Limekiln Campground

The area is beautiful. My review is specific to the camping context.

Looking at the photos, the sites look amazing, but they're actually quite cramped. While our site (#27) looked private on the reservation site, it was not. This was true of several other sites nearby as well. No one in the vicinity had any privacy. The map on the reservation site is *very* deceptive. The yellow is not a road: it's the boundary of the campsite, with most of the area inside the boundary being a road. I've camped many places, and I doubt I'll return to this campground. Also, be aware that a 2nd car requires a $10 extra per night charge, which we didn't learn until we arrived, despite having registered two vehicles for our site during the reservation.

As of September 2015, reservations are site specific.

Limekiln was a last resort for finding a campsite in Big Sur, Didn't make reservations and it was summertime (stupid I know) the camp hosts were super chill and gave us what they said was the best site in the campground. Site 16: Redwoods/secluded/creekside

If you're looking for beach + secluded forest + great (short) trails in one place, Limekiln has it all.

From the top of the redwoods loop (near sites 23/24) down to the beach is maybe a 5 minute walk, but feels like two totally different worlds. The creek behind the campsites is crystal clear (and cold) water, which is wildly refreshing after spending some time on the beach, even in late September. When we visited earlier this week, the creek was flowing nicely and gave the perfect soundtrack for the best night's sleep on our trip.

Plenty of wildlife - we saw deer, Steller's Jays, and sea lions bobbing in the ocean at sunset. Absolutely beautiful park. We'll definitely be back!

Camp host is amazing and very friendly. Showers/bathrooms are great and close by. Campsites are very close together so you will hear if anyone is having a party at night. Overall, it's a beautiful campsite and great alternative if you cannot get a spot in Big Sur. You can drive and hike Pfeiffer during the day, there was even a family next to us who would surf during the days. We booked 1 week prior and got a spot no problem.

Haven't been to confirm, but it looks like all the sites are non-specific meaning you will be assigned a site on arrival and might not get the spot you had originally reserved.

Also keep a eye on your little ones and pets, there were two mountain lions stalking a family while we stayed there. This shouldn't keep you from staying here though, its super rare for that to happen. This is one of my favorite spots in Big Sur for sure.

Highly recommend this camp ground for both small and large groups. If you're in a large group be sure to pay the extra and get two camp spots for the car parking. Sites #24 and #25 are the ones we had. #24 is the largest we had and next to trail head. Others seemed very small but good for two people / small tents. Site #29 has a really cool three-tiered element to it that allows you to park at the bottom, cook on a 2nd flat section, and put your tents on a 3rd flat area. I'll probably try to book that one next time. Awesome trails nearby that are short and beginner friendly but also have access to the CA Coastal Trail from the camp ground.
Had to take Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd due to closures on HWY 1. Good alternate route though.