48.9 Miles

Oso Flaco Lake Route

Avila Beach

Paved

This out-and-back route will take you from Avila Beach through Pismo and Oceano to Oso Flaco Lake, stopping by some significant historic landmarks along the way. You’ll find natural beauty in abundance at the Monarch Butterfly Grove and history in action at the Great American Melodrama. In Pismo, you’ll connect with iconic Highway 1, riding from there to Oso Flaco Lake Road and then on to the lake. Once you reach the lake, you’ll experience the peace and quiet of the smooth waters and stunning view—perhaps while you enjoy a sandwich from J.J.’s Market. This 49-mile ride makes for the perfect day.

Points of Interest

Avila Hot Springs’ source of mineral water is a geothermal spring emanating from deep within the earth’s mantle. It’s brought to the surface by their artesian well, which allows the water to flow up without pumping at about 130-135 degrees, where it is cooled with a little fresh water to about 104 degrees in their hot pool. The flow of this natural spring has remained constant for over 100 years. Stop in and take a relaxing dip.

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This small-town grocery store has a deli with sandwiches, pasta salads, and other great lunch items for on-the-go cyclists, as well as cool beverages to quench your thirst.

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The Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is one of only five sites in the state that has counts of over 10,000 butterflies annually. Each year, thousands of vibrant orange and black monarch butterflies flock to Pismo State Beach, a location essential to their successful migration, seeking shelter from the freezing northern winters. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of towering, majestic eucalyptus trees flanking a riparian estuary that flows to the Pacific Ocean. The grove is easily accessible from Highway 1 at the south boundary of the city limits of Pismo Beach.

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Monarch Dunes is located along the Central California Coast, just south of San Luis Obispo in Nipomo, CA. Monarch Dunes features two award-winning golf courses. The first 18-hole championship “Old Course” as well as the acclaimed 12-hole, Par-3 Challenge Course, both designed by architect Damian Pascuzzo & PGA Tour Pro Steve Pate. Both courses were uniquely created to test your skills and tempt your senses. Monarch Dunes is part of The Woodlands, a master-planned resort and Trilogy residential community which is surrounded by windswept dunes, eucalyptus trees, coastal vistas and amber-colored hillsides. Stop to play a few holes or have a bite at the Butterfly Grille.

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This Southern Pacific Railroad Station was the center of the most of the commercial and transportation activities in south San Luis Obispo County from 1904 until the 1950s. Retired from service in 1973, it has been moved 400 yards north of the original site and is being restored by volunteer efforts for its new role as a community center.

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Oso Flaco Lake appears through the trees on the left as you approach the start of the boardwalk on Oso Flaco Lake Trail. Admire the view over a smaller branch of the lake on the right before turning left to walk out on a boardwalk over the lake. Oso Flaco Lake is a shallow, freshwater lake that covers 75 acres. This rare coastal lake is a refuge for both local and migrating birds. Walk out on the boardwalk, which pushes out over the lake and curves to the right, passing benches and a broad view south. Algae make interesting patterns in the water in front of the boardwalk. Ducks and swans drift across the calm water. Beyond the lake, you’ll see sand-covered hills rising above the surrounding brush. Tules and cattails line the calm waters.

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The Great American Melodrama & Vaudeville is fun for the whole family! They produce top-notch musicals, comedies, and classic melodramas in a lively cabaret setting at affordable prices. And every show is followed by a vaudeville revue full of song, dance, and comedy. You get two shows for the price of one!

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