Bishop Peak — Attraction in San Luis Obispo

See the 360 trail view at: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pK4U8cp2o7XvtPdz5

Mid May 2024 - A cool day for horsing around on the Foothill trail up to Bishop peak.

The Foothill trail to Bishop peak starts as a steep walk and it just gets steeper and rockier. The trailhead from Highland Drive is a better option for a gentler, more gradual slope .

I hiked this more challenging route and was rewarded with spectacular views all the way up the nearly treeless route. About a quarter mile up I came across horses in the path, both young and old.

As I neared the intersection with the main trail from Highland drive, the trail became very steep and was more like rock climbing, with lots of loose rocky soil mixed with boulders.

After you hike up, you will understand why this is the most popular hike in San Luis Obispo. From the top you can see many of the nine sister volcano mountain plugs. Bishop Peak is the tallest at 1,559 feet. On a very clear day you may be able to see Morro Rock at 576 feet.

You can see my trail view using the link at the top.

Enjoy your hike and follow me to see more of...

One of the sisters (a chain of extinct volcanoes stretching from South San Luis to Morro Rock and a Seamount of the coast if you have a submarine) and my favorite hiking area. Bishop's has 3 of our local biomes in abundance. There's grasslands galore, an abundance of chapparall, and a dense oak forest in the same hike. Bishop's also offers 3 levels of hiking difficulty. If you park on patricia or Highland there's an easy loop to the right in the Ferrini open space that heads through chapparall and offers views down to down the line of volcanic plugs, or if you go left you'll head up the moderate climb to the top of Bishops with a walk through the oak forest as your first stop on your (very) rocky ascent. If you're feeling adventurous or in need of a leg workout, park at the bottom on Foothill and enjoy a hike up a watershed that at times is more than 45 degrees up. It only lasts about a mile before you connect with the regular trail but it's an asskicker of a...

We live at the edge of the Bishops Peak area and just love it! The two hikes you can do here are first to the top of Bishops Peak. This hike takes an hour or so from the trail head on Patricia or Highland. The hike is pretty steep with stair stepping up rocks at points but ends in a big sweeping view of SLO town and Los Osos Valley. The trail from Foothill is crazy steep up a dirt slope from the bottom so dont go that way unless you have great knees. It is not really a fun way. The other trail is Felsman Loop and is only accessible from Highland or Patricia. This is a lovely loop which gives views half way up toward Morro Bay and of Highway 1. This is only about 1/2 hour or so and a lot easier. You can do both walks if you are gung ho! Bishops Peak is a treat of epic proportion and should not be missed on a trip to SLO!!! You can not bike there by the way but can bring...