The image shows the inside of a cave carved out by the ocean waves. There are three openings: one straight ahead which goes out to the open sea, one to the left that goes to the beach and tide pools, and one above that goes to the top of the rock bluff. The rocks on the floor are covered with pink slime while the rocks above are illuminated with golden sunlight. This is at Coon Creek Beach inside Montana De Oro State Park, Los Osos, California. You can only access this cave at low tide, and when they have this section of the park open.

#BlueskyArtShow #Openings

Coon Creek Beach, Montaña De Oro State Park, California.

Cave with openings straight ahead, to the left and above. This is only accessible during low tide.

#ECK #TidesOutTuesday #RockinTuesday #Cave #TidePools #MontanaDeOro #WestCoastKin

Diagonal layers of tan, brown, white, gray and black rock are seen in an eroded cliff. Some vegetation is growing at the base and on top. The background is a mostly overcast sky. Valencia Peak Trail in Montaña De Oro State Park, Los Osos, California

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekLforLayers

The layers of sedimentary rocks are so interesting, both in color and the angles. It makes you realize the forces of the earth.

#ECK #Geology #SedimentaryRocks #RockinTuesday #Rocks #WestCoastKin #MontanaDeOro #BlueskyArtShow #Background

While standing on the bluffs at Montaña De Oro State Park, a lot of sedimentary rocks are jutting out of the ocean. The layers are different colors from white to orange to a beige and black. In this location they are at a 90 degree angle to the earth/ocean, and it's apparent that the layers are eroding. Another bluff in the image is a solid white without as much stratification. The ocean is a deep cyan and small waves are coming in. Grassy weeds grow on top of the bluffs under a blue sky. Off in the distance (very faint) is Morro Rock, California. Taken from the Bluffs Trail.

#RockinTuesday #TidesOutTuesday #BlueTue #CyanTue

The bluffs at Montaña De Oro State Park, California

#EastCoastKin #SedimentaryRocks #Strata #WestCoastKin #MontanaDeOro

Close up of what is actually a rock that has been worn into smooth waves and ridges, dark in color and shiny so that it reflects light, much like water. There are also subtle stripes which help add to the water illusion.

Broader view of the same rock. Now you can see the rest of the rock and that it is sitting in coarse beach sand. There is another rock with similar textures next to it. The "wave" portion of the rock can still be seen with its surface shape and shiny reflections of light making it look blue.

#TidesOutTuesday #RockinTuesday #MyBest2025

This looks like small waves in water, but it's actually a rock that can only be accessed at low tide at Coon Creek Beach in Montaña De Oro State Park, California.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #MontanaDeOro #Rocks

A somewhat wide trail (at this point) that is steep and has diagonal shale rock coming up in rows. A lot of loose stones are scattered around as well. There are shrubs on each side and Valencia Peak looks dark and foreboding above. The sky is cloudy and dramatic. The trail was not quite as steep as it looks, but it was a challenging trail. Valencia Peak Trail in Montaña De Oro State Park, Los Osos, California.

#RockinTuesday #MyBest2025

One of my most memorable hikes in 2025 was up this intriguing rocky trail to Valencia Peak in Montaña De Oro State Park, California.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #MontanaDeOro #ValenciaPeak #WestCoastKin #Geology

Standing on a mountain top looking at other green mountains around us. To the right you can see a small look at the Pacific Ocean. In the foreground are some purple lupine in bloom. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds. Taken in spring 2025, Valencia Peak, Montaña de Oro State Park, Los Osos, California.

#BlueskyMonday #MountainMonday

View of the California coastline from Valencia Peak in Montaña de Oro State Park.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #LandscapePhotography #MontanaDeOro

I'm standing on Valencia Peak in Montaña De Oro State Park, Los Osos, California and looking at all the surrounding mountains in the area. The mountains are fairly green, and there are patchy clouds, so there are patterns of light and shadows, giving a greater sense of atmosphere. The foreground is golden, dry grass.

#BlueskyMonday #MountainMonday

View from Valencia Peak, Montaña De Oro State Park, California.

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotography #MontanaDeOro #Hiking #Clouds

We are standing inside a cave created by the ocean wearing away at the cliffs over time. There is a very large and tall opening to the sea and blue sky in front of us. It’s dark in the tunnel but with the limited light, you can see wet rocks and small pools of water. Coon Creek Beach in Montana De Oro State Beach in Los Osos, California.

#TidesOutTuesday
#ColorADay #BlueTue
#RockinTuesday

Inside a cave worn into the cliff. It is only accessible during low tide. Coon Creek Beach in Montana De Oro State Park.

#EastCoastKin #SeaCave #MontanaDeOro #CoonCreek #LandscapePhotography #ArtYear

A wide hiking trail is on a steep mountain side. Jagged stratified layers of white rock push up diagonally from the ground in rows. Beyond the trail is Valencia Peak with its summit almost in the clouds. There are dramatic puffy white/gray clouds creating light and shadow patterns. Valencia Peak trail in Montana De Oro State Park in Los Osos, California.

#BlueskyArtShow

Today's theme is #jagged

The jagged-rock trail up to Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park, California. You can literally see the force of the earth pushing up.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #MontanaDeOro #Geology

The foreground view is from a light-colored, rocky trail through wildflowers and brush out into the distance of hazy hills, the ocean and Morro Rock/Bay in the far distance. The sky is blue with beautiful puffy clouds. You can see wave rolling in along the coast. Valencia Peak trail in Montana De Oro State Park, California.

#Scape

View from the hiking trail up Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park, California. In the distance is Morro Rock/Bay

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #ValenciaPeak #MontanaDeOro #ArtYear #smARTIST #Trailblazer #LandscapePhotography

A large patch of California poppies grows next to the cliffs and bluffs of the Pacific Ocean in Montana De Oro State Park, California. Beyond the flowers are cliffs and bluffs with scattered rocks rising from the ocean. In the distance are hazy mountains and blue sky.

#Scape #OceanScape #WildflowerScape

This is what was behind me from my last post of wildflowers and a mountain. #PointBuchonTrail

#EastCoastKin #MontanaDeOro #MayBlooms #Golden #CaliforniaPoppy #ArtYear #Hiking

Looking down the long edge of a weathered, wooden picnic table towards the view of the ocean, Morro Bay and Rock. Around the picnic table is light-colored rock and dirt...very barren. The sky is blue with some clouds in the distance.

#Stunday

When you reach the top of Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro, you find a picnic table with a 360° amazing view!

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotography #Hiking #MontanaDeOro #ArtYear #MorroRock

A large lupin bush (purple flowers) and monkey face bush (orange flowers) are in the foreground and are sitting on the steep mountain slope. Behind them is a view of the coastline from Montana De Oro on up to Morro Bay/Rock.

#FlowersOnFriday #Scape

Lupin and monkey face wildflowers on the slopes of Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park. In the far distance, Morro Rock and Bay.

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotography #ArtYear #Wildflowers #Lupin #MontanaDeOro

Looking out at a great vista showing coastal vegetation, sand dunes, an inlet/estuary, the coastline with waves crashing and Morro Rock in the distance with dramatic clouds in the sky.

#Stunday Sunday

Morro Rock and Bay seen from Los Osos near the entrance to Montana De Oro State Park in California.

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotography #MorroRock #MontanaDeOro #ArtYear #Scape

Standing on a mountainside looking down at the many golden California poppies covering the mountainside. Behind this slope is another slope rising up which reveals stratified layers of rock.

#Stunday

California poppies on the mountainsides of Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro, which means mountain of gold...named after the golden poppies that cover the landscape.

#EastCoastKin #MontanaDeOro #Hiking #CaliforniaPoppies #LandscapePhotography #ArtYear

Standing on a mountain top. There is dirt and grass in the foreground, then green hills with visible trails and patterns of light and shadow from the partly cloudy day. The clouds are dramatic. Mountains stretch far into the distance.

It's Sunday #Stunday!

This is the view from the top of Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park in California.

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotography #MontanaDeOro #Hiking #ArtYear

View up the California Central Coast from Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park. There is small vegetation in the foreground with green hills and mountains in the background as well as the coastline curving inward toward Morro Bay. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds.

#Scape #Landscape #SeaScape

View from the top of Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park. This is looking towards Morro Rock/Bay. It's visible, but very small in this photo.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #CaliforniaCoastline #MontanaDeOro #ArtYear #LandscapePhotography

View from the top of Valencia Peak of all the green mountains and wildflowers. The sky is blue with a lot of beautiful clouds.

#Scape

From my hike this week up Valencia Peak in Montana De Oro State Park. The views were spectacular of the surrounding mountains and coastline!

#EastCoastKin #ForestFriday #Hiking #ValenciaPeak #MontanaDeOro #ArtYear

A steep trail is going straight up the side of the mountain. The trail is wide at this point and consists of stratified rock at an angle and in rows...thus forming ridges. In the background is the top of Valencia Peak. The sky is ominous with clouds.

#RockinTuesday

From my hike this morning...it was an interesting stratified rock formation in the trail. Valencia Peak, Montana De Oro State Park, Los Osos, California.

#EastCoastKin #Hiking #MontanaDeOro #Trails #ArtYear

Waves are crashing against rocks jutting out from bluffs.

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekNforNoise

The wonderful "noise" of waves crashing against the rocks.

Bluffs Trail, Montana De Oro, California State Park

#EastCoastKin #LandscapePhotographer #OceanScape
#MontanaDeOro #ArtYear

Three eucalyptus trees. 6x8 oil on paper. #lososos #montanadeoro

Montana de Oro State Park
Los Osos, CA
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#stunday #longexposures #centralcalifornia #montanadeoro #photographersofbluesky #nature #ocean #photography
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Sunday is #STUNDAY. Post your best photos and tag them #stunday

#mtb Great Day at #MontanaDeOro group of 7 all over 50 and no #emtb. Busy day. Calm before the storm.

California’s Central Coast

#MorroBay #MorroRock #Highway1 #slocal #sanluisobispo #centralcoast #slo #california #morrobayca #Cayucos #montanadeoro #mdo #SLO #LosOsos #california #castateparks #californiastateparks #naturephotography #californiacoast #waves #ocean #westcoast #seascape

The best State Park in California, Montana de Oro.
#landscape #photographersofbluesky #centralcalifornia #montanadeoro

The California coastline in Black and White
#photographersofbluesky #centralcalifornia #blackandwhite #MontanaDeOro

A serene landscape photograph of Montana de Oro State Park on a misty day, featuring a lush path bordered by dense green shrubs. In the background, fog drapes over the silhouette of a mountain, creating a tranquil, ethereal atmosphere.

This misty Montana de Oro scene feels perfect for Christmas Eve, a reminder to pause and find peace in the small things.

Here’s to a serene holiday season filled with joy and quiet moments of beauty. 🌿

#MontanaDeOro #NaturePhotography #ChristmasEve

and white photograph of a seagull spreading its wings while perched on a rugged rock at the edge of the coast. The monochrome tones emphasize the contrast between the bird’s feathers and the textured surface of the rock.

A seagull spreads its wings on the rugged coast at Montaña de Oro, captured in black and white. Sometimes, the simplicity of monochrome makes the details stand out more.

Do you think black and white works for nature?

#BlackAndWhitePhotography #MontanaDeOro #BirdPhotography