Adventure 008, Hike 091 - Park Ridge Trail

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 008, Hike 091 - Park Ridge Trail

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 6, 2012

Location: Morro State Park-Cerro Cabrillo

Hike Info:

Trail: Park Ridge Trail

Distance: 1.3 miles

Duration: 1:37

Elevation Rise: 211'

 Description:
This trail is runs down the middle of Morro Bay State Park below the Cerro Cabrillo. Park Ridge is an old farm road that crosses the rolling grasslands and you get the idea of why it is called Park Ridge when you stand at the end—you end up on the ridge which separates the Los Osos valley from the Highway One corridor. Then when you look down the trail, it drops into a creek bed and does a short climb up another ridge. It follows this second ridge all the way back to the parking lot. Because of these ridges, we did get good views of the double Peak Cerro Cabrillo. One interesting aspect of this trail is when you descend down into that dried up creek bed, you notice the distinct change in soils right at the creek. One side has a sandy tan color. But when you cross, there is more of a volcanic, greyish rock soil.

From the sign What is in a Name: Park Ridge-Look at a topographic map of the area and you will find “Park Ridge” as the crested elevation between Cerro Cabrillo and Hollister Peak. Park Ridge rock is also a popular rock climbing area.