Curious if there are spots in Big Sur for good, free car camping, and by car I mean throwing a sleeping bag in the back of your SUV and camping inside the car.
Not speaking from direct experience, but from what I do know, I expect you will be quite limited in where you can go. Highway 1 is of course very narrow with very few side roads or places to sneak off for the night. I'm pretty sure there is zero overnight parking allowed in any of the beaches/pullouts, etc. state or private. There are of course campgrounds where you can make reservations, for a fee. I'm sure many of us have had the occasion to just pull off somewhere to sleep for the night - I even did that on Tioga Pass in Yosemite.... but I don't really think there are many possibilities along the Big Sur coast - at least not without getting a courtesy visit from a Highway patrolman.... ;-)
Hwy 1 is pretty exposed and limited. I don't know how the state police or ranger will react.
You will find camping on top of Nacimento-Ferguson Rd. This is about 30-45 min above hwy 1. There are national forest campgrounds and probably some places to just pull off. I think there shouyld be water in the campground.
It is often warmer and above the fog up on top. A number of automitive switchbacks lie between the campsite and hwy 1 at the beginning and end of each day.
I have never camped anywhere there other than an established CG, but there are a few small roads that you might be able to chill at. The one that goes up the north side of Bixby Creek comes to mind. Who knows someone will hassle you.
I have repeatedly slept in my SUV or truck along Hwy 1 in the Garrapata area. I've never been contacted by the CHP. I even asked an officer on one occasion about doing it and he said he didn't care, especially if I said I felt tired and was concerned about safe driving.
Did you get a motel? My buddy loves the Big Sur area and returned to the window rock 3 times before he got the image he wanted. Once was enough for me... well, if money was no object, I would have gone. Did you post any images?
Discussion
7 repliesNot speaking from direct experience, but from what I do know, I expect you will be quite limited in where you can go. Highway 1 is of course very narrow with very few side roads or places to sneak off for the night. I'm pretty sure there is zero overnight parking allowed in any of the beaches/pullouts, etc. state or private. There are of course campgrounds where you can make reservations, for a fee. I'm sure many of us have had the occasion to just pull off somewhere to sleep for the night - I even did that on Tioga Pass in Yosemite.... but I don't really think there are many possibilities along the Big Sur coast - at least not without getting a courtesy visit from a Highway patrolman.... ;-)
You will find camping on top of Nacimento-Ferguson Rd. This is about 30-45 min above hwy 1. There are national forest campgrounds and probably some places to just pull off. I think there shouyld be water in the campground.
It is often warmer and above the fog up on top. A number of automitive switchbacks lie between the campsite and hwy 1 at the beginning and end of each day.