rancho guadalupe dunes preserve

Driving around the coast we spotted the verdant hills melding into the dunes and thought we'd get a close up of this natural phenomenon. All of a sudden the road ended and a park gate appeared. We continued down the park road and were happily surprised to find this private gem. An amazing beach and a great nature reserve all in one. Bring some snacks and plenty of water, and a camera.

As Victor Davis Hanson has written, area-wise, most of California is unpopulated. So it is with this magnificent stretch of wave-smitten beach and wind-swept sand dunes. We visited during the aftermath of a giant winter storm; the surf was still high, and the wind fairly strong. It was magnificent! The shore-birds were not nesting, so we were able to bring Jack and Winston on to the beach, but because of the dangerous rip currents, did not let them swim in the ocean. Great beach, much preferred over Pismo and Grover Beaches.

Gotta know what you're looking at to find this. Several years ago on our yearly trip to the Central Coast of CA, we were told about the legendary "Lost City of DeMille," a 1923 movie set for the silent movie The Ten Commandments that DeMille ordered dismantled and buried in the sands We've been there several times and were under the mistaken impression that this buried movie set was somewhere down the beach. We never ventured out to find it 'cause it's always been soooo cold and windy. This year, however, was absolutely beautiful weather. We stopped in at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex and got a bit of a clue what we were looking for from the docent. Tho not entirely accurate, it afforded as the opportunity to finally find it. Shortly after passing through the entrance gate, look to your left up on the dunes and you begin to see pieces of wood strewn about the dunes. This is the site of the current excavation of the movie set. Unfortunately, no visitors allowed, but it is a piece of history revealed.Be aware that during the endangered Snowy Plover nesting season, access to the dunes themselves is denied.At the end of the road is a small parking lot. Hopefully when you go, the weather will be pleasant and you can venture down the beach or visit the estuary.

The Oso Flaco Lake and surrounding preserve is an amazing day trip. We also hiked the dunes area and visited the Sand Dunes Museum in Guadalupe, CA. Arroyo Grande seems to be a small city with some interesting artistic stores.I truly enjoyed the visit to the Dunes and would recommend it as a 2 day trip for people living in California.

We just stumbled into Guadalupe beach trying to get to the Pacific and were amazed. The drive in was spectacular especially driving up the dunes towards the ocean. Unfortunately we were only able to spend a short time there because the park closes at 8. There are miles of sand and hardly anyone around while we were there.

The paved road into the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve rests on one of the finest and most extensive coastal dune systems in the world. When we arrived at the beachside parking area, a small crew of county parks employees was clearing the sand that had blown in the previous afternoon. Happy to take a break from his endless sweeping, a park ranger stopped to teach us about the Preserve. Leaning on a push broom, he pointed to the “Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille”, up on the dunes. Here, DeMille constructed the largest set in movie history for the filming of his 1923 epic “The Ten Commandments”. Following the film shoot, DeMille buried in the sand over 1 million pounds of massive Egyptian statuary, including 4, 40-ton statues of Pharaoh Ramses II and a dozen 5-ton sphinxes. The ranger prohibited us from climbing up to the Lost City, since the endangered western snowy plovers were nesting. Instead, he urged us to walk down the beach, to watch the snowy plovers scamper along the dunes. At the south end of the beach, dripping springs of fresh water flowed from the base of Mussel Rock Dune, where cattails and other vegetation flourished. At 450 feet, Mussel Rock Dune is the tallest on the west coast. When the afternoon winds began to gust, we returned to the car. Back in the parking lot, our pal and his mates were now operating a street-sweeper and a tractor. Big guns in the perpetual fight against the blowing sands of the Guadalupe Dunes

The surf was astounding when I was there--no idea how large the waves were, but they were spectacular! The beach itself was wide and pretty, large swathes were fenced off to protect bird sanctuaries. It was definitely windy, but there was some amazing coastal fog sitting in a line across the dunes as well. Only downside, managed to step in tar on the beach.We went specifically to see the dunes. It was the location for Cecil B DeMille's 1923 silent version of The Ten Commandments as well as the Valentino epic The Sheik, It is easy to see why, the rolling and windswept dunes could easily stand in for the Sahara. DeMille, in order to keep others from using his monumental sets, destroyed them and buried them under the sand, where they remained for 70 years. Some of it has been excavated and can be viewed at the Guadalupe Dunes Center in town 4 miles away. (Definitely worth a visit). Some of the set occasionally surfaces in the sand and is quickly destroyed by wind and sun.If you're coming from Pismo Beach, there is a lovely drive after leaving the 101, you drive through Eucalyptus groves and farm land

We have been to Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve twice now and both times it has been very windy and cold. Don't let this discourage you though just dress appropriately. The views up and down the coast are tremendous. People surf fishing and lots of wild life at the mouth of the Santa Maria river that empties out to the ocean. I cannot testify to this but I have heard that there are still movie sets from Cecil de deMills original 1923 version of the Ten commandments in the dunes somewhere. I'll be back to check that out.

When Cecil B DeMille filmed 'The Ten Commandments' in 1922 he built pharaoh's city here, because it looks so much like the desert outside Cairo. At the ocean side the waves roar along the miles-long bay. At sunset this might be the most beautiful place in the world. Bring a camera.

Went to the dunes last Saturday, June 22nd, 2013.Got there right at 07:00 as the ranger was opening the gate. About five vehicles waiting to go in and we followed one of the park ranger's trucks. Not a road to be driven quickly, but it doesn't take that long to get to the end of the road and the parking lot.The sand moving around (the park was closed for three days prior to my visit because of high winds) is a constant maintenance cycle for the park personnel to stay on top of, and they work hard to keep the small road passable. Restrooms - for their remote location - are just fine.Despite many, many signs not to bring your dog - saw one lady that brought her's. Really? The young lady ranger was very kind, but they're serious about not bringing a pet predator into the reserve. They're also adamant about not crossing the fence lines, not hanging things like backpacks and coats on the fence posts down by the water line, and not leaving any form of trash.The surf fishing is outstanding - just pack your stuff out - especially fishing line, and NOAA even has a catch basket for your scrap fishing line when you leave the beach. First Class.The dunes are magnificent and that's because they don't get human and vehicle traffic like up at Pismo. A photographer's paradise - this place is well worth the effort to get to.Please understand that the County is really pressed for funding and appreciate the rangers.

Minimally developed. Bring everything you need. The dunes were off limits due to plover nesting. It is a lot different than 30 years ago. Dune buggies used to drive down the beach from Pismo. They tried to run up Devil's slide. Did a lot of damage to the dunes. They look a lot better with the vegetation returning. No beach combing allowed either. It was pretty windy so we did not even leave footprints

This place is wild and wonderful. We arrived on a wet and windy April day to find something quite unexpected...an empty beautiful beach as far as the eye could see. Sadly, the beach had a dead humpback whale lolling about in the surf, which strangely only added to the natural wildness of the place. This is not a place to bring dogs...there are plovers' nests all along the beach/dune divide and near the lagoon behind. One of our favourite moments was meeting the park ranger, Melissa. She was polite, friendly and so obviously caring about her job and responsibilities. I won't forget her or this great place. If you're an off-the-beaten-track type, this is the place for you. If you want hotdog stands, ice-cream and all the other usual beachside stuff, stay away - and leave this beautiful place just the way it is.

The dunes and ocean are quite beautiful. Very relaxing. Long, winding road to get there, be careful of blowing sand.

I took family here for a picnic on Thanksgiving, and it was amazing! Off the road down past a crop field, this is a hidden gem for nature lovers who need a clear path. There can be crowds, but hey, everyone wants to "commune with nature". Parking is $5 and I hope you pay for it (honor system). There is a 1.5 mile boardwalk that takes you past the beautiful Oso Flaco Lake which is filled with lots of wonderful ducks and other birds (MANY species), and through dune and scrub areas (which have wildflowers in Spring & Summer), and out to the Pacific Ocean, with SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF the VAST dunes and the coast, up and down... There are benches along the way to stop and rest at any age, as well as a few picnic benches in various spots with beautiful views. GREAT PLACE FOR ANY AGE! Bring binoculars and telephoto lens!

This is a beautiful place to go to just walk the beach, have a picnic or go fishing. It's a winding narrow road that takes you to the beach, but it's worth the drive. The ocean there is so pristine.