leash
Pick-Up After Your Dog
Use Sunscreen
Stay on the Trail
Wear Sturdy Shoes
Bring Plenty of Water
Follow All Posted Guidelines
Volunteers
Needed

The involvement of community groups
and volunteers is another key element to the preservation of City
open spaces. Volunteers donating time, hard work and genuine
interest in caring for nature are invaluable to the care and upkeep
of the 3,000 acres of City open space.
Volunteers have become a major asset to the Ranger Service division.
With only a handful of hired staff to manage the land, it is crucial
to host community service events, Volunteer Trail Lookout hikes, and
Trail Workdays. In addition, community groups often aid the
Ranger Service division by adopting a specific open space.
Wondering
what a volunteer does?

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Help to build and maintain trails
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Help restore native vegetation along the creek corridor
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Build bridges, catwalks, benches and much more
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Garbage pick-ups
If any service
groups, associations, organizations, clubs, students, families,
friends or individuals would like to take part in the preservation
of the City's open space, please volunteer. For more information
call the Ranger Service desk at (805) 781-7302.
Ranger-Led
Hikes
Ranger-Led hikes
offer a wonderful personal tour of the City's Open Space. It is
important to follow the simple guidelines for hiking (listed above).
Anyone can schedule their own hike or join one of the following
scheduled Ranger-Led Hikes:
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Sunday, September 20 |
Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve - directions |
| Sunday,
October 11 |
Stenner Springs Properties -
directions |
|
Sunday, November 15 |
Bishop Peak Open Space @ Patricia -
directions |
|
Sunday, December 6 |
Irish Hills Natural Reserve @ Prefumo Canyon - directions |
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Sunday, January 17 |
Reservoir
Canyon Natural Reserve - directions |
|
Sunday, February 21 |
South Hills Open Space -
directions |
Call
781-7302 for more information on upcoming hikes
All
hikes start at 1:00 p.m. Hike duration varies with group. We ask that
all participants please wear study shoes and bring plenty of water to
drink.
Want
to take a hike on your own? View our hiking
trail map online for more information. Trail maps of
City open space hikes are available online
here; you will need Adobe Acrobat to view.
Trail
Workdays
In partnership with SLO Stewards, frequent trail workdays are held
in the City's Open Space. Tools will be provided, along with some
water and snacks. The following is a list of scheduled trail
workdays:
Saturday, December 12
- Islay Hill Open Space - directions
Saturday, January 9
- Johnson Ranch Open Space - directions
Saturday, January 23
- Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve - directions
Saturday, February 13
- Stenner Springs Properties - directions
Saturday, February 27
- Johnson Ranch Open Space - directions
All workdays are from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Meet at the trailhead at 9 a.m.
Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes.
Water and snacks will be
provided.
Call
781-7302 for information on upcoming Trail Workdays.
Junior Ranger Activity Camps
The Ranger
Service offers two Environmental Education camps during the summer.
Details available spring 2010.
Directions
to Ranger-Led Hikes and Trail Workdays:
Bishop
Peak Natural Reserve @ Highland Trailhead: To reach the trailhead, take
Foothill Blvd. west and make a right onto Patricia Drive. Continue
north on Patricia Drive and make a left onto Highland Drive.
Highland Drive will end at the Bishop Peak trailhead.
Bishop Peak Natural Reserve @ Patricia Trailhead: To reach the
trailhead, take Foothill Blvd. west and make a right turn at Patricia
Drive. Continue north on Patricia Drive and the trailhead will
be on the left just past Patricia Court.
Bob Jones Bike Trail:
Please meet at the trailhead on Prado Road. Trailhead is located
near Prado Road's intersection with South Higuera to the north side of
the bridge crossing San Luis Creek.
Bowden Ranch Open Space: Please meet at the Lizzie
Court trailhead. To reach the trailhead, turn east off of
Johnson Avenue onto Lizzie Street and continue up a short ways to end
of street at trailhead.
Cerro San Luis
Natural Reserve: Please
meet at the Cerro San Luis Natural Reserve trailhead. To access the
trailhead, turn right onto Fernandez Road just before the southbound
101 Marsh Street on-ramp.
El Chorro Regional Park:
Entrance is approximately 5.5 miles north of SLO, across from
Cuesta College. Turn right onto park road and continue 0.8 miles
to Dairy Creek parking lot on the left by the locked gate.
Irish
Hills Natural Reserve @ Prefumo Canyon Trailhead: To reach the trailhead, take Los Osos Valley Road
north and turn left onto Prefumo Canyon Road. Follow this road
for 1 mile and the trailhead will be on the left after a bridge
crossing.
Irish Hills Natural Reserve @
Madonna Trailhead: Please meet at the
Madonna trailhead. To reach the trailhead from Highway 101, take Los
Osos Valley Road north towards Los Osos. Turn left on Madonna Road.
Follow the street to the end and find parking on the street, then walk
up the dirt road to the trailhead.
Islay
Hill Open Space: Please meet at the trailhead. To
reach the trailhead, take Broad Street south and make a left onto Tank
Farm Road. Follow this road and make a right onto Wavertree
Street. Make a left onto Spanish Oaks Drive and then a right
onto Sweetbay Lane. Trailhead is at the end of Sweetbay Lane.
Johnson Ranch: Please meet at the
turnout located at the intersection of South Higuera Street and
Ontario Road.
Montaña
de Oro State Park. Montaña
de Oro Bluff Walk:
From San Luis Obispo
take Los Osos Valley Road through Los Osos, then continue on to the
entrance of Montaña
de Oro State Park via Pecho Valley Road. Drive another 2.7 miles
to Park Headquarters Visitor Center (also known as Old Ranch House).
Group will meet and depart from there.
Montaña
de Oro State Park. Coon Creek Nature Walk:
From San Luis Obispo, take Los Osos
Valley Road through Los Osos and continue to the entrance of Montaña
de Oro State Park via Pecho Valley Road. From the entrance sign,
continue 3.9 miles to the trailhead parking area on the left at the
end of the road, 1.2 miles past the visitor center. Group will
meet and depart from there.
Montaña
de Oro State Park. Point Buchon Walk:
From San Luis Obispo,
take Los Osos Valley Road through Los Osos and continue to the
entrance of Montaña
de Oro State Park via Pecho Valley Road. From the entrance sign,
continue 3.9 miles to the trailhead parking area on the left at the
end of the road, 1.2 miles past the visitor center. Group will
meet and depart from there.
Pismo Beach Walk: Boardwalk & Monarch
Butterflies: Please meet at the Addie Street parking lot
at the beach in Pismo where parking is free. From San Luis Obispo
take Highway 101 south. Exit onto CA-1/Dolliver Street toward
Pismo Beach. Continue straight on Dolliver until you reach the Addie
Street parking lot.
Reservoir
Canyon Natural Reserve: Please meet at the Reservoir Canyon
trailhead. To reach the trailhead, take Highway 101 north.
Go past the city limits and turn right onto Reservoir Canyon Road
(second road past the City limits). Reservoir Canyon Road will
end at the trailhead.
South
Hills Open Space: Please meet at the South Hills trailhead off of
Woodbridge Street. To reach the trailhead take South Street east
and turn right onto Exposition Drive. Go straight and the road
will turn into Woodbridge Street. The trailhead is on the right.
Stenner Springs Properties: Head west out of
San Luis Obispo on Highway 1 towards Morro Bay. Slightly less
than a mile outside of town turn right onto Stenner Creek Road.
Follow Stenner Creek Road for about 2-1/2 miles to the end. Meet
the ranger there.
Living with California Mountain Lions
The Ranger Service would like to promote education
about “Living
with California Mountain Lions.” Due to the recent sightings of
mountain lions in the City’s open space, it seems appropriate to
inform the public about this species of wildlife. Some quick tips to
follow if a user encounters a mountain lion:
Do Not Hike Alone
Keep Children
Close To You
Do Not Run From a
Lion
Do All You Can To
Appear Larger
Virtual
Tour
Take
a virtual tour of the Bishop Peak
Nature Reserve via the Felsman Loop.....a brochure
detailing the area is available as a PDF file.
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