Terrible experience going to this campground. I booked this site a month in advance. I ended up changing my camp site to a site deeper into the loop which I was charged additionally for. Upon arriving (after 5 hours and 300 miles of travel) I discover my campground is closed off. All surrounding campgrounds are either closed off due to "hazardous tree" or "reserved". So I was at a loss, no reception, no one there, no note left behind for my reservation that is unavailable. So I set up shop at site 14 and hope whoever shows up will share the campsite. Now I'm setting up my tent and I'm literally being swarmed by black gnats. Idk what they are because my citronella candle and dousing of mosquito spray is not working, not at all. After 3 hours of sitting like a duck and not seeing a single other person arrive to this campsite, I figured I couldn't stay alone in this abandoned campground. Over 22 sites here and only myself and a couple in site 1 which is upfront of the entrance were there. However their site shows most of the sites reserved. Unsure why people would choose to visit this campground besides its remoteness. Personally I can't say I recommend this place especially if you're traveling from some ways away. This is why I wrote Thai review. Unfortunately I couldn't in their website and I did not want someone else to have the experience I had. read more

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I absolutely love Ponderosa Campground. There are no running water facilities, meaning no showers and just pit toilets. We got any water we needed that we did not carry with us from the spigots placed throughout the campground. One of my friends and I came here as part of a California Road Trip in mid-July 2018 (we were living in East Bay at the time - both of us in Albany) and this was our last campground before returning to the Bay Area. We had found most campgrounds were full up, but managed to find Ponderosa Campground with open spots online before making our way here by car. The drive in from the Southeast was through heathland with areas that had experienced burns/fires in the not too distant past. We also drove through Fort Hunter-Liggett, which we did not learn until driving through was in active use by the military. I even had to pull my tiny 2010 Toyota Corolla off to the side of the road to let the military vehicles, including tanks, drive past going the other direction. Careful to not pull off too far or get out of one's car and walk around if you need to pass through there, there were explosives in the ground... literally... We returned to the Fort area briefly after checking in to our campsite to contact our family/friends and let them know we were safe. At the campground itself we did not have cell phone reception and there were zero campground lights. Perfect for if you want to watch the stars at night. Just be careful and don't spook those mountain lions (also called cougars or pumas) into following you when you go to use the pit toilets at night. I found them to be quite friendly if treated kindly and not provoked. The campsite we used had a picnic table, parking space, and a fire pit which we couldn't use due to fire danger. Our site was flat, which was perfect for setting up the tent and playing a board game (Trivial Pursuit) by lantern light at night. The trees were tall and magical, as was the heathland outside of the campground on our drive in. Other campers were respectful and not too noisy, we tried to be quiet as well. All around a great stay I would say. read more

Ponderosa Campground - Which trivia shall you pursue... Board game in tent by lantern light. - Hiking Near Me - Big Sur, California

One of the best campgrounds around big sur. If you want to camp for the sake of Instagram and Facebook posts, this place is not for you. It's not fair giving it 2-3 stars because of bugs and cell phone service. This is REAL CAMPING. It's about 15 miles away from civilization. Make sure to have sufficient gas for the drive. Carry water for drinking and cleaning. And carry sufficient firewood (the campground host is not always around, especially in winter). The campground has pit toilets. There's a stream flowing around the campground. Great location to view the night sky and Milky Way. Another great thing about this campground is that it's usually available during long weekends as well. My go to campground for a last minute plan. read more

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We had a great weekend. The host Andreas was amazing,helpful,and just a really cool guy. It was quiet here and we took the dogs now to the stream they loved it. You have no shower so we bring out solar shower. Bring a lot of water best site for tent camping I think is 23. For RV we had 20 which was perfect. No cell service so unplug and relax. read more

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Booked this spot just a few weeks before so there were still spots open for reservation. Based on recent reviews, there seems to be some confusion about the reservation stuff. There are no free campsites near Big Sur, this campsite is great if you're looking for a cheaper campsite near Big Sur from what I could fine. I booked via recreation.gov for $33 on a Wednesday in August. According to this website, almost all the campsites are booked via reservation, and very few campsites are first come first serve within Ponderosa. When driving up, the sign for the campground said "No Vacancy", thus the owners expect all who drive up to be a registered guest. My only registration issue was that my name was not booked under my campsite, only the first letter of my last name which was confusing for both me and the 2 folks who run the campground (despite my full name being registered with the website). Yes there are no flushing toilets, however the spigots did in fact work despite some of the older reviews. There were no sinks, so we used the spigots and brought our own handsoap. The water temperature was dependent on the weather and the water had a bit of a sulfur smell (kinda eggy). Since it was summer, the creek was just about dried up to small puddles. There were some bugs, but since I did not stay near the creek so none were mosquitoes for me. I only ended up with a few ankle bites but none were itchy to me and that's just a forest camping norm. Besides these few issues, I love the privacy of the campsite I was at (15). Although there were a few upward steps, the spot was all under trees for shade and each site has a picnic table, grill, and fire pit. The grill did look old and gross, however we brought our own quick food to make in a cooler. Some of the other campsites along Big Sur do not offer the same privacy away from other campground/campers. Check in was at 3pm, however I arrived an hour early and others at the neighboring campsites arrived later from 5-6pm. read more

Ponderosa Campground - Downhill view from campsite 15, loved the privacy and bathroom below too. - Hiking Near Me - Big Sur, California

Loved this campground! It's 13 miles (30 minutes) away from the 1 on a paved and very windy road with beautiful ocean views. We got there on Thursday afternoon (~3pm) and the place was 80% empty. Some sites had reserved signs for the weekend but most of them were available through Sunday. Ended up stay in number 18 and really enjoyed not having neighbors. Some of the sites (15 and 23) are even more secluded. The creek was full and its noise at night was soothing. The campground is dog friendly but they must be on a leash. Good bathrooms, plenty of trash can/dumpsters, and water spigots close to sites. Yes, there are mosquitos at dawn and dusk and there is some poison oak around but that's just nature! If you give a campground one star for that, you should not go camping and stay in the city! The ranger comes every morning to pick up the trash and check in on people. Even though we paid on site on Thursday the ranger informed us on Friday that our site was reserved online for the weekend but that the newcomers could pick another site--they never came. He said this sometimes happens but that it's usually not a big a deal... Overall a great campground away from the busy touristy ones on the 1 but close enough to enjoy Big Sur! read more

As far as campsites go, this place was okay! I agree with the other two reviewers....be prepared for a super windy drive up a very narrow road with no guard rails. I about literally peed my pants and died coming up this road and I am not afraid of heights. It's very steep and nothing between you and death! If you are not careful, one false move and you and your car are over a cliff to your home in Heaven. I am not joking around...this road is very dangerous! There are two ways to get to Ponderosa Campground. You can take the less windy road from 101 or take the more scenic but dangerous road from Hwy 1. From any direction from Hwy 1, take the Nacimiento-Ferguson Road drive and hold on tight for the next 13 miles inland. Don't take a wrong turn like we did...yikes! It was awful...and don't follow Mapquest.com directions or you will be taken to a pretty scary part of the mountain. The campground itself is small...only 22 campsites but it is quiet and the sites themselves are very spacious. We did not feel cramped with our 7 friends and 4 tents at our campsite. They each have a fire pit, picnic table and plenty of parking. The guy managing the camp site is super cool and friendly and there to answers questions. Water spicket was few and far between. We had to walk pretty far from our campsite just to get water. Bathrooms are close by but they are more like an outhouse. No mirrors, flush toilet, ventilation....just plug your nose and go! If you do come here in the winter, you are required to bring your own water as they do not provide water in the winter time. Bring bug spray....lots of bees, flies that love food! There apparently is a river near by, but I never saw it. I believe it was all dried up this weekend. It's very dry here. I might be back but I have experienced better more beautiful campsites in Big Sur that I would head to first before coming back to Ponderosa. read more

Ponderosa Campground - Camping at Ponderosa Campground - Hiking Near Me - Big Sur, California

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******PROS Pretty - Beautiful hills all around . Located in a small valley. Close to Mission San Antonio de Padua Stream - Runs through about half of the campsites. But when I was there in July the stream was only a trickle. Campsites - Most campsites are very spaced out and each has a table, grill, and fire pit. ******CONS Flies - There is an abundance of flies. They like to swarm in great numbers around your face in the morning and evening and seem to leave your food alone. Not the normal house fly, they are slightly smaller. Fly traps and bug spray didn't help, the smoke from our camp fire is the only thing that got them to go away. Road - The road from Ponderosa to the ocean is very windy, steep, narrow and theres no center divide. Google maps says it takes 30 minutes to get to Big Sur from Ponderosa but it takes longer. No Running Water - There are water spigots but they don't work. No running water anywhere in the campground. Pit Toilets Heat - It can get up to 100 degrees in the summer ******TIPS No Cell Service - The closest service I could get was at Mission San Antonio de Padua a half hour away and an hour north on highway 1. This means no GPS so have a map handy. Army Base - If your coming from the east (near mission) you will drive through Fort Hunter Ligget. It is open to through traffic. Go the speed limit or you may get a $200+ ticket from the military police. Watch out for wild boar and squirrels in the road. Fill Up On Gas and Groceries - Gas on highway 1 is $6+ a gallon, 1 small bottle of water is $4. Stores and gas are very expensive and few and far between. read more

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I came here on a solo camping trip in March 2018 for a few days. When I came to Ponderosa campground, it was $25 a night. There is a host that lives on site, Pat. He went around the campground several times a day to check in, make sure everything was good and to make sure the restrooms were stocked. The campground itself is beautiful. It's pretty nicely spread out too. It is right by a creek, which was completely flowing when I visited. There were so many birds, it would be a great place for bird watching. There is no service out here, so be aware of that. It also got below freezing at night when I stayed so make sure you have the right sleeping bag. Each campsite has a picnic table, a firepit (which you don't need a separate campfire permit for here), and a charcoal grill. I would defintely go back again. read more

Pros: Available "walk-ups" year round. Beautiful stream running through the campground. Budget friendly - $15 per night Quiet Cons: BUGS, bugs, bugs - they wont leave you alone Outhouse with no running water - plug your nose, cuz it is a hole in the ground. Water spigots at each campsite DO NOT WORK - bring your own water. Scary (yet scenic) drive up the mountain. No cell phone service - or electricity for that matter - or sewer - or showers! Reserve America does a poor job of explaining how "rough" this "roughing it" experience is going to be. I don't mind sleeping in a tent, packing in food, and smelling like campfire. However, I do like a toilet that works, a shower (even if I have to pay to use it), and running water that I can drink from and wash my dishes from. The single water spigot at the entrance is only for drinking... how do they expect you to pack everything in, but not be able to clean any of it?! The bugs made it impossible to stay more than one night. I assume that the bugs come from the open outhouse?! The stream could also be the cause.... Regardless of what causes them, there are BUGS BUGS BUGS - Bugs in your food, bugs in your drinks, bugs in your clothes, bugs climbing all over your tent.... Too bad the place is beautiful, otherwise I would give it 1 star. read more

Ponderosa Campground - the stream - Hiking Near Me - Big Sur, California

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Seems to be the other reviewers were unclear about what camping actually is. This campground was great. I can probably best describe it by addressing the other reviewer's issues. 1. The Drive- If you are coming from the 1 the campsite is just after the mile 13 marker. It takes about 40 minutes to safely drive this winding road. I guess that is something to complain about but look out your window and see some of the best views of southern Big Sur anyone can ask for. As you climb altitude the views get better and you see beautiful redwood forests and other vegetation. If you drive from 101 the road is real mellow and straight and much quicker. It's probably worth driving down the 1 for the views and the drive up. 2. Bugs. It's nature, there are going to be bugs and animals and other things. It's baffling that anyone would complain about this. Stay indoors if you don't want to be around nature. Only one issue, campsite 6 has a giant beehive inside the tree right by the picnic table. Bee's seem harmless and aren't around at night or early morning. Those allergic to bees should probably avoid campsite 6. 3. Poison Oak. It's Big Sur, it's everywhere. Learn what it looks like and be cautious. I doubt there's very many places in Big Sur where you won't find the ol POAK. 4.Bathrooms/showers/spigots etc. Once again, you are camping. If you are dirty take a bath in the stream. The bathrooms are fine, I mean they smell like any camping bathroom would. Plenty of TP. Bring lots of water because I don't think there are many spigots. It's car camping though so why not bring a bunch of gallons of water anyway. 5.Cell Service. Once again, get off your phone. You are camping. There's no service and nor should there be. If you want service take the road toward 101 for about 15 minutes and there will be some service there. 6. Camp sites are very spread out and spacious. All have picnic bench, bbq set up, and fire pit. Super spread out so it's nice and quiet and ideal for big groups. 7. The place is beautiful. It's a bit of the hike coming from SF or SJ, but it's nice to get away from roads and the such. It's worth the trip. 101 will save 45 minutes , but those with time might as well drive the best highway in the US and enjoy the 1. read more

We had a good time there; it's a quiet and peaceful place. However, the campground is not well maintained. There was no water, restrooms were smelly and terribly dirty, flies were all over the place... read more

My boyfriend and I planned a last minute getaway to Big Sur this Summer. All surrounding campsites had no vacancies, so a friend referred us to Ponderosa. We stayed two nights on campsite 6. All surrounding campsites were vacant, it was great. We literally had the whole campgrounds to ourselves. Breathtaking views on the drive up. Some campsites are right on the stream. All others are within walking distance to the stream. Decent sized campsites with BBQ, fire pit, and table - not bad for $15 a night. Outhouses and water spigots next to all campsites. Not all spigots work but you can walk around and find one that does. The host Charlie was very helpful and an all around nice dude. Yes, there are bugs, poison oak, and no cell phone service but SO WHAT!? - that's what camping is all about. For a last minute jam Ponderosa was our little diamond in the rough. I would definitely camp here again. read more

Okay I normally never write reviews but felt I had to give this place some justice. I had booked two sites for two nights this past weekend for a group camping trip. After reading the reviews I became very skeptical but it was too late to book at another campground so we stuck with this place. If you give a campground 1 star for having bugs.....you probably shouldn't be camping! Yes, there were bugs and we got a few bites. But we started a fire, used some bug spray and it was fine. I loved this campground. It's right on the river and we really enjoyed relaxing in the water. Saw lots of flowers, salamanders and even some trout. The campground was quiet at night and we didn't have any problems with animals. I also saw a few people complain about the drive over the mountain into Big Sur, but honestly the road wasn't bad and the views were beautiful. Probably took us ~40 min to get to the beach. I would definitely stay at this site again!! read more

Way inland from the main attraction, the amazing Big Sur coastline, this campsite is about a 45 minute drive up a winding, narrow paved road. The drive up the mountains is scenic, you literally drive up past the clouds and have the most beautiful photo-op in the mountains. Ponderosa is way up the road, and past Nacimiento Campground. The place itself seems like a world away from the cool breezes of the scenic coastline, but it's a good tent camping area. There's a creek that runs along the campground, it's worth a visit. There's only a few working water spigots (& no showers.. yuck!), so bring plenty of water up here. The several bathrooms in the area are only a little better than a port-o-potty. I was gagging while letting the flood gates flow. There's a buttload of bugs, flies everywhere. Everywhere! Fatty nuisance. No electric outlets, no phone lines nearby. Spots are pretty shaded, $15 per site, 8 people & 2 cars per site. Each additional car or person is $5. Tips: If you come here, I suggest you have an experienced driver get you up here. No cell phone reception, so don't count on it, make your phone calls before heading up here. Don't try bringing any plug-in electronics up here. Bring a camera, the view from the mountains of the coastline makes you almost pee a little from being so giddy. It's gorgeous. Grab yourself a canopy with a screen or a fly catcher to keep the flies/bugs out. 3 stars--Ponderosa, you kicked my butt & gave my cousins and I a good weekend. read more

I agree with the last reviewer. the road up to Ponderosa is really not very scary at all. It is well-paved, not overly steep, no traffic, and fairly wide for a mountain road. It is curvy, and so you cannot go 80 mph on it. keep your speed reasonable and you will be fine! The campground was fine. Only 3 stars because the gnats were seriously out of control. It was hard to be there during the day because they were so obnoxious. At night the gnats went away, and the campsites were big and private, so it was a good deal. You just have to go hiking or to the beach ALL DAY. When i go back next year I will try to stay in Pfeiffer, but if that is booked I would look into this place again. It was a little far from the Bay Area too. More on the southern end of Big Sur. read more

The fly problem is pretty ridiculous. Plan to keep a fire going the entire time, or they will eat you alive. The only trail available was overgrown with poison oak. It's generally not well taken care of. Also, make sure to have all supplies you need before getting there as the closest store is about 20 miles from the campground. read more

Do not come to this campground! Staff is awful at communication and run by a total military control freak jerk. My bf and I originally found this site under free campsites. We called and were told we couldn't reserve a spot it was drive on only. Not once was it mentioned that their would be a fee. So my boyfriend I pull up to the site and turns out there's a 25$ a night fee, a lovely gentleman named Pat came up, and we explained we didn't have cash and would be happy to go back into town and come back with cash before we set up. He informed us we didn't need to do that just go into town during the two days we're staying and come back with the cash. Ok no biggie he gives us the site post to write down our info on. All is well till night rolls around, around 11 PM we here an engine Revving and yelling, the owner was pissed off at guests and was driving his car towards them, and Revving his engine at them. It freaked me out, and was completely unprofessional on his part. Now here comes in my lovely run in with the owner who I thinks name is Michael, he comes up to our tent at 7 in the morning. He starts berating my boyfriend and I for his "money". We calmly try to explain to him multiple times what his employee told us, and he starts going off on how "Well he doesn't own the place." How is that our fault?!?! We explain we can go get his money or Venmo him we really don't care, he continues to berate and scream at us, and makes a racist remark. Saying "we must be los angelers by the looks of us." My boyfriend and I are both Hispanic so it was pretty clear what he was referencing. So finally after 30 minutes of this man yelling at us, we'll also threatening to get us arrested for falsifying documents. He tells us and I quote "Get the fuck out of my campsite." Fine gladly! Not even a minute after he says this he is walking back up the hill and is apologizing to my boyfriend saying we can stay for free. Yeah I think not, his behavior was completely sketchy. So we tell him we're leaving, we begin packing up, and he gave us 25$ to put in an envelope so "he wouldn't get in trouble with the law." His words, whatever dude. As we're leaving another man came up and was arguing with him, and left as well. We ended up venmoing him the money and left. Also In case your reading this Michael, you're a washed up yeehaw, who threatens he was in the military as a form of intimidation. Learn to educate yourself and be in it for the nature or atleast give your campground to someone who is. read more

Disclaimer: we did not stay at this campsite but were nearby up the road and off the grid. The hubs and I came up this way a few weeks back to check out Ponderosa and Nacimiento campgrounds for future use. Beautiful area and a bit of a destination as you're a good half hour plus drive from the 1 and even farther from the 101. Driving through Ponderosa, the sites looked nice - some shaded, some more secluded than others, all with fire pits and nearby bathrooms and water. Reading the reviews of people complaining about flies made me laugh. I mean, it's nature. There are bugs. Right?? Um, WRONG! The flies out here are out of control!!! All Ponderosa campsites were booked well in advance of the J4 holiday weekend, and Nacimiento's few first come first serve sites up the road were claimed prior to our arrival, so we went primitive pitching our tent roadside up a secluded fire road. Setting up camp was nearly impossible with all the flies buzzing around. As soon as you stop waving them away there are dozens all over your mouth, eyes, and everywhere again. The moment our tent was up we ran back to the car and waited for sundown when the flies finally let up. The night was perfect - so warm and still that we slept on top of our sleeping bags. We figured we'd get an early start to our morning, but the flies were up even earlier. I had to pee so badly but there was no way in hell I was taking my pants down and giving those flies free reign of my bits! The site is otherwise perfect. I would consider returning only if we arrived to set-up at sundown and decamp at dawn. Otherwise it'd just be miserable. read more

Nothing to write home about. Good enough place to stay and enjoy company of fellow campers that enjoy somewhat rustic camping. Campers seeking showers and WIFI should get a hotel - IT'S CAMPING, STUPID! PROS: Well stocked streams nearby with large trout - you must be willing to brave quite a bit of Poison Oak to get to it, and not be afraid to get wet to get to the good pools. This and a decent stream to rinse off in without getting in the car again. Was good for our large slightly rowdy crowd. Camp host was reasonable about quiet hours - we weren't bothering any other campers, but were far from quiet, and he didn't make a big issue of it. CONS: More Poison Oak than I have ever seen anywhere, including within the developed campgrounds. Pretty darned buggy. Flies, yellow jackets, gnats, and mosquitos abound. The hike at the trail that goes through site 8 looks intriguing, but is ultimately disappointing. The stream along the first part is OK, but the rest is fairly exposed and COVERED with poison oak. This would be OK with our group, but the trail really doesn't lead anywhere. We hiked for a good couple hours hoping that the killer view/reward was just over the next ridge and eventually reached the dead end - just more of the same. We had a good time because we enjoy each others' company, but I will not return. Not a bad overnight stopover for a larger trip, but otherwise, I can't recommend it. read more

Booked this site via Recreation.gov. I also checked Yelp for reviews. When you book online you are only shown loops with numbers. These sites are tiered. There are dirt paths connecting some sites but you'll be treking uphill for some. You will drive through a military base if you enter off the 101. Yes, you're going the right way. We heard some gunfire and bombs going off in the distance while at the site. No biggie. There is one store off to the right as you drive in off the 101. Stop there if you need anything or stop in Paso Robles. We were at site 13. Site is full sun until about 3:00 pm. Parking area is on the west side so it is shaded first. You'll have morning shade till about 8 am. After that your tent will heat up a good 20 degrees. Creek was not running. Just pools of stagnant water. It is late summer so totally reasonable. Since this site is inland it was hot. Wasps are relentless if you have meat around and gnats are up in your face. Start a fire and create smoke and there will be less. We went through a whole two cans of bug spray. Bring a mesh tent to cover your picnic table. Water spigot in sites near 19 are not functional. Site 19 is fully shaded but with that comes some more bugs. Drive to beach wasn't as scary as some reviews. There are lots of blind turns and some narrow roads but just drive at a reasonable speed and you'll be fine. If you're visiting in summer go to the beach. Sand Dollar beach which is 8 miles south once you hit the beach is dog friendly. 10.00 to park but there are stairs and a little hike to get in. I'd come back in the cooler months. read more

I think of myself as a novice camper. I go camping 2 to 3 times per year and usually love going to northern and central California campgrounds. When I read the reviews for this place I kept noticing issues with bugs. I thought to myself, every Campground has bugs! You deal with it and it's whatever. I'm tough. It's gonna be great! I was so wrong. The bugs at this Campground are out of control. They are relentless and there are just so, so many of them. We were supposed to stay 3 nights and ended up staying only 2 because we just wanted to get away from the bugs. We stayed at site 6 which was right by the river. Maybe avoid site 6. We had the fire going, we had bug repellent in both candle and spray form, this is their land and they make it known whose boss. We were defeated. Will never camp here ever again. read more

To be honest - Anyone complaining about the "bugs' or 'poison oak' obviously doesnt know what CAMPING means. Giving a camp 3 stars because of BUGS seems really funny. Maybe I should start leaving 1 star for restaurants with beggars out front because you know - regardless of how good the food is the bum ruins it o_O I grew up here and will be going back. Maybe its the friends I made (Charlie my first love lol) or the fond family memories but every bout of poison oak, every hike to get thru to the streams, getting bit by geese - ITS WHAT CAMPING IS ABOUT Complaints about it being to hot are even more freakin laughable.... Dont come here if you think that facebooking or any cell phone service is your priority. If you want to be a rugged camper and chuck norris the crap out of some bugs (p.s. this is why people light fires when they camp - even during the day when its hot - smoke = bug repellent) I suggest you go here. Otherwise go closer to the bay with all the ninny whiners that cant camp without toilets. See you soon Ponderosa...see you soon read more

I absolutely love camping and as much as this place is beautiful the amount of bugs by the second day were overwhelming. BITING FLIES like crazy no bug spray would help no amount of campfire smoke made a difference. I've heard it's not as bad in the cooler months but if it's warm outside expect to have bugs by the hundreds. We went camping down the road in April there were no bugs. Needless to say I came home with 25 mosquito bites and I don't know how many flies bit me. read more

Loved it! We winter camped here (December). It was beautiful and peaceful. Everything definitely froze at night, with a thick layer of ice on it in the morning... But you couldn't ask for a better starry night, and the campground was great! read more

Ponderosa was an excellent primitive campground. The trout stream was very shallow at most points throughout the immediate area and the mosquitos were horrendous unless you had a fire constantly going. Otherwise bathrooms were generally clean well stocked with toilet paper . Multiple points of access to usable water. Looked good but we still brought our own drinking water. No electric access. Wilderness very dense road is paved watch those blind turns!!!!.... oh yeah the squirrels WILL get into anything left out including your tent ... lol read more

We planned to camp at Kirk Creek, but got there too late, and had to go to ponderosa. Worst camping I've ever done. I'm no stranger to roughing it, and I don't mind pit toilets or a lack of water. I can handle that. The campsite gets two stars because the area is pretty, and they have running water. We got there at about 6pm and the bugs were out of control. I've never seen so many flies. Ever. They covered everything, and if you sat down, at least 15 would land all over you. My kids (ages 3 and 19 months) were miserable. We decided to eat crackers and lunch meat in the tent for dinner because we couldn't bear the thought of staying outside another minute. It was sweltering hot in the morning (not the campground's fault, it's just nice to know, I think), which made it tough to pack up, but we were highly motivated to get the heck out of there. That place is miserable and I would never go back. We left as early as we possibly could in the morning, and spent the rest of our trip at Kirk Creek, which was beautiful. Overall, the flies are too much. When you have a cloud of them following you and landing on your kids and it's your first day camping, so it's not like you stink, I'd say it's an issue. Head over the mountain to the coast; you'll find much nicer campgrounds, weather, and scenery. read more

Beautiful campsites etc but the flies are horrendous! If you can deal with constant buzzing in your ear and swatting around like a freak then you will probably enjoy yourself. I am not joking. We were spraying ourselves with bug spray every ten minutes. My family couldn't handle the bugs. We were miserable. Left after 24 hours. The camp host Jill was very nice and helpful. read more

This place was AWESOME! I love camping and getting out of the city. If you are looking for a campground that is secluded, quiet, and beautiful this is it. It was very warm (around 90) during the day and around 60 at night and there s a stream perfect for taking a dip in to cool off but parts of the year it dries up so make sure you are there at the right time. Yes there were some flies (it's camping, remember?) but they were easily tolerated and are only there during mid day. if you have a fire going they stay away and i didn't get one misquito bite the entire time which is rare when camping around here so i am thrilled about that. The beautiful creek has fresh clean water and you can see trout swimming in pool areas. the largest we saw was around 18 inches and there were plenty of them. It is definately far away from any urban areas or even stores so come prepared with everything you need for as long as you are staying (and fill up the tank with plenty of gas). We entered from highway one and drove up the road that takes you up the mountain but it is quite wide (two cars can easily fit side by side) and is the same width as highway one, there are just no lines on the road. I honestly feel if you think you are going to die on that road then you shouldn't be driving in the first place! It wasn't bad at all and completely paved the whole way...I am shocked that the reviews were not better for this place but maybe it's a good thing, if no one knows about it so it stays the same oh and the water spout that you could drink from is well water which is safe to drink and had a mild sulfur smell. The campground host said that parts of the year it gets a really strong sulfur smell but barely smelled at all when we were there. we still didn't drink it but used it to wash the dishes. you are not allowed to wash dishes at the spout so bring a bucket, fill it up, and wash the dishes at your campsite...it didn't bother me at all because when i go camping i don't mind walking and enjoying the outdoors, even if its while getting water. the previous complaints are silly. people complaining about bugs, no showers, and having to walk (not that far) to get water while camping....hahaha read more

I ended up at Ponderosa Campground during a last-minute trip that my friends and I planned in late September/early October. My original plan was to go early on a Friday morning (arrived in "Big Sur" at around 11a) and to snag up a campsite at a campground along Hwy 1. Unfortunately all of the walk-in sites were full so the camp host directed me to Ponderosa Campground. It seemed like the drive up the mountain was endless...a very windy (as in turned a lot and wrapped around mountain). You'll see a lot of the damage of the A wildfires on your drive up. We got there at about mid-afternoon and the campsite was almost completely empty (a few people leaving and a few tents). There was no cell phone service and it was in the middle-of-nowhere so I am glad that we found it. As soon as I got out of the car I realized that the gnats/bugs up in this drier, less coastal area were out in full effect. Setting up the tent, etc. was difficult since it was so hot and we were constantly getting bit by bugs. At nighttime, you don't know what you'll find. When I go camping I at least find comfort in their being others around me at campgrounds, but at Ponderosa Campground I am not sure that that is always the case. It felt a little scary to me to be that far removed from society (in case of an accident, etc.) There are also warning signs for rattlesnakes. Fortunately we did not see any, just something to keep on the lookout for. There was no drinkable water here (at least my friends and I couldn't figure out how to work the "pump" looking thing). read more

Pretty much concur with the other yelpers on this one; I would add to watch out for rattlesnakes. I almost stepped on one while reading the camp bulletin board! They say the water here is safe to drink, but it has a sulphur smell, so BYO if that bothers you. BTW, as previously mentioned, there's another (much safer) route to this campground from 101 (as opposed to 1/Big Sur) and would suggest that people use that if they specifically wanted to visit this campground. Just be aware that there's hunting in that area, and you have to drive through a military reservation (it's allowed, it's just a little spooky) We had a nice time here, all things considered. read more

This spot is really quite and perfect to be away from people and the city, but I don't think all of the drive is worth it because it's a really long drive going up and down the mountain. And its over priced. read more

We wanted to reserve a campground that was within the vicinity of Big Sur. Because of the recent landslides, this was as close as we could get. Before I booked our reservation for this campground, I looked at all of the reviews that had been posted. I have been camping since I was an infant, so I am familiar with no showers, pit toilets, and bugs. When we arrived, the campground itself was very difficult to maneuver our travel trailer around (it is not a large trailer), but a VERY tight squeeze! The campsites were gorgeous; ours was number six and we were directly behind a stream. We arrived on June 21st and were booked for five days. From what I had read on the website, Big Sur was not a far drive and there were numerous activities that we could partake in. While we were setting up our trailer we became acquainted with the flies. These were not normal flies; I can handle those (I own a horse and am very much used to flies buzzing around). These flies were different; they bit and each time they bit, it felt like a bee sting! With that said, we tried to drive to Big Sur to see how long it would take to get there. Websites that advertised this campground boasted a short drive to Big Sur. Well, thirty minutes into our drive, we decided to turn around on a single lane road. It looked like we had a long way to go still and the roads were frightening and VERY curvy. We decided that this was not the campground for us and decided to cancel the remainder of our stay and head back to the San Simeon campground where we had camped several nights before. read more

Our family get together of 20 people was mislead and we stayed at this "horrible" camp ground which is a grueling 45min drive up a winding, borderline dangerous road to the coast. There is little reason to camp here as there is no hiking, or nature to enjoy within walking distance. The toilets are filthy, unusable and the flies make relaxing almost impossible. There is no water here and not near any points of interest other than the army base 15 miles away. The closest store is an hour in one direction. Both the Ponderosa and Nacimiento campgrounds should be removed from the list of "Big Sur" campgrounds on the Big Sur web site as it is misleading because they are nowhere near Big Sur. I have been tent camping my whole life and this was by far the worst campground ever. Don't do it, stay at one of the camps at the coast. read more

Sadly, due to the severe drought affecting most of California, there was no water running (Nacimiento River) through the camp last weekend. However, when the water is flowing, it will be an awesome little place to camp. The features are basic rustic and the camp host was very friendly. For $20 per night, we were able to find a decent campsite (one of 4 walk-in sites left on Friday night) to spend our Labor Day weekend. There was no running water near our campsite, but again, conditions explain that. The 23 sites are spread far enough apart to provide some privacy, but close enough to go visit your neighbors, if you are so inclined. Within driving distance of the coast and a great opportunity to visit Mission San Antonio for a couple of day-trip options. If you have issues with flies, I would recommend visiting this site in the late fall, winter, or early spring. They like it warm, so plan accordingly. Bring firewood and camp chairs. read more

Pick this campground if you are in for some some real deal camping experience, and love thrills while driving! The road leading to the campground is quite an adventurous one with all its curves! It's a good 45 minutes windy drive going to the campsite. You will be excited once you finally reach the campsite - go early and setup early! The campground ranger is pretty friendly - he let us change our campsite for another open one since we had booked something right by the entrance and by the stream and we did not want to be bothered with traffic and bugs during the night. And talking about bugs - yes, the campground attracts a lot of bugs! We did not have it that bad for we made our campfire early which kept the bugs off, and were prepared with tons of insect repellent (thanks to all the earlier reviews - gotta love yelp!). However, the bugs did come in early the following morning, and we just packed up and left around 11ish. We had a great drive going back with some amazing views of the ocean and the valley with all the fog settling in the middle. So yes, the road is a little treacherous but the views it offered were completely breathtaking. With all that said, i would not go back to the site due to the drive and the bugs (the campground itself was great!) . In my opinion, this campground is to go to if you cannot find reservations anywhere else (that's how we ended up there), or if you are the type that enjoys such drives, is not bothered by the bugs and wants to experience camping for what is really is! read more

had a good time yes the road was crazy driveing up but worth it !!! poison oak is varry bad but just stay out of it lol and you will be fine the river lol is not a river its a brook but well stocked with fish !! i stayed three days had a good time !! the bearded camp host was good help and a nice guy had a few beers with him after he got off work nice story teller !!!! and full of info about the campground and the army base thats next to it ! bugs bugs bugs yes but i found if you light and keep a small fire in you camp all day long you will not have a big problem with then at all !!!!! o yea bring fire wood with you theres not much in the way of wood to fined !! thay sell it but its 5 bucks for a small amount of wood you need more so bring it with you !!!!!!!all and alll good place to camp get walk in spot #5 and you will have the brook right behind you i cought lots of fish there have fun!!!!!!! read more

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