Car Camping

There are eight campgrounds in Big Sur with a range of facilities. From North to South they are:

• Bottcher's Gap Campground, 9 camping units, bring water, 831-385-5434
• Andrew Molera State Park, allows 350 persons, 831-667-2315
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, 218 camping units 1-800-444-7275
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, 2 environmental camping units
• Kirk Creek Campground, 33 camping units, 831-385-5434
• Plaskett Creek Campground about 15 miles from Salmon Creek at the southern end of Big Sur, 1-800-283-CAMP, info 831-385-5434
• San Simeon State Beach, 204 camping units, 805-927-4509
• Lime Kiln State Park, 43 camping units

Notes:
Most of the campgrounds in Big Sur have toilets. Pfeiffer Big Sur is the only one with showers. Lime Kiln has been closed over the last few years. Bring your sun shower if you plan to stay elsewhere.

Get there early! These campgrounds are in high demand on the weekends and it pays to get there early.

Off-Road Camping

Quite a bit of Big Sur is BLM land and has been open for camping in the past. Because of the dry grass in the summer and fall there can be extreme fire danger. Complaints from the residents on Coast Ridge about the hang gliders that used to frequent the 2,000' drops there have led to the installation of a locked gate on the formerly open road. Plaskett Ridge Road has had some fabulous camp spots in the past, but the last time we went up, it was posted "no camping" throughout.

All activities in life can be potentially dangerous, if you choose to do the activities on we talk about on this web site, please be careful & responsible for yourself and concious of the environment and wildland habitats.