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Oak View Lane Walk in West Templeton

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One of my favorite Templeton Wine Country Walks Begins at Donati Family Vineyard

If you happen to be in North San Luis Obispo County and want to take a scenic walk through wine country, I've got one that fills the bill. This dellightful Templeton walk is only one mile one way and is fairly level. It begins half a mile from my home at the the intersection of Highway 46 West and Vineyard Drive. Vineyard Drive itself is a scenic road, and its name fits it well, since it passes many vineyards and wine tasting rooms.

After you exit 101 Freeway on Highway 46 , Vineyard Drive is a bit more than four miles west from the signal on Vine St. (There's that word "vine" again. You'd think they grow grapes in Templeton. They do -- lots of them.) When you arrive at Vineyard Drive, which has no stop sign or signal to warn you, turn left on it. It will hit 46 West diagonally from the left and it is just past a vineyard on the left, which is across from Farmstand 46. If you are coming from Atascadero and points south on 101, you would exit at Vineyard Drive and go northwest for about five miles. Just before you get to the stop sign at 46 West, you will see the parking lot entrance to Donati Family Vineyard on your left. Turn into the lot and park under the shade trees or in the lot and you're ready to start walking. The walk itself is the length of the dirt road called Oak View which begins at Donati and ends at Vineyard Drive. That is a mile. That makes the walk two miles round trip, and it looks a bit different on the way and on the way back.

The scenery is typical wine country and rural. You will pass forests, small farms, meadows, and lots of oaks. You will also pass a lot of poison oak quite close to the side of the road, so you do need to stay out of it. If it has leaves of three, let it be, especially if the leaves are shiny or red in summer and fall. The picture shown is of the sign for the Donati Family Vineyard. You will see it as you enter the parking lot.

Be careful of the poison oak along the side of the road.

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How do you like your walks?

This is a fairly easy walk which can be managed in an hour or less -- round trip -- by most people of normal weight who exercise now and then That allows for a speed of about a mile every half hour. There are a few gentle slopes, but no real hills to climb.It's short enough so that children of five and older should be able to stretch their legs with Mom and Dad to get the blood circulating while on a car trip down this main highway. But if you are one who needs constant challenge, this might be too tame for you. It's a nice family walk which provides opportunity to see some wildlife and make you feel like you are way out in the country -- and wine country at that.

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Sights along the trail.

These photos did not want to sort properly. This is the actual beginning of the trail as you come from the parking area.

These photos did not want to sort properly. This is the actual beginning of the trail as you come from the parking area.

These photos did not want to sort properly. This is the actual beginning of the trail as you come from the parking area.
This is the parking lot beside the tasting room, which you will pass to get to the beginning of the trail.
This is a vineyard you will pass on your right.
This is a bit of forest you will see toward your left.
This meadow to the right, past the vineyard, you will see from several perspectives.
This is the trail ahead. You will see that many portions of the trail are shaded, making it more pleasant than some other walks in the summertime hot weather. I made this walk about six in the evening.
Here's another view of that meadow. Very often, if you walk in the early evening around dusk, you will see deer here.
Here's another view of the path ahead.
This meadow is to the left. You can also see deer here if they don't smell you comiing.
Here's another view of the path ahead. The road leads through several such tree "tunnels" that offer shade, but there are also plenty of open views of meadows and private farms as you pass.

Making this Walk as a Way to Stretch Your Legs with the Kids on a Trip

When I used to travel with my children, I would try to allow a couple of extra hours of travel time for doing something fun or educational, or both. There are many times we would have liked to take a walk such as this one, but in strange territory, we never knew whereto find one. We didn't want to drive way out of our way, but we didn't know about the places that were really right on the way.

This Templeton walk is on the way from Highway 101 to Cambria. If you are coming from cities north or south of Paso Robles, it's a nice stopping place on the way to Hearst Castle to the north or Morro Bay to the South. Before or after the walk, you can go right across Highway 46 for some delicious deli food at Farmstand 46. They have a tasty assortment of sandwiches, wines, and softer drinks, and it won't add any time to your trip to go somewhere in town to eat. It is, in fact, the only place to grab a bite along 46 until you get to the coast about 20 miles away. If, on the other hand, you are coming from the coast toward Paso Robles, you will find all kinds of fast food and chain restaurants before you get to the freeway, to your right on Theater Drive. Just turn right at the signal before the on-ramp to 101.

HIghlights of the Oak View Walk

This video will show you the type of terrain and some of what you will see if you take this walk on a summer day. In winter the fields will be greener, but the road could also be a bit muddy if there was a recent rain. That's never a problem in summer because it normally doesn't rain during the summer in Templeton. This road is called Oak View, and I think after walking a bit of it with me you will see why.
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The walk back

As I said, I started this walk at six -- on Sunday evening -- when my husband accompanied me. But the pictures I took were too dark because we started so late. The next day I returned and took the pictures you saw in the first photo gallery. The pictures in this gallery were taken on the first trip, at dusk. It was almost dark when we got back to the beginning.

As I said, I started this walk at six -- on Sunday evening -- when my husband accompanied me. But the pictures I took were too dark because we started so late. The next day I returned and took the pictures you saw in the first photo gallery. The pictures in this gallery were taken on the first trip, at dusk. It was almost dark when we got back to the beginning.

As I said, I started this walk at six -- on Sunday evening -- when my husband accompanied me. But the pictures I took were too dark because we started so late. The next day I returned and took the pictures you saw in the first photo gallery. The pictures in this gallery were taken on the first trip, at dusk. It was almost dark when we got back to the beginning.
This was the farm to the right.
This is how the trees looked just before dark.
This was the wine tasting room as I saw it on my return to the parking lot on Sunday night. My husband got to tired to finish the walk back, and I needed to return to the lot myself and take the car to get him. That's the nice thing about this walk being on a road. you can take the car back to get someone if need be.

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More about BarbRad

She has lived and worked (from home) in Templeton for over 17 years, and loves it. She continues to discover new walks as she explores her West Templeton neighborhood.
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BarbRad

In my life I've been student, public library clerk, English teacher in public school, elementary teacher in private schools,card buyer for Logos Bookstore... more »

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