Bishop Peak, San Luis Obispo CA
• 5-star hike
• 3.3 to 3.8 mile options
• Medium difficulty | Gain 920 to 1,160 feet
• San Luis Obispo, CA | Central Coast Region
• Driving Directions: Highland Dr, Patricia Dr
Bishop Peak, tallest of the Nine Sisters.
California Summits
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Explore mountain-top hikes around California with Trailspotting.
Bishop Peak is the tallest of the Nine Sisters, a linear chain of volcanic mountains that form a striking geological feature from Morro Bay to San Luis Obispo on the central Californian coast.
Hikes to Bishop Peak's summit begin at one of two trailheads on the eastern flank of the mountain, which converge and continue upward at a moderate and consistent grade. Views of the surrounding landscape quickly reveal themselves, then expand further as you trace a route clockwise around the mountain before tackling a series of switchbacks to the summit. From the top you can make out the chain of the Nine Sisters, with Cerro San Luis to the southeast as the most prominent.
Highland Dr,
Patricia Dr, Highland Drive 5★3.3 mi, Out-and-back, Medium, Gain 920 ft
Trailspotting Map at AllTrails
Patricia Drive 5★3.8 mi, Out-and-back, Medium, Gain 1,160 ft
Trailspotting Map at AllTrails
Both routes feature similar narrow dirt trails that meet up at Cattle Pond, where we appropriately found several cows grazing on lush meadowland. Just a little further up Bishop Peak Trail pass by a side trail for rock climbers and enter a woodland section that offers temporary shade from the sun. This is the only shaded part of the trail, so we recommend appropriate sun protection and plenty of water.
The switchbacks that lead to the summit might continue upwards at a similar gradient, but the increasingly rocky terrain transforms the route into something of a stairmaster challenge. The trail concludes at a bench that rests in a saddle between two distinct peaks. Comprised of remarkably large boulders, each of these peaks can be scaled with some effort and it is only from the very top that you're rewarded with the best panoramic views around San Luis Obispo and toward Morrow Bay's coastline to the West.
Taking in the views from the 1,550ft summit.
Cattle Pond, with grazing cattle just out of frame.
On Felsman Loop Trail from Patricia Drive.
Sole shady section, approaching the half-way point.
Hillside views from the Bishop Peak Trail.
Nearby Morro Rock is another of the Nine Sisters.
Tangents:
• Official Link: SLO County Parks
• Wikipedia: Bishop Peak, Nine Sisters
• Public Map at AllTrails: Highland Dr, Patricia Dr
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