Oceano Dunes faces legal battle over off-road vehicle access

A long-standing legal and environmental dispute continues over the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area on California’s Central Coast. The 3,600-acre site is the only state park in California where off-road vehicles are legally permitted to drive directly on the sand and beach.

The California Coastal Commission has sought to phase out off-roading activities, citing concerns that vehicles degrade dune habitats, harm native species, and worsen air quality through particulate pollution. In response, the group Friends of Oceano Dunes filed a lawsuit in 2019, alleging the Commission exceeded its authority and failed to conduct necessary environmental reviews and public hearings.