FORGET THE SAHARA, IF YOU WANT TO SEE SAND DUNES, HEAD TO PISMO BEACH

Jan 22
5 min read

Updated: Feb 12

Pismo Beach, California, USA

SURPRISE! THERE ARE SAND DUNES IN CALIFORNIA

I had been living in Los Angeles for almost ten years before I ever heard about Pismo Beach. Only a 3-hour drive north from Los Angeles, and a 4-hour drive south from San Francisco, in San Luis Obispo County; this small, quiet town has one of the most glorious gifts from Mother Nature with roughly 1100 acres of sand dunes right next to the beach. They are part of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex, which boasts 18 miles of coastline in Central California near San Luis Obispo.

Granted, these are not sand dunes where you can wander for forty days and forty nights, but they are an exceptional example of this uncommon natural phenomenon, and truly magical to experience. Somehow, despite all my world travel, I had never had an opportunity to visit sand dunes. My excitement couldn’t be contained! I decided to take a trip the following weekend.

ROAD TRIP FROM LOS ANGELES

My friend and I drove up from LA in the morning and, after securing our campsite, we headed to Oceano Dunes, a California State Park and vehicular recreation area that allows off-roading and camping (*) right on to the sand. Since my two-door convertible sports sedan wasn’t equipped with four-wheel drive, we decided to park in the small, paved lot just at the entrance to the beach, meant for cars and other vehicles that prefer to not risk getting stuck.

DISCOVERING OCEANO DUNES

The walk to the dunes from the parking lot is almost a mile, but the beach is wide and there is lots to see along the way. Groups of pickup and campers dot the expansive area, even a muscle car or two might make its way down the shore. Many of them are waving American flags and hauling dune buggies and “Off-Highway Vehicles” to use in the dunes. Coming from Los Angeles with its strict beach regulations, it was quite a shock to see all this at the water’s edge just rolling by in the sand.

It was January so the air was much cooler than in Los Angeles, and a cool breeze off the water definitely was felt. We finally got to what we thought was the entrance of the dunes, across a small pond of water that had accumulated in the sand. Climbing up it was a somewhat steep incline with shrubs and other desert vegetation. We kept walking and then slowly you could start to see the dunes, stretching out much farther than I had imagined! In the bright sun they seemed to go on forever and it was a beautiful sight to behold! The further we walked into the dunes, the more it felt like we actually were in the middle of the Sahara. We could barely see the coast except for intermittent glimpses when climbing atop the high arch of a dune. Since there are separate entrances for the off-road vehicles, much further down the beach, this area of the dunes is quiet. In our case, there was literally no one around.

An endless photographer’s paradise, each rise and fall of a dune brings a new perspective of playful shapes and compositions.

The sun casts shadows in the soft sand, creating patterns of mesmerizing soft ripples. The lines and shapes turn and twist with the wind. An endless photographer’s paradise, each rise and fall of a dune brings a new perspective of playful shapes and compositions. Each footstep leaves a mark for the moment but knowing within hours they would vanish completely. It’s an ephemeral, constantly changing landscape. As the sun begins to set and the temperature drops, the wind becomes more intense, and the shadows become more dramatic.

Magical Sunset at Oceano Dunes in California

After playing and taking it all in, it was time to go, knowing we had a long walk back. The sunset hour along the beach was nothing short of spectacular. The shallow waters ebbed and flowed, leaving a thin sheen of water, perfectly reflecting the colorful clouds that spotted the sky as the mountains in the distance changed from shades of pink to purple to dark ombre colors.

OVERNIGHT CAMPING AT PISMO BEACH

There are numerous campsites all over the area, both on the beach sand, and on regular ground; the one we chose was at Pismo State Beach near North Beach, about a 10-minute drive from the dunes, just over a hill from a different area of the beach. Overnight was freezing, much colder than we anticipated, and we awoke to a marine layer of earie fog saturating the air. It was actually my first time having a genuine in-tent camping experience, and I can honestly say, I will skip this part next time I visit this area!

A DAY OF ENJOYING MOTHER NATURE

A SUBLIME MORNING IN THE COMPANY OF HORSES

The weather quickly heated up so we decided to check out the beach at the early hour before packing up. We were mesmerized by how beautiful and unique this other area was. The sky and water almost blurred together in a grayish blue palette where just the whitewater breaks in the waves defined the horizon. Patches of green desert grass and succulents were the only color in this otherwise monotone palette. In the midst of this eerie scene, two beautiful horses appeared. They were getting their morning exercise, being led by a woman on the beach. After speaking with her she slowed the horses down and allowed us to photograph these gorgeous creatures. It was surreal.

RELAXING AT THE SPA AFTER A NIGHT OUTDOORS

That afternoon we decided to enjoy some of the local mineral baths with a trip to Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa. This lovely resort features hot tubs filled with mineral water that are arranged cascading down the tree-lined mountain side, accessed by a series of outdoor stairs. There are showers and dressing rooms to change, as well as a privacy fence for each tub. The setting is peaceful and aligned with the nature aesthetic of this predominately outdoor activity area.

After our relaxing dip in the hot tub, we returned to the dunes one more time to experience their beauty before driving back to Los Angeles that evening. The second visit was just as spectacular, yet different from the different dunes and shadows. The entire trip left me spiritually and physically rejuvenated by the peace and beauty of the area. If you have the time and inclination, I highly recommend a visit.