Description
This coastal campground has two main hiking trails: one that winds along the redwoods along Limekiln Creek, and one that perches on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Both trails are day use only.
There are 29 campsites (4 are walk-in), and RVs and trailers aren’t allowed on the redwoods side (only at campsites 5 through 16). The two loops have very different atmospheres, and, in general, you will find families on the Redwood side and surfers and ocean-lovers on the other.
Some of the sites on the ocean view are in the shadow of the Highway 1 overpass, so keep that in mind as you are selecting your site. Word on the street is that the best sites are 1, 2, and 3, but they are first-come, first serve and you can’t reserve specific sites online, so getting there early is always a good idea.
Activities
Offered near the campground.
Fishing
Rough surf conditions can discourage fishing from the beach, however we hear there is some good stream fishing in the park. You...Read more
Hiking
The trails here are on the mellow side, but boast beautiful redwood lined canyons as well as magnificent ocean views. If hiking...Read more
Wildlife watching
With the varying environments present in Limekiln, it’s no surprise that many different species call the park home. Don’t be su...Read more
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Limekiln Campground.
The vibe at Limekiln Campground
29 Reviews
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.
My wife and I was the manager of limekiln in the late 90s when it was private owned. It still looks close to the same. We did not have the the bridges, you either crossed the Creek on logs jumped or got your get wet. We ran it for 3 years. Wish we were still there.
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.
We stayed at the Ocean beach front site. We initially had site #5 but we traded with a huge family who had #4 because they had 6,7, and 8 lol. We didn't mind because we actually thought the view was better. We totally lucked out because the weather was nice and most of the "to do" things around big sur wasn't as crowded as it usually would be since the road's are still closed. It was awesome just driving with no one on the road/at super popular spots which made it much more enjoyable ya know?! hehehe.
On the way out we saw the other side of the sit which was a little more woody- would love to try that out.
Enjoyed our time here



I loved this campsite. There's a variety on camping spots throughout the park. If you like the beach you can camp closer to the beach, and if you like to be tucked away under soaring Redwoods you have that option, too. There's a beautiful stream that runs through the campsite, and meets at the roaring waves of the Pacific Coast. This is definitely one to check off your list!
There are two options for this site: wooded camp sites and beach front campsites. The beach front is nestled right in between the beach and a small river, which was lovely to fall asleep to!
- Park
- Limekiln State Park
- State
- California
- Country
- United States
- Phone Number
- (805) 434-1996
- Directions
- View on Google Maps
- Official Website
- View Website
- Coordinates
- 36.01° N, 121.518° W
- Unknown price
- Tent Only: 17 Sites (Up to 8 people per site)
- Unknown price
- Tent / RV / Trailer: 11 Sites (Up to 8 people per site)