From the Pit River country in the Cascade Range to the coast of San Luis Obispo County, our recreational facilities are ready for you to enjoy.
Locations such as Lake Almanor, Lake Spaulding and Lake Britton, are engineered to create clean energy through our hydroelectric system. Our sites feature campground and picnic facilities located throughout the Sierra Nevada available for reservation. Most of the lakes also offer fishing, swimming and boating.
PG&E is proud to be the steward of over 12,000 acres located between Avila Beach and Montaña De Oro State Park in San Luis Obispo County. The land surrounds our power plant, Diablo Canyon. Through our Land Stewardship Program, PG&E preserves two hiking trails (Pecho Coast Trail and Point Buchon Trail) for visitors to see remarkable vistas of California’s central coast in its rugged, natural state.
Locations such as Lake Almanor, Lake Spaulding and Lake Britton, are engineered to create clean energy through our hydroelectric system. These sites feature campgrounds and picnic areas. Most of the lakes also offer fishing, swimming and boating.
Reservations for the 2023 recreation season can be made beginning April 10 at 8 a.m. for stays of one full week or longer.
Reservations for stays of less than one week can be made beginning April 17 at 8 a.m.
Some of our campgrounds are first come, first serve only. These campgrounds do not accommodate reservations. Some of our campgrounds are open year-round. For more information on your favorite campground, Visit PG&E Reservations and Information.
Note: that reservations made between April 18 and April 25 can’t be modified. Cancellation will result in forfeiture of 100% of the associated fees.
Due to wildfire damage, the following facilities will be closed for the 2023 recreation season:
For more information regarding our fee increase, visit PG&E Reservation.
Important notices:
Note: California continues to experience extremely dry conditions which are affecting our lakes, reservoirs, and facilities throughout the state. Please be aware that this will likely impact the use of open flames and fire at PG&E recreation facilities. View our current restrictions.
Choose a recreational facility that's close to home or plan a longer trip. Our facilities are located all across the state, and range from sea-level elevations to 8,200 feet. Whether you drive, boat or hike in, the natural beauty is yours to enjoy.
Make planning your next trip easy. Learn about locations, what’s available at each site, fees, camping and more.
Our online tool lets you search for recreational facilities by type, dates availability, location and amenities, and lifestyle options. When you find an ideal location, you can also reserve camping spaces.
Pets are allowed for a small fee. Pets must have a current rabies vaccination and be on a leash at all times. You are responsible for cleaning up after your pets.
You can create a user account to track your reservations, reserve and pay for campsite reservations by using our online tool.
Some of our campgrounds offer reservations in addition to first-come, first-serve camping. You can check the availability for these campsites with our online tool.
Campground hosts do not accept credit cards for the campsites. Please pay camping fees by cash or check.
Most developed campgrounds provide the following amenities:
Note: Recreational vehicle (RV) hook-ups are not available at any of our campgrounds.
Remote campground locations offer only some of the amenities. Visit PG&E Recreation to check available amenities at each campground.
Most campgrounds require a fee, and all of our locations have an occupancy limit of 14 days. Check a specific campground for restrictions.
Some facilities have on-site staff available during the open season to answer questions. Visit PG&E Recreation for more information.
For off-season questions, email our Recreation Desk staff or call 916-386-5164.
Help us protect the natural beauty of these areas by following some important actions:
Check for mussels
Quagga and zebra mussels from the Eastern U.S. are devastating for our lakes, reservoirs and rivers. If you’ve visited infested waters, check your boat and equipment for the mussels.
We appreciate your vigilance and support to keep California’s waters free of invasive mussels.
The Pecho Coast Trail is located on the south end of the PG&E property and accessed through Avila Beach. Choose from two guided hikes, the 3.75-mile roundtrip hike to Point San Luis Lighthouse and the 8-mile roundtrip hike to Rattlesnake Canyon.
This scenic coastal trail is a joint partnership between PG&E, the California Coastal Commission and the Port San Luis Harbor District. The hike takes visitors up to the Port’s Historic Point San Luis Lighthouse. Visitors can enjoy a short docent-led tour of the lighthouse by paying a $10 admission fee.
Pecho Coast Trail has been open for guided hikes since 1993 and is known for its panoramic views of Avila Beach. Hikers are treated to stunning landscapes while learning interesting facts from docent naturalists. Topics include the local history of the Avila Beach area and information on the Northern Chumash tribe who once inhabited the area.
The trail is home to many native plants and animals and interesting geological formations. Wildflowers are prevalent along the trail during the spring months, and California gray whales can be seen spouting offshore.
This docent-led hike requires a reservation. The Lighthouse Tour is now $10.
The trail is open year-round, except on New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
To preserve and maintain its unique resources, the trail is limited to 20 hikers on Mondays, 20 hikers on Wednesdays and 40 hikers on Saturdays.
Getting there
For more information
Call: 805-528-8758
Email: DiabloCanyonTrails@pge.com
Hikers meet the docents at the trailhead, sign in and check the box verifying they have viewed the waiver. By checking the waiver box, hikers acknowledge and assume all risks and waive any claims. View complete rules and regulations in advance.
Download the Pecho Trail rules and regulations (PDF)
Download the waiver (PDF)
The Pecho Coast Trail has a diverse terrain and can pose risks to hikers, including changing weather conditions heat exposure and elevation change. The trail runs along steep cliffs and coastal bluffs with narrow dirt trails, steep grades (up to 45 percent), crumbling earth and possibilities of other strenuous hiking conditions.
Pecho Coast Trail is located on a rare, undeveloped area of coastline with poison oak, thistles and other vegetation that can cause discomfort. There can be wildlife in the vicinity of the trail, as well as rattlesnakes and ticks.
Join our team of talented docent volunteers by completing our at-home training course, along with in-field training with our knowledgeable docents. It's a great way to learn more about the local history and natural beauty of the area, all while hiking in one of the most beautiful spots on the Central Coast!
Contact us to learn more and get a copy of the docent manual.
Call: 805-528-8758
Email: DiabloCanyonTrails@pge.com
This pristine area is situated north of the Point San Luis Lighthouse and west of the Irish Hills on California’s Central Coast.
The Pecho Coast Trail has been open for docent-guided hikes since 1993. Before that time, the secluded beaches, rugged cliffs and broad coastal terraces of the Pecho Coast had been privately owned and had once been known as Rancho San Miguelito.
The wooded canyons, fertile headlands, lush shoreline and tide pools have provided human sustenance for at least 10,000 years. When the Spanish began exploring and settling along the Central Coast, Northern Chumash people inhabited the area. Their rich and varied culture was significantly impacted by the establishment of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772. The Mexican Period (1822 – 1846) marked the first subdivision of lands along the Pecho Coast, which were split among very large land grants. PG&E works with Northern Chumash descendants to ensure responsible management of the coastline’s rich cultural resources.
The development of Port San Luis and its important shipping industry coincided with the increasing settlement of the area during the nineteenth century. The Point San Luis Lighthouse and breakwater were constructed in 1890 to maintain a safe port. These structures and many other sites of historic interest are visible from the Pecho Coast Trail.
The trail passes through rolling green pastures on the way to Rattlesnake Canyon.
On your hike, enjoy a docent-led tour of the Point San Luis Lighthouse for $5.00.
Docents share information on the area's history and the natural environment.
Point Buchon Trail offers some of the most scenic views of the Central Coast coastline, perfectly preserved and protected. The trail is a 6.6-mile roundtrip hike located on the northern end of PG&E property and is accessed through Montaña de Oro State Park. This scenic coastal trail has been open to the public since 2007 and is known for its panoramic views of beautiful headlands and off-shore sea stacks.
PG&E follows predator-friendly ranch practices so that hikers may observe bobcats, coyotes, badgers and other wildlife. Golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and numerous hawk and passerine species are often observed flying above the coastal bluffs. In addition, the nearshore marine habitats and pristine tidepools support a wide variety of marine wildlife visible from the trail. Brown pelicans, black oystercatchers, southern sea otters and migrating grey whales are common sights.
Wildflowers flourish in the springtime, a benefit of PG&E's rotational grazing practices.
The trail is open Thursday through Monday, year-round.
Please call ahead to the trailhead at 1-805-528-8758 to get the current trail status.
It’s closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
*Hikers must sign out at the check-in station 15 minutes before closing.
Getting there
For more information
Call: 805-528-8758
Email: DiabloCanyonTrails@pge.com
Hikers must stop at the trailhead check-in station to sign their name and check the box verifying they have viewed the waiver. By checking the waiver box, hikers acknowledge and assume all risks and waive any claims. View complete rules and regulations in advance.
Download the Point Buchon Trail rules and regulations (PDF)
Download the waiver (PDF)
The Point Buchon Trail has a diverse terrain and can pose some risks to hikers, including changing weather conditions, heat exposure and a 300-foot elevation change.
The trail includes areas along steep cliffs and coastal bluffs, with narrow dirt trails, steep grades (up to 21% grade), crumbling earth and other possibly strenuous hiking conditions. It travels along an undeveloped area of coastline with thistles and other vegetation that can cause discomfort.
There can be agricultural operations including cattle and electric fences present. Native wildlife can be seen in the vicinity of the trail, as well as rattlesnakes and ticks.
Once known as Rancho Cañada de Los Osos y Pecho y Islay, this pristine area is situated just south of Coon Creek (Montaña de Oro State Park) and west of the Irish Hills on California's Central Coast. The scenic coastal trail has been open to the public since 2007.
The area around the Point Buchon Trail was occupied by Native Americans for over 10,000 years. The magnificent headland known as Point Buchon is named in honor of a prominent Northern Chumash leader so-named Buchon by the Spanish in 1769.
The land has been put to agricultural use since its days as a Mexican rancho. Crops were primarily grown on the coastal terrace, while livestock grazed in the hills further inland. During the 1920s and 1930s, much of the coastal terrace was leased to Japanese-American farmers. They continued to farm the land until 1942, when they were involuntarily relocated to internment camps established during World War II. Descendants of former tenant-farmers still visit the Point Buchon area and their story is memorialized on a trailside interpretive sign at Windy Point.
In 1942, Oliver C. Field acquired the Spooner Ranch. It included the lands that now comprise Montaña de Oro State Park, south to the present-day boundaries of Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Eventually, Field gave up farming because of difficulties in tapping enough water to irrigate his crops. While this coastal terrace is no longer farmed, rotational cattle grazing is currently practiced.
In 1976, Walt Disney filmed a portion of Pete's Dragon (1977) on a headland south of Point Buchon. A lighthouse was built for filming and equipped with such a large beacon that Disney had to get special permission from the Coast Guard to operate it. Although the lighthouse was dismantled, hikers on the Point Buchon Trail can see the filming location at the aptly named "Disney Point."
A spring show of Goldfields (Lasthenia californica) and California poppies (Eschscholzia californica)..
Windy Point offers a view of The Diablo Canyon Power Plant in the distance.
Stonehenge is one of the most popular rock outcroppings visible from Point Buchon Trail.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Japanese sharecroppers and their families lived at Point Buchon.
Be prepared for changeable conditions.
Weather in Avila Beach
Weather in Los Osos
Charming towns, historic sites. Find what these unique areas have to offer.
Avila Beach
Montana de Oro Park
Point San Luis Lighthouse
