Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Big Sur Campground and Cabins

    3.4 (336 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Big Sur Campground and Cabins Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Big Sur Campground and Cabins

    Recommended Reviews - Big Sur Campground and Cabins

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Swimming hole at campground
    Erica W.

    My family and I went for a few nights in our travel trailer and were very impressed! Great amenities such as complimentary daily coffee, free ice, a free bundle of wood, free, hot showers, cute tin souvenir mugs. Such a beautiful, peaceful scenery. Great playground for kids. Not a far drive to visit Carmel, Pebble Beach and so much more. Can't wait to go back.

    Stand up shower
    Melissa V.

    This campground was perfect for our group of 29 people (12 adults and 17 kids)! Kids ranging from 6-12 years old. There was something to do for everyone. The campground has a playground, basketball court, the creek/river to float down and a swim hole. It was nice to disconnect for a bit (no wifi except near the entrance for a fee). The 2 bed cabin was perfect for our family of four. Definitely recommend staying at this campground when in Big Sur.

    Bathrooms with showers and soaps
    Amber W.

    We love Big Sur Campground & Cabins! When you check in you're given two mugs, and a bundle of wood, if you need more they are stocked. $14.00/bundle. They have a small store with the basics, we actually needed a longer hose for our trailer to connect to water and they had one for sale. The staff is helpful and friendly, the restrooms were clean and the showers were stocked with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. The creek was so much fun, we had our own tubes but the campground does have them for use. Very kid friendly atmosphere. You're definitely close to other campers but everyone seemed respectful and the grounds were quiet at night. Big Sur is a very special place and I was shocked at how crowded it's become, but I am happy to share my love for this special place with my child. Oh, they have coffee in the morning! We love this place and continue to camp here when we can.

    Cabin 101
    Katherine R.

    Do not be late on your check-in. If you do, there would be written instructions on where you should go, but you have to come back in the morning to finish your check-in. There is little to no signal in the campgrounds. It's great, especially if you're trying to get away from all the hustle and bustle from the city. By the toll gate, you check in and get your bundle of wood. Any extra is $10. They'll give you a map on how to get around to your spot, but it's pretty easy to navigate in. We received a mini flashlight with 2 mugs for our taking. It's pretty nice to have too. There's free coffee and ice if you need some. We got a cabin that has a kitchen and bathroom. There are some that you can rent just the bed, then you'd have to use the public restrooms or bring your own grill. I've seen other campers with vans and RVs, but you can call them if you need more info about their rules for camper vans. Inside our cabin, the kitchen is fully equipped with plates, utensils, knives, can opener, pots, and pans. There's a microwave and toaster too. By the sink, there was a sponge (not new, unfortunately) with dishwasher soap. There's cold and hot water on both the sink and shower. Trash bins allocated for regular trash and recycles were a nice touch. The refrigerator was a decent size. If you plan yo stay for a couple of days to a week or maybe more, I'd recommend bringing in food to cook. There aren't many places within the area to buy so make sure you bring food and drinks. Our stay was wonderful. You don't hear the vehicles passing by the highway. It's just the sound of the river, the wind and birds, especially on quiet time. Overall, we would go back to this campground. Totally recommend for families or couples for a getaway.

    We've been coming here since 2021. Now we got a chance to come as a family of 3. My baby girl enjoyed it so much. She even enjoyed the river. Everything is always perfect. Very neat place. Staff is friendly. Showers are more than you expect for a campsite. Restrooms are cleaned periodically. It's a good thing to have no signal to disconnect from the world and connect with the family but if you really need outside connection there's pay phones like back in the day or just pay for WiFi. My experience is always great. I recommend this place always. I hope to keep coming yearly with my family and make it a tradition.

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 79
    Thanks 21
    Love this 67
    Oh no 2

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Erica W.
    250
    12
    5

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Nice and clean. Perfect getaway for two or more. Services was good and the cabin cozy.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    No cellphone reception and very small campsites. Close proximity to hike or go to a beach but sites are way too small and too much money.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 2

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tj J.
    2
    25
    1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gyr N.
    0
    519
    29473

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2
    Photo of David R.
    582
    1840
    2893

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1
    Photo of P P.
    3
    95
    14

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe P.
    0
    74
    94

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan K.
    4
    17
    15

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 0
    Love this 17
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A. M.
    0
    20
    1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Big Sur Campground and Cabins

    Can we go just for the day? Cost?

    Big Sur camping/cabin requires reservations. One night is allowed upon availability at the campsite. You cannot do a day trip since reservations are required The one I went to was the Riverside campground & cabin and required a 2-night stay. The… Read more

    Do they allow stand up paddle boards?

    Are ESA and Service dogs allowed on the property? Are dogs allowed n RV, Campsite, tent cabins or cabins?

    Pets are allowed at this campground.

    I keep getting a busy signal when I call. Is there an alternative number or email address to reach this place?

    No email that I have ever found. Just the 831-667-2322. Just keep trying!

    Is there Wifi for any part or all of the location? How is cell service like T-Mobile?

    There isn't any WiFi or cell service at the campground, but you can go a few miles up the road to get WiFi.

    Under current early 2021 rules is it ok to have 3 adults and 1 child who are all of the same family share 1 campsite, And is it ok to pitch 2 small to medium sized tents in one campsite?

    On their Rates page on the website (bigsurcamp.com) it says there is a "Max occupancy 5 people" which includes children per site. This is not changed for '2021 rules' or any COVID reasons. Many sites will accommodate 2 tents in the site along with… Read more

    Is the playground open right now? (September 2020)

    The playground has been open all year. Savvy campers who are also COVID-safety-savvy will wear masks and distance as much as possible in the public/shared areas of the campground like the playground, office/store area and bathrooms.

    Can there be dogs?

    Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome in the tent and RV sites but are not allowed in the cabins. If you are renting a cabin, you should leave your dog at home because it is not appropriate to leave your dog in your car or chained outside the cabin.

    Is there fishing?

    Not really. The river is protected and there are very narrow windows of time where you can do catch and release ONLY and only if the river is running at a certain level. Pretty much the answer is 'no'.

    Is there WiFi available?

    No and reception is bad in the area

    5 + occupancies ? What if you have 6 people. And 2 Cars?

    Best to get two sites. The person helping you make your reservation on the phone can help you find two sites next to one another or backing one another. Make your reservation as early as possible since you'll want the sites close together.

    What time is check in and check out and if I made a reservation do I need to bring a print out?

    Check in 12 noon; Check out 11am. You should always have a paper receipt as back up.

    Does the tent sites have a grill over the fire pit to bbq?

    Yes the do Lucas... awesome place

    I've tried calling all day and phone has busy signal. Do they have an email address?

    www.bigsurcamp.com

    Does anyone know how to contact this campground to make a reservation? We Have tried to call for two days now and can't get through?

    Current Phone Hours 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (831) 667-2322

    View All 18 Questions

    Review Highlights - Big Sur Campground and Cabins

    The river was low so adults had a hard time using the tubes, but the kids had a blast using them and going down stream.

    Mentioned in 106 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Campgrounds 1,010 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

    Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

    4.4(404 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    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!!

    We stayed two nights at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and while the scenery is absolutely stunning…read more(as expected for Big Sur), the experience was seriously impacted by poor enforcement and lack of oversight from staff. Right off the bat, our check-in experience was frustrating. We had reserved and paid for an ADA campsite, only to arrive and find someone else already occupying it. Apparently, there is no system in place to verify IDs against reservations, which seems like a huge oversight--especially for ADA-designated spots. After spending time sorting that out, things settled temporarily. Our first night at the Weyland campground quickly went downhill once "quiet hours" (10pm-6am) began. Instead of quiet, the majority of the campground was loud, playing music, and talking well into the night--until nearly 4am. There was zero enforcement of quiet hours, and no visible presence from a camp host or ranger to address it. It honestly felt more like a free-for-all than a state park campground. Hoping for a better experience, we moved to the South campground for our second night. Unfortunately, things got worse. The bathroom across from Site 45 was in unacceptable condition. The ADA shower stall took three of my paid shower tokens without working, and to make matters even worse, there was literal human feces on the floor. Not just dirty--completely unsanitary and clearly not being maintained. We attempted multiple times to contact the camp host about both the bathroom situation and earlier noise issues, knocking several times with no response. It was incredibly frustrating to have no support or accountability when problems came up. It's really disappointing because this park is naturally beautiful and has so much potential. But the lack of basic management--no ID checks for reservations, no quiet hour enforcement, and poorly maintained facilities--completely takes away from the experience. It honestly feels like the park is being let down by the very people responsible for running it. Would love to return someday, but until there are major improvements in oversight and maintenance, it's hard to justify coming back.

    Photos
    Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park - Family Camping September 12-14, 2025

    Family Camping September 12-14, 2025

    Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park - Family Camping September 12-14, 2025

    Family Camping September 12-14, 2025

    Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park - Family Camping September 12-14, 2025  THE JOY LUCK CLUB

    See all

    Family Camping September 12-14, 2025 THE JOY LUCK CLUB

    Riverside Campground & Cabins - RV Camp site #33 view facing the entrance

    Riverside Campground & Cabins

    3.9(207 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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.

    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.

    Photos
    Riverside Campground & Cabins - Site #6 plus my dorky husband and cute dog

    Site #6 plus my dorky husband and cute dog

    Riverside Campground & Cabins - Fire pits have bbq grates

    Fire pits have bbq grates

    Riverside Campground & Cabins - View from cabin 2 fire pit area

    See all

    View from cabin 2 fire pit area

    Ventana Campground - Outside of glamping tent

    Ventana Campground

    3.5(213 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Came here from Monday- Wednesday at their tent camping site. We stayed at campsite #1. This site…read morewas considered a hike in. To get in was a slight incline, slightly steep but there were stairs, so that made the incline slightly easier. Someone mentioned that it was a 0.5 mile hike-in in another review, and it's far less than 0.5 miles. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who maybe doesn't want to get their steps in because you have to climb up and down to use the restroom/shower, but other than that no complaints about this particular hike-in spot. The description of this campsite states that it'll fit a 1-2 person tent. My partner and I managed to fit a 6 person tent. It was a little big to fit in the spot, but we managed. There was a slight slope towards the edge, so we just slept the other way where it was a little more flat. This spot is super secluded, you have a lot of trees covering you. So if you value a little more privacy, it might be good for you. The closest neighbors were downhill at campsite 2 and 3, but it's a good amount of distance away. That being said it's one of the first campsites upon entering, so in the day time you get a good amount of cars passing by. At night, it's super quiet, you can even hear the creek flowing. I haven't gotten this good of sleep in a while. In the morning around 8/9 you have maintenance and cleaners coming around, cleaning the bathrooms and doing other stuff around the campsite. So if you are not an early riser, there's the noise from that. However, I didn't mind that because that gave me reassurance that they actually clean the bathrooms daily. Ventana campground offers hot showers at $2 for 5 mins. If you taken quick showers, 5 minutes is all you really need. I would recommend taking showers before it's too late or super early. There was a guest across the way from us at 54 yelling at the top of his lungs about how the water was cold and how he wasted money on his shower at 5AM. He then proceeded to break the door and break the hand sanitizer off the wall and throw its across the campsite. I'm sure he woke a lot of people up from his little baby temper tantrum. Not sure if it was because spot 1 was surrounded by trees, but we had a lot of little flys?/gnats? Flying around. They went away once we got the fire going and there was smoke. There were also wasps flying around which made it uncomfortable as my partner is allergic. They only came out when food/meat was out and being cooked. Overall, this was a great experience for a first time camper, like myself. The showers and bathrooms were greatly appreciated. They had an airstream that offered drinks and snacks. There was also jenga and cornhole by the airstream. Again, we came during the weekday. It was not that busy and super quiet. There were a lot of spots open. I'm sure the experience would be different on the weekends, with more spots filled. Some of the campsites are really close together so I'm not sure how busy or loud it could get on the weekends with neighbors close by. I went around to scout other campsites for next time. Overall, I would like to come back again and either book the same spot or try a different spot.

    Stayed here last minute on our roadtrip because there was nothing else available. I would never…read morestay again. Over $90! The campsites are way too close. I've never seen anything like it. So many huge groups, barking dogs, whining kids which I can hear perfectly because I'm feet away - and I'm here with my own young kid! We ended up requesting to move sites and setting up shop in our car to mitigate the loud drunk people. The airstream did offer margaritas, so why not be encouraged to be loud and drunk all night? The cost far outweighs the experience people are talking about unless you don't care about large groups (tons of families and barking dogs) within feet of you. Perhaps they should make this adults only? Drink so much you don't care about the loud party happening all around you. It is beautiful and it is sad that they have made this such a terrible experience with the sites being so close etc. Have a good night sleep somewhere else and enjoy Big Sur for the DAY at one of the state parks for $10 pass to all parks. Update: construction at 8:37a. Another poster said 9a but these trucks were going by earlier and have started officially now. Cutting down trees maybe? It's loud hydraulic sounds. Hope you are able to get a good night sleep before that starts. NO toilet paper in morning.

    Photos
    Ventana Campground
    Ventana Campground - Tomahawk

    Tomahawk

    Ventana Campground - Camping essentials

    See all

    Camping essentials

    Kirk Creek Campground

    Kirk Creek Campground

    4.3(193 reviews)
    25.8 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Kirk Creek Campground - Bubbles site 29

    Bubbles site 29

    Kirk Creek Campground - Fam photo from site 29

    Fam photo from site 29

    Kirk Creek Campground - Site 29 views

    See all

    Site 29 views

    Andrew Molera State Park

    Andrew Molera State Park

    4.3(135 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    First time visiting Andrew Molera State park this last weekend 5/25/2024. We were feeling ambitious…read moreand decided to hike the whole 8 mile loop (creamery meadow, ridge, panorama, and bluffs trail) roughly 1450 ft elevation gain total. At the beginning of the hike and at the end of the hike you have to cross a river that is about knee deep for someone around my height of 5"4. The hike took us 5 hours to compete with ample breaks included. We hung out on two different beaches (not included in the time) throughout our day which was a ton of fun. It was my first time ever seeing or even hearing about purple sand and my mind was blown. The trails are VERY overgrown so I'd suggest wearing long sleeves and pants to avoid ticks, poison ivy, and stinging nettle. Parking is free if you are willing to park along hwy 1 and walk/run across the street. There is paid parking inside of the park and there seemed to be plenty of space if that's your preference. Lastly, I love that there are clean bathrooms at the beginning of the trail head. Overall, this loop offered absolutely amazing ocean views during the majority of hike. Bring lots of water, sunscreen, and your camera.

    What a nice park. I would recommend the one mile trail walk to the beach. The beach is quite empty…read moreduring the week. Also, while the trail is quite wide, it is lined on both sides with poison oak almost the entire walk which is fine as long as you don't touch it. The trail floor starts out as dirt and small rocks and eventually turns to sand and rock. There's also a small section of a two planks wide stable bridge over a river. It's maybe 30 feet long and the water below is about 6 inches to a foot deep. It would be fine for most children to cross with an adult. The views once you arrive at the ocean are truly stunning . The sand is quite hot and there are many small rocks and lots of seaweed, so I'm glad I wore flip flops. Sneakers would have been better I think.

    Photos
    Andrew Molera State Park - River to cross before and after

    River to cross before and after

    Andrew Molera State Park
    Andrew Molera State Park

    See all

    Limekiln State Park

    Limekiln State Park

    4.4(142 reviews)
    23.9 mi

    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.

    Heads up a number of trails are still closed from the fire so it's not possible to access the falls…read moreand other trails as in the past. We had site #6 near the beach. The sites are very close to each other. Our first night before our immediate neighbors arrived was amazing - incredible views of the beach/ocean from the campsite and very peaceful. Restrooms including shower were nearby and cleaned every morning. Next night, we were surrounded by big groups on both sides and it felt like a parking lot tent city and it did not seem like car parking restrictions were enforced. The sites are so close we could hear intense snoring on both sides. Neighboring kids would come and smack/kick at our dogs - they were young but still not cool and I was annoyed their parents stood by and watched. We will try Kirk Creek instead next time to get more space. Pros - we loved the incredible access to the beach. Amenities seemed to work well (until inconsiderate folks started to ignore basic human decency like flushing!). Cons - no access to internet (despite it being available but it is locked), some beach sites are very close together, trails closed.

    Photos
    Limekiln State Park
    Limekiln State Park
    Limekiln State Park - Flocks of birds and otters hang out just offshore

    See all

    Flocks of birds and otters hang out just offshore

    Sykes Hot Springs - Hot Spring

    Sykes Hot Springs

    5.0(1 review)
    0.3 mi

    At the end of Summer, my friend suggested a backpacking trip to Skyes Hot Springs - 20 miles out…read moreand back with 5380 ft elevation gain. (more challenging than Bright Angel Trail to bottom of Grand Canyon) Arrived at Big Sur Station at 9am. Paid $20 overnight parking fees, used toilet, snapped group photo then began hiking at 9:30. Half hour lunch break at 11:45 Terrace Creek Camp, and finally arrived to Skyes Camp by 3pm. In route to camp, we crossed 7 creeks each way. I was a bit anxious of slipping cuz I had less confidence than I used to. I think it would have been easier and more fun if I had power thr them with momentum. No mosquitoes sightings in mid Nov. Lots of poison oaks along the trail but not overgrown; I wore shorts with no problem, just clouds of dust from our own stompings. Our friend impaled a bunch of splinters from a burr plant. I visited many of our camp neighbors in search of a tweezer; fortunately, the last of the spikes expelled itself in the hot spring waters. Hiking downriver in search of the hot springs was not easy. When located at 5pm, the large tub was occupied, we tested all of the other 3 smaller tubs then settled in at the one on the river level, it was a tight squeeze for 4 people but we sardined to fit. Our inlet source was a water fall from the tub above which some of us used as a shower over our heads. It was a relaxing time with beautiful surroundings and good company. The water was lukewarm with lots of earthy debris, so it does not compare to the numerous fancy Onsens I have visited in Japan. But things are more valuable when it is earned by hard work - the miles, inclines, sun, sweat, dust, creek crossings, obstacles, and heavy pack; great feelings of accomplishment, and endorphins too. It was wise of us to leave the springs at 6pm since sunsets at 6:30. Due to the heavy forest, we were not able to sight the supermoon nor the comet in the night sky. Sleeping with the ripple sounds of the Big Sur River close by was soothing. Our return trip started at 9:30 and ended at the parking lot by 1pm, 4.5 hours was very fast pace. We were eager to celebrate our trip with a lunch in a sit down restaurant, Big Sur Roadhouse. Another great adventure with friends. Treasure memories.

    Photos
    Sykes Hot Springs - Creek crossing

    Creek crossing

    Sykes Hot Springs - Camp

    Camp

    Sykes Hot Springs - Big Sur River

    See all

    Big Sur River

    Big Sur Campground and Cabins - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...