I fell I love with this beach many years ago. The drive here is INCREDIBLE! I literally have dreams…read moreabout driving under the bridge! You go under to get to this secluded beach off of Hwy 1. I had no idea that you could choose between 3 different campsites until I decided I HAD to be under the moonlight at the beach on 2.22.22 at 2:22 pm. And the views are BREATH TAKING from the beach campsite. They were also freezing, windy, and WET in February! And all of the trails were closed when we visited due to the fire, but it was like a little slice of Heaven to disconnect and spend 2 nights off the grid with great folks. The rangers who serve this place are BEYOND friendly, and they do an awesome job of keeping the bathrooms clean. I believe they were cleaned 3 times a day. And the campsites were so self contained, you really had no idea there were up to 29 sites there. Camping on the beach meant you heard the crash of waves all night long. It was so very peaceful! And while the view looked almost warm, there was NOTHING warm about being there in February. But if you had a camper, and the right gear, the rain and wind would be worth it just to burn that image eternally into your mind! I hope I can snag this location during the warmer months. I'm just in love with everything about LimeKiln.

This review is for the Limekiln campground. We camped at…read moresite #17. The Redwood campground (sites #17-#29) is basically a big dirt parking lot divided into tiny "campsites." There's a creek running behind the big dirt parking lot and lots of big trees on the perimeter of the big dirt parking lot. But there's no trees or plants in the tiny "campsites." So forget hanging a hammock or having any sense of privacy. We could barely fit a 6-person tent in site #17. The creek was pretty. The bathrooms were decent and have flush toilets. Our campsite was, at most, a 2-minute walk to the ocean, which was pretty cool.

Site 29! Had a great stay here. Stayed April 7th and 8th. First day and night were clear and we…read morewere able to see so many stars at night. As far as the campsite it self, i was a little scared that it would be too sloped, but it wasnt bad at all. We used a tent and set it up on the left side and kept the table/bench in the middle. We still had awesome views of the water. Everything was so green it looked like it was a filtered photograph. You could see the vault bathroom from our site but we couldn't smell it. The smell was very prominent though around the area where the host was staying. Bring a bucket, diapers (to soak up the pee), and thick plastic bags if you dont want to use their vault bathrooms. We didnt encounter any raccoons personally, but did see their prints all over our cooler (locked) and table in the mornings. We saw a groundhog and it spent an hour digging up a hole. Firewood was $15 a bundle. we have verizon for our cell service and had no signal at all. It actually went out about 20 miles before arriving to the campground. We were able to use the satellite option on our phones to send out a couple of text messages. Wish we lived closer cause the drive from Orange County was long. Enjoy the photos

Kirk Creek Campground offers one of the most breathtaking coastal views you'll find anywhere in…read moreCalifornia. Waking up right on the cliffs above the ocean is incredible and truly makes the trip worth it. There's no cell service, though newer iPhones with satellite messaging can still send and receive texts if needed. Just be prepared: the campground is very rustic. There's no water, no power, and only basic latrines. At $45 per night, it feels a bit steep considering the lack of amenities, but that's the Recreation.gov rate- and the scenery does soften the sting. If you're driving in, know that Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is not recommended for large vehicles, trailers, or anything that struggles with braking downhill. For larger rigs, Highway 1 is definitely the safer and better option. The surrounding area is amazing, with tons of hikes, beaches, and spots to explore. You can even find local jade along the beaches and in riverbeds, which is a fun bonus. The campground hosts are enthusiastic, friendly, and genuinely helpful- one of the highlights of staying here. The only major downside is the raccoon situation. They go absolutely wild at night- climbing on tables, chairs, coolers, even cars and trailers. They will try to open anything they can, so make sure everything is secured or locked up. It would be great to see the park system address this, because they're definitely a persistent (and bold) nuisance. Overall, Kirk Creek is stunning, quiet, and unforgettable- as long as you're ready for a rustic experience and some energetic nighttime visitors.

Wow!!! Loved this campsite and the camp hosts here! Came up and it was my first camping by the…read morebeach and wow, it was beautiful. The campsites were clean and access to sand dollar beach was amazing. Make sure you go during low tide though so you can actually walk down to the beach! My partner and I talked to the camp hosts and they were so sweet and accommodating. They made sure the campsites were clean and checked in with us. We will 100% be back here this year since we had such a great experience. Thank you Katie and James!!

This is a dry Campsite with water faucets in between two campsites. Large restrooms with toilet &…read moresink the sink not in use, it has a bag covering it. No lighting inside be sure to have a flashlight of some kind for nighttime use. The camp host's were very friendly and informative. It is pet friendly our Corgi came home with quite a few ticks on him (6) we had never experienced that before. I suggest your pet be given some flea & tick meds prior to visiting campsite. We had a visit to the Vet and Archie is fine... We enjoyed our 3 nt. stay. It was March and the weather was perfect for hiking & walks on the beach. It rained one of the afternoon into evening while we were there, I would recommend staying here.

Great campground with the Big Sur river running right through it. Loved the quick hike up to the…read morewaterfall through the redwoods. Lots of great shady sites and some really nice sites right on the river. Showers were nice and reasonably priced. If you are feeling lazy and don't want to cook, you can check out the restaurant/ coffee shop, also a nice little gift shop. There is also a store at the back of the campground that has ice , snacks , firewood and a small laundry facility which was super convenient !! Great woodsy campground with great amenities!!

BEST SPOT TO SEE RED WOODS. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a sprawling, 1,000-acre sanctuary…read morecentered around the pristine Big Sur River. Often nicknamed "mini Yosemite," it trades direct beach access for dramatic inland scenery, boasting spectacular valleys, forested peaks, and dense groves of ancient coast redwoods. Ancient Redwood Groves: The park is famous for its majestic coast redwoods, with some trees measuring over 1,000 years old. Accessible walkways, like the Redwood Deck, allow visitors to stand among these towering giants. Diverse Hiking Trails: Trails cater to all skill levels, ranging from the flat and easy Nature Trail loop to the challenging, steep ascent up the Buzzards Roost Trail, which rewards hikers with panoramic views of the ocean and mountains. On-Site Lodging and Camping: Unlike many rugged coastal stops, this park features developed accommodations, including a large campground alongside the river and the historic Big Sur Lodge, which provides comfortable cabins and a restaurant. The redwoods you see growing in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (as well as nearby Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest living species of tree on Earth. The groves found throughout the park are particularly special because they mark the southernmost boundary of where the coast redwood species naturally thrives in significant numbers. Because they are located at the southern edge of their natural geographic range, the climate here is slightly drier and warmer than the dense, misty rainforests of Northern California. While they generally do not reach the record-shattering heights of their northern cousins in Humboldt or Redwood National Park, they are incredibly impressive, with many individual trees in the park towering well over 200 feet tall and thriving for upwards of 800 to 1,000 years. They rely heavily on the marine fog flowing through the Big Sur River gorge to stay hydrated during the dry summer months

Great beach with incredible views, the campground was kinda forgettable though. Campsites were not…read morevery cozy or campy , no shade and not very flat. Bathrooms and showers were decent , just felt like our camp loop was kinda blah. Was windy and we were up on the hill and exposed so we didn't do a campfire. I've stayed at a lot of beach campsites and Sunset just didn't really hit the mark. 15 minute walk or 5 minute drive to beach so you aren't very close to the beach. Most of the sites were exposed so no real privacy to be had, not a bad place to stay or unpleasant but we stayed one night and it was easy to leave, when you stay at an awesome campground it's hard to leave and you want more and we definitely didn't have that feeling . A decent place to crash for a night passing through......but we probably would skip it next time!

Spent an amazing day in May at sunset beach. The weather was breezy and warm and surprisingly very…read morelittle traffic at this beautiful beach. There is plenty of space to spread out for bbqing, fire pit, sunning, frolicking in the sand with no disturbance. Super clean beach, and clean restrooms. Parking day pass for a $10. If you enjoy Northern California state parks, an annual pass is $125.

We booked a cabin recently, received confirmation, and showed up after hours. The campground is…read morenice enough and in a great location, but when we showed up at 9 pm our name was posted on a white board telling us where to go. Our assigned cabin was not made up. No sheets blankets or pillows on the bed, musty/dank smell, refrigerator was on the patio for some strange reason, there was a space heater left running in the kitchen sink, random box of dishes in the corner, and we had zero clue what to do. There was nobody to help us, reception was spotty so we couldn't make a call, and ultimately we left. Clearly this cabin should not have been rented. We drove 45 minutes to a hotel and had to pay $600/night because there were no other options nearby. Worst of all, after emailing the manager about what happened and nicely requesting a refund, we got no response. No apology, no acknowledgment, no refund, nothing. We had to contact the credit card company to reverse the charge. Not good. Not well run. Stay away.

I would recommend. Cabin was nice and clean Fire place was…read morenice and cozy and kept cabin nice and warm. Sheets and comforter were of very good quality Nice to have coffee and hot chocolate available. Awesome and beautiful settings. Only down fall was grandson ( teenager) complaint of NO cell or internet services.

Mcway falls is beautiful something out of a story or a movie. So beautiful…read more Key things to note if you want to go - See if the trail is open. ( it wasn't but they instructed how to view the falls from the roadway) still beautiful. We did not have ANY RECEPTION after point lobos park traveling south on pch to Bixby bridge to the Julia phifer burns park which is where the mcway falls are. Roughly an hour drive depending on variables on the road. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS MORE ROUGHLY OVER 150 miles if you are going from Carmel. We had to get a couple gallons of gas in Big Sur and it was not cheap, almost double a regular gas price. All in all good trip!

Came here to use the bathrooms and go to Mcway Falls. First off bathrooms here are CLEAN. All the…read morestate parks in Big Sur seem to have very clean bathrooms. They didn't have an attendant on duty do we dropped a $10 bill for the park pass. Nice views, short walk.

This post is looong overdue becuase I believe the highway 1 now near this waterfall is closed from…read more2025 to 2026 (but check) I love, love, love waterfalls, and this spot is absolutely gorgeous. McWay Falls feels truly magical, the way the waterfall spills onto the beach and meets the turquoise ocean is breathtaking. This waterfalls combines two of my favorite things (the beach and waterfall so what's there not to love). The views are stunning, peaceful, and unlike anywhere else. An unforgettable stop along the coast and one of the most beautiful natural sights I've ever seen. I wish there was a way to hike down, but there isn't, I guess it's a good thing as it preserves this spots natural beauty

McWay Falls is one of the most iconic and photographed landmarks along the Big Sur coast, famous…read morefor its ethereal, postcard-perfect scenery. Located within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, it is one of the few waterfalls in California that empties directly into the ocean. Unique Tide Falls: The stunning 80-foot waterfall flows year-round from McWay Creek, dropping over a jagged granite cliff directly onto the pristine sands of a picturesque, turquoise cove, or into the waves at high tide. Effortless Viewpoint Trail: The falls are reached via an exceptionally short and accessible 0.5-mile round-trip trail, making it a quick and highly rewarding stop right off Highway 1. This trail was unfortunately closed during my visit, but we could still see the falls

We stayed at campsite 57 right next to a n active stream with a small waterfall...it was a great…read moreway to sleep at night listening to the stream and the call of a great-horned owl. True , after looking around, that many of the campsites are very close together but its still a pretty canyon with a few old growth redwoods. Our site though had only one neighbor and they were a reasonable distance away. The bathrooms are fantastic. Also, on iur first night we didn't feel like cooking and the Airstream Kiosk served an excellent crispy-cheesy pepperoni pizza...made to order(skip the Ceaser). We were very happy with our campsite-you just have to be selective...this was the third choice after my initial booking the other campsites didn't look as good...

Terrible experience glamping. No one enforces the quiet rules past 10pm, so we listened to the…read moreequivalent of a frat party complete with karaoke until 2am (on a Tuesday night no less). No one at the kiosk when we arrived at 4:50pm, had to chase down someone for the firewood we prepurchased. Paid $75 pet fee but never received any of the promised amenities (dog bed, treats etc), Rats came into the tent in the middle of the night (we had stored all food in the car). All in all an absolutely terrible stay and waste of $273 for one night. So disappointing as Big Sur is an incredible area.

A beautiful CA national park. We did 2 short hikes in one day…read more The pinnacle rocks and the caves are SO cool! Parking was really easy for the trails we wanted to access. National Park pass is required.

While on our way to Carmel/Monterey from San Jose we decided to take a little hike at Pinnacles…read moreNational Park. This group enjoys a good hike, but is by no means expert hiker/climber(s). This hike offered the perfect balance of physical activity and beautiful views The trail was about a 2hr drive from the San Jose airport. It takes you well out of immediate civilization. You aren't far enough to feel completely isolated, but you are far enough removed that it's peaceful and the air just smells more fresh The trail itself was about 3 miles long if I remember correctly. The one we took was an uphill climb to the top and then an easy downhill hike to the bottom. The flora and fauna were impressive. There are plenty of turkey vultures, other birds, and some lizards. A truly awesome sight was when we got to the top and a condor flew directly over us Some tips: There are a few hikes and trailheads in the area for you to explore The park rangers office was unoccupied when we were there and it was a honor system of dropping off payment in a nearby collection receptacle It might be difficult to spot a condor from a turkey vulture at a distance, but the head is shaped different from a turkey vulture, their sheer size is stunning, and they should be tagged under their wings Cheers!!