Los Osos Oaks State Reserve

This nifty park is full of fantastic gnarled twisted trees, thanks to the mineral-depleted soil (its ancient sand dunes). This tree greets visitors at the trailhead, just in from the parking lot.

Lichen festoons many of these twisted shapes. This whole area looks like a fantastic place to film your favorite horror scene/mystick ritual during a rolling thunderstorm. Also see a larger (329k) version.