El Moro Elfin Forest in Los Osos is a 90-acre natural area that offers visitors views of the Morro Bay estuary, the surrounding peaks, the sand spit, and the ocean beyond. The land belongs to San Luis Obispo County Parks and California State Parks. Its many plant communities include: coastal brackish marsh, riparian woodland fringe, pygmy oak woodland, maritime chaparral, and coastal dune scrub.

The Elfin Forest supports more than 200 species of plants, as well as 110 kinds of birds, 22 species of mammals, and 13 species of reptiles and amphibians. It is home to rare plants, butterflies, snails, and birds. Chumash middens occur throughout the Elfin Forest.

A four-fifths of a mile boardwalk loop constructed in 1999 provides wheelchair access and protects the Forest’s sensitive habitat.

The Los Osos/Morro Bay Chapter of Small Wilderness Area Preservation (SWAP), after being the prime mover in securing the lands, “adopted” the Forest in 1994. In 2020, the Chapter changed its name to Friends of El Moro Elfin Forest (FEMEF).

What’s in a Name

The name “Elfin Forest” comes from the short stature of the coast live oaks which grow as tall as 50 feet elsewhere in Los Osos. Here they are stunted by the local environment. Despite being centuries old, these mature oaks range from a high of 20 feet in sheltered areas to a low of 4 feet near the tallest ridge line. The Elfin Forest is an area where many of the natural habitats of the greater Morro Bay area exist in one location with easy access. Many of the area’s terrestrial plants and animals can be seen here.

Friends of El Moro Elfin Forest

We are a mission-driven, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on membership fees, donations, grants, and volunteers. 

Our mission: to preserve and maintain the El Moro Elfin Forest Natural Area; to inform and educate about the natural history of the Elfin Forest and the Morro Bay estuary; and to promote and support scientific research in the Forest.