Oso Flaco Lake
About
Oso Flaco Lake is a public beach in California, set within the San Luis Obispo Unit about 2.7 miles from the town of Callender. The beach has restrooms and accessible access, and a fee is charged. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from late spring through early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Pismo Beach weather station show highs around 70 to 73°F from May through October, with only a day or two of rain a month in the middle of that window. Several other outings lie within easy reach. Lagoon Trail is about 5.4 miles away, the Santa Maria River offers canoeing about 6.2 miles off, and Picacho Summit Trail and Vamonos Canyon are both within about 9 miles.
Beach Details
Lifeguards
None
Parking
Available
Fee
Fee charged
Restrooms
Yes
Accessible access
Yes
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Oso Flaco Lake
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Year-round. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 65–73°F and lows of 44–55°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Pismo Beach, CA weather station, 9.8 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan65° high44° low
- Feb65° high44° low
- Mar68° high46° low
- Apr70° high48° low
- May72° high49° low
- Jun70° high51° low
- Jul70° high54° low
- Aug71° high55° low
- Sep72° high54° low
- Oct73° high53° low
- Nov69° high46° low
- Dec65° high44° low
Where it is
- San Luis Obispo Unit · Public land
- Nearest town
- Callender, California · 2.7 mi
Source: NIFC Jurisdictional Units; USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
Lagoon TrailHikingPhoto: Ktr101, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)5.4 mi
Santa Maria RiverCanoeingPhoto: NHRHS2010, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)6.2 mi
Picacho Summit TrailHikingPhoto: gamillos, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)6.9 mi- James Way TrailHiking7.1 mi
- Upper James Way TrailHiking7.4 mi
Vamonos CanyonHikingPhoto: Sergei Gussev, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)8.7 mi
Lone Oak LoopHikingPhoto: Sergei Gussev, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)8.9 mi
Grime Dog WallRock climbingPhoto: Sergei Gussev, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.3 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Oso Flaco Lake
Best months: Year-round. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
65° / 44°
10 wet
Feb
65° / 44°
10 wet
Mar
68° / 46°
8 wet
Apr
70° / 48°
5 wet
May
72° / 49°
2 wet
Jun
70° / 51°
1 wet
Jul
70° / 54°
1 wet
Aug
71° / 55°
1 wet
Sep
72° / 54°
2 wet
Oct
73° / 53°
4 wet
Nov
69° / 46°
6 wet
Dec
65° / 44°
8 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Pismo Beach, CA, 9.8 mi away at 39 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.