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Irish Hills Natural Reserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 343 Google reviews · Running trail in San Luis Obispo, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Irish Hills Natural Reserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Large natural area featuring diverse habitats & 8+ miles of trails for hiking & mountain biking.
What runners say about Irish Hills Natural Reserve
“Mariposa Trail is long, well maintained and sufficient challenge.”
“In the spring it’s covered in wildflowers hike far enough and you can see the ocean, but the whole south side gives you stunning views of San Luis Obispo.”
“Not a lot of shade and the ridge was infested with bees when I went, mine isn't too exciting but overall a great place to get away and get some great views!”
“Generally the trail markings were easy to follow, but there are lots of random connector trails out there.”
“Relatively easy trail, plenty of trail to walk and absolutely gorgeous views.”
Relatively easy trail, plenty of trail to walk and absolutely gorgeous views. Also not many other people on the trail at a given time.
The Irish hills have some of the best views of the dormant volcano chain, Morro rock, laguna lake, and the city of San Luis Obispo. The trails are full of interesting flora and geology. Sometimes you can see deer or other wildlife is the trail is not to busy.
This trail has everything. Lush landscape, and tree covered shaded areas. Rocky Juniper areas with lots of lizards. In the spring it’s covered in wildflowers hike far enough and you can see the ocean, but the whole south side gives you stunning views of San Luis Obispo. Stunning area.
Very beautiful trails. Dog and bike friendly. Our dogs definitely enjoyed the trails and we saw many bikers along the route. It's a nice breeze on the outer parts but it does heat up a little as you enter into where the mountains meet and cover out the cool breeze from the ocean.
Trail conditions & character
“In the spring it’s covered in wildflowers hike far enough and you can see the ocean, but the whole south side gives you stunning views of San Luis Obispo.”
“The Irish hills have some of the best views of the dormant volcano chain, Morro rock, laguna lake, and the city of San Luis Obispo.”
“There are multiple parking area depending on which set of trails you want to start from.”
“Not a lot of shade and the ridge was infested with bees when I went, mine isn't too exciting but overall a great place to get away and get some great views!”
“Good variation between challenging hikes and more leisurely trails, some rocky spots and narrow trails but always enough space to safely hike or mountain bike.”
Plan your run at Irish Hills Natural Reserve
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitevisitsanluisobispocounty.com
- Phone(805) 781-7300
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–6 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–6 PM |
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