Vehicle access shutdown at Oceano Dunes

OCEANO, Calif. — The California Department of Parks and Recreation has closed vehicle access to the Oceano Dunes Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA). 

This includes Pismo State Beach and the Oso Flaco Lake parking lot.

These two sites are the latest additions to a list of parks the state has closed to vehicles in an effort to discourage crowds and limit the spread of the coronavirus locally. 

“In normal times, we welcome out-of-town visitors to our campgrounds and beaches,” SLO County emergency services director Wade Horton said. “But now is not the time.” 

Today some locals were able to freely walk throughout the beach. 

However, many remained in disbelief that all vehicles had disappeared from the sand dunes. 

“I nearly cried when I heard that they were going to close it to vehicles,” Oceano resident Bonnie Ernst said. “It’s a historic day and a historic time.”

There are now 98 state-operated parks and beaches that have been closed to vehicle access during the California lockdown.