Montaña de Oro covers about 8,000 acres south of Los Osos on the San Luis Obispo coast, named for the wild mustard and California poppy that carpet the hillsides gold in early spring. Three miles of coastline include tidepools, sea cliffs, and small coves below windswept bluffs, with Hazard Peak rising nearly 1,100 feet directly inland. The Irish Hills section adds canyon country and eucalyptus groves above the coast, with Islay Creek cutting the main valley.

Dogs on leash are welcome on the park’s paved and unpaved service roads, in the Spooner’s Cove day-use area and campground, and on the beaches at Spooner’s Cove and Corallina Cove. Dogs are not permitted on the park’s hiking trails, which follows the standard California State Parks pattern. Between the service roads and the coves, though, there is actually a reasonable amount of dog-friendly ground here compared to most state parks on the coast.

Spooner’s Cove is the easiest dog-friendly stop, with a gravel beach, tidepools at low tide, and the campground sites tucked between eucalyptus and cypress just above the water. The Bluff area near the visitor center has paved interpretive loops with ocean views that are dog-accessible. Corallina Cove, reached by the service road south of Spooner’s, has some of the best tidepooling in the park and a small dog-friendly pocket beach.

Reach the park from Los Osos Valley Road, following signs south to Pecho Valley Road and into the park — about a 20-minute drive from Morro Bay. The road ends at Spooner’s Cove, with staffed day-use parking and a small visitor center. Parking is ten dollars at staffed lots. Summer mornings are often foggy; afternoons clear into sunshine most days.