Ponderosa Campground has green lawns, flush toilets & across from Sand Dollar Beach
Central Coast Camping
Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest manages several Campgrounds along the Central Coast. Most are first come, first serve.
- Bottchers Gap Campground (inland on Rd #18S05)
- Kirk Creek Campground (on coastal cliffs)
- Nacimiento Campground (inland on Nacimiento Rd #22S01)
- Plaskett Creek Campground ( w/ reservations, on Hwy 1)
- Ponderosa Campground (inland on Nacimiento Rd #22S01)
Free camping in Big Sur can be found on the numerous dirt back roads:
No charge camp sites means dirt road access, no camp fires & no facilities (table, bathrooms, fire pits). Plus these hard to find spots usually require that you have a National Forest map to scout them out. If you want no crowds, excellent views of the coast & the night sky, plus avoiding fees then you will want to take one of these dirt roads off the highway & start exploring (preferably before dark)
- Los Padres Forest Rd #23S01 Willow Creek Road (aka Los Burros)
- Los Padres Forest Rd #20S05 Prewitt Ridge Road
Big Sur State Park Campgrounds include -
