A Weekend Warrior’s Guide to Big Sur Camping

Big Sur camping options can be few and far between—and the most well-known spots nearly always book up far in advance. For the best chance at snagging a last-minute campsite at heavy hitters like Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and Andrew Molera State Park, we recommend setting some Hipcamp Alerts. If you’d prefer to leave it less up to chance, look for Big Sur Hipcamps, prime for privacy and incredible access to the coast.

But if you’re anything like Alyx Schwarz from the former Shoestring Adventures, you may just have enough camping karma to roll the dice and show up…

My friends and I once embarked on a weekend road trip to Big Sur without campground reservations. The idea was crazy, but I have a weakness for spontaneous adventures.

Eight of us began the journey from Los Angeles on Friday after work and spent the night at Hearst San Simeon State Park. Early Saturday morning, we continued up the coast to Big Sur. The drive on Highway 1 is an adventure in itself. The road travels along the edge of the coastal cliffs, revealing views of the bright turquoise water around every white-knuckle, hairpin turn. After a while, we turned off the highway and drove into the woods, leaving the ocean behind.

First up, we paid the camp host at (the now-closed) Bottchers Gap Campground in Los Padres National Forest. We then loaded our backpacks and began a 2.5­-mile, downhill hike toward Little Sur Camp, a small backcountry campground along the Little Sur River. A dirt road led to a narrow path overgrown with poison oak. Miraculously, we reached our campsite unscathed and met our friendly neighbor—just as he was skinny­dipping in the river.

The weather was pleasantly warm, so a few of us hiked downstream in search of a sunny swimming hole. Once we found the right spot, we stripped down to our bathing suits for a mid­afternoon polar bear plunge.

Back at camp, we prepared a fine backpackers’ feast. As the sun went down, we drank whiskey and told stories around our imaginary campfire. I caught myself rubbing my hands together to warm them by the lantern.

Sunday morning after breakfast, we hiked out and began our journey back to Los Angeles, making a few stops along the way. First, we pulled over to snap some photos of Bixby Bridge on Highway 1, the most iconic site in Central California and one of the tallest single­-span concrete bridges in the world.

Next, we took a short walk to McWay Falls, a stunning 80-foot waterfall that crashes on the sandy shore below in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Visible from Highway 1, the falls were named after the early settler and farmer Christopher McWay. I had driven past at least six times in the past, but never got to spot it until now!

Our last stop was a local jade hunting spot, accessible only by scaling a steep cliff covered in poison oak. This hike usually reawakens my fear of heights—for a good reason. At least I worked up enough adrenaline to keep me awake for the long ride home.

Big Sur captures my curiosity and wonder each time I visit. I’ve explored her ocean cliffs, her hot springs, her forests and rivers. I look forward to returning to this rugged and diverse landscape for another adventure soon.

Ready for your own Big Sur camping trip? Check out all of the available campsites on Hipcamp.