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PISMO BEACH, Calif. Twenty minutes into an uphill trek in the 880-acre Pismo Preserve, my small group of hikers rounded a turn as the noise from Highway 101 dissipated.
As if on cue, the preserve’s bonsai-like lone oak, which many consider its symbol, appeared through the fog and mist, growing out of a rock pedestal.
Other coastal live oaks stood nearby as if in deference. They were lovely in their own right, with weathered branches draped with long, pale-green lace lichen dotted with dew.
The preserve, which opened in January above Pismo Beach and is the latest addition to San Luis Obispo County’s recreational options, rises more than 900 feet above the Pacific with 360-degree views in some places.