Searching for a tent camping spot near San Lucas? Find the best information on tent camping near San Lucas, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of San Lucas, California's most popular destinations.
Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground features 189 RV and tent sites are situated on or near the Big Sur River. There is a Campfire Center that offers evening programs on the weekends during peak season.
Each campsite includes a parking area for at least one car, a fire pit with half-grill and picnic table. No hookups are provided at any site. Fresh water, hot showers and toilets are a short walk.
All incoming campers must check in at the entrance kiosk. Camper vehicles must display vehicle tag (proof of reservation) in the windshield. Vehicle tags are also valid for day use entrance into other area state parks.
$75 / night
$85 - $105 / night
Temporarily closed. Small campground with 9 campsites located among oak trees. Located near a running creek. Recreational Vehicles no longer than 25 feet.
Large oak-shaded camp on the banks of Alder Creek. Contact the Monterey Ranger District for more information on this campground at 831-385-5434 X 0.
Read ENTIRE LISTING DESCRIPTION before requesting to book.
CURRENTLY - Because of major road repair - this land is ONLY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SOUTH - THROUGH CAMBRIA - in San luis Obispo County. Highway 1 is completely impassable to the north in between Limekiln and Lucia. The only way to exit is also to return south.
-ONLY booking within 2 weeks or less - NOT accepting reservations more than 14 days out. Arrive Before Dark to find your site.
Find a place to set up your own tent, pads and bedding near the creek or on the hill. Most sites require walking away from your car. There are some flat spots to sleep in a vehicle.
A homestead at the bottom of a canyon where the creek meets the ocean. It is off-the-grid with no Wi-Fi, cell service or electricity.
A great place for families and children to experience nature. A Young child and baby live here, as well as three dogs, a cat and chickens/ducks. Dogs are welcome off-leash, unless they attack chickens/ducks, cats or other dogs. Please bury/cover dog poop.
This is a remote area with beautiful beaches, creeks and hiking trails throughout. Some areas can be very dangerous with steep cliffs and loose rocks. Be aware that things like spiders, snakes, raccoons, mice, poison oak, etc.. exist in natural areas like this.
Structures on the land are very rustic, A small communal guest kitchen is available with a two-burner stove and sink. Fresh water is available for drinking. There is a shower/bath and composting barrel poopers.
In the Fall of 2020 a huge fire burned the entire canyon followed a few months later by a massive flood that brought down gigantic redwood trees and boulders smashing through everything in it's path including the main living quarters and farm animals. The rains of 23’ also had a significant impact. The land is in the process of restoration and many areas are being worked on.
Alcohol is discouraged. It is not intended as a place to party or get drunk. A casual drink is okay. No stereos or electronic music devices. Acoustic instruments are fine. Fires can be made in designated pits near the creek only. Please do not bring excessive waste into the forest and Pack it Out. There are garbage and recycling cans if necessary.
TO BE ACCEPTED - please write “My party and I have read and understand the description” at the top of your booking request followed by a bit about yourself/party and where you’re coming from.
Because there is no Wi-Fi on the land - the internet may only be checked once daily - unless we are in town. Responses will come from Gene or Elle. It is advisable to check the weather before booking, especially in the winter - as there may be unsafe road conditions.
$30 - $60 / night
There is no access to the campgrounds, beach trail, or any trails on the South side of the Big Sur River due to storm and flood damage.
Andrew Molera Trail Camp is a hike-in campground. Campers park in the day use parking lot and hike about 1/4 mile to the campground. Trail Camp contains 22 standard tent sites and two (2) hike-and-bike campsites. The campground is situated in a meadow near the Big Sur River. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table and food storage container. Trail Camp offers potable water and restrooms with flush toilets. There are no showers.
Standard campsites are available for reservation. Reservations fill up six months in advance.
$50 / night
Two Environmental Campsites are located on the west side of Highway 1 south of McWay Cove. Both sites are hike-in only and no vehicle access is permitted. These sites are extremely popular year round and usually fill up six months in advance.
No dogs are permitted in the campground or on park trails.
PLEASE NOTE: Camping in the two designated sites is the only camping permitted in the park. Camping or sleeping inside a vehicle in the parking lot or on the highway is not allowed.
$30 - $38 / night
Guide
Great for tent camping and hiking. RV sites have 30 amp hookups. No water or sewer hookups. Dump station was available. RV sites are all gravel and fairly flat. Paying after the store closed at 6pm was an ordeal. Could never make it happen. We tried to log in for 3$ to pay online but it failed and we were never able to connect. Tent sites were secluded, many under shade trees, and well dispersed. Bathrooms were few and far between. Mostly vault toilets. There is a pool that families will enjoy. There is a small store. Walks and hikes are what is available. For a National Park it underwhelmed.
Guide
Enjoyed my two night stay camping in a tent. Touring Big Sur and surrounding areas.
Traveler
Tent camping
TravelerThis campground is one of our all-time favorites. Tent sites are far enough from the RV sites that they are quiet and peaceful. The river is lovely and cool. It's a super popular campground and yet the tent sites are situated such that it feels more spacious than crowded.
Scout
Nice bathrooms, ocean sounds, not that level for tent camping at c7 .
TravelerClose to the beach within walking distance. Showers and restrooms not chemis . No hookups last time I was there both RV & tent camping .
ScoutMy husband and doggos have been to big sur three times now. It is our favorite spot to go. Good size lots, we have only been tent camping. Right near a river which is so much fun! Tubing there is great. Lots of other kids and dogs around.
TravelerSet amidst some amazing redwoods adjacent to a bubbling creek. Clean and well maintained facilities. Has cabins, rv sites, and tent sites. Many trails nearby along with some great restaurants. There is no wifi and no verizon cell service.
Scout
Paid 80 bucks for a tent site that was really small and close to other people. This campsite is packed to the gills. Plenty of kids screaming off in the distance. Not ideal but it’s in a highly sought after area, so it is what it is.
ScoutNew ownership, who reportedly paid $28 mill for the campground, immediately doubled their prices to $225 per night for a standard tent site. No site improvements, just a 100% price increase. They are hopeful people will just pay because it’s Big Sur, after all. Don’t support this business model.
Scout
Fernwood is a unique campground because it has tent sites, RV spaces, canvas tents, cabins, a motel and even a restaurant. It’s situated on the river in Big Sur, and is surrounded by the majestic Redwood trees. If you don’t feel like cooking head up to the restaurant for a delicious meal. There’s also a small market to pick up necessities and ice.
TravelerNot sure if there is a bad tent camping site in this State park. All the site are in and around Redwoods – a perfect getaway for an individual, a couple, or the family. Sites close to bathrooms, include a firepit and table, plenty of room. Perfect for kids to explore – trees, streams, fields. Several excellent hikes in the immediate area – for all skill levels.
Ranger
This is a great stop along highway 1 with trails to the ocean. The tent sites are in a nice open field so you see the other campers but most are quiet and respectful. it is possible to share a campsite with others if it's full and you are willing to make friends.
Traveler
We stayed at Kirk Creek this weekend in one of the walk up tent sites. although we could not park by the spot, we arrived that day with no reservation and we’re happy to park across the street with how beautiful how surroundings were! From what I could tell, every site had a wonderful view of the ocean with how the campground is situated on the bluff. I will most definitely stay here again!
TravelerThis is my second choice campground right in Big Sur. Not because I really like it, I've been there when it was too crowded, but because it has similar qualities to my favorite campground across the road -Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
In the summer the campground is thick with families and RVs/trailers, and tent campers. But off season the place mellows out and there is room to move. The campground is on either side of the Big Sur River, RVs and trailers on one side, tent campers on the other.
Amenities are there, but the free showers on the tent camping side of the campground are better than the pay for showers on the RV side. Every time I've had a meal at the restaurant there has been a different menu and style. Maybe they change chefs every season, but it's not a far drive down to Deetjen's for breakfast if one is up for a treat. The Fernwood General Store has a good selection of food items, wood for the fire, and a few camp supplies.
My most recent stay here was in July 2019, on my sister's vacation with her RV. We had spot number 9 which was smack dab in the middle of everything which was not my preference, but my sister loved it. When I have a choice, I tent camp or vanlife in Big Sur between September and April.
I would give it between 3 and 4 stars, depending on season and how much you like to be around other people.
LegendThis is in a beautiful area, and a gorgeous site but I’ll tell you why I gave it a 3 Pro: friendly staff, lots of shade & some grass at what seemed like all sites, close to small food and many things to do, availability, They let my small van stay at tent only camping, firewood $10 on site, flushable clean bathrooms
Cons: upkeep of foliage was good but walking through whole campsite saw trash and full fire pits at every site. I stayed at two sites and preferred the tent camping first come serve area as it has less vehicle traffic. C36 felt so busy.
GuideGreat park with trails that vary from flat oak meadows with wildflowers to strenuous mountain hikes to canyon creeks & caves. Parking inside the park fills up early (by 8am) so get there early or you’ll have to start your hike from the big lot at the visitor center and add a few miles.
The campground is good. We tent camped. Bathrooms are kept clean & stocked with TP & soap. Water taps are frequent. Some sites are small & exposed; others are big, shady & private. Many on loop C are good. The camp store is very well stocked.
TravelerTent site C74 didn’t have much of a level setup site and was right across from the bathroom. We heard slamming doors all night. This particular site was practically on-top of the adjacent site. Good things is the proximity to the bathroom if you don’t mind the slamming doors. It was also close to the trashcans. We came in late and left early so we didn’t experience much of the park but it appeared well maintained and well traveled. Campsite was full so reservations are probably needed.
GuideThis was a fantastic campground for a family. Hikes within short walking distance and within bike or short car ride to general store and lodge. Coin showers and bathrooms were very clean. There is a laundry site (this was open) and second general store on premesis however it was not open for the season yet. Camp hosts were very nice and knowledgeable about area. Wood bundles were delivered directly to site. Tent site came with picnic table and large fire pit with grate. This made for an amazing first experience at Big Sur. Highly recommend.
Guide
Went to tent camp at site #14 (close to the bathrooms and showers) last week. I booked online in advance and arrived a little before check in. Checked in and found the camp hosts to be so helpful and nice. They also have ice, water, firewood and other items available for purchase. Stayed for about 3 nights with perfect 80 degree weather every day. Went on a hike and found the most captivating view. When it hit about 6pm the mosquitoes came out so just make sure you’re equipped. Would love to come back. Also, went to visit Big Sur which is only a 2 hour drive, well worth the visit.
TravelerThis place rocked and saved our honeymoon when no one else would. Unfortunately during peak Covid, everything was fcfs or absolute expensive or closed, and we were losing daylight heading up the coast. Made it just before dusk and we were able to get a tent camping spot for about 70 a night which was not a problem, cuz a roadside parking ticket was waaay higher. Quaint accomodations, free coffee in the morning, mess shop sells fresh food stuffs and wood for fire at a reasonable price too. Highly recommend if you're stopping through for a night or two while exploring the surrounding area. They clean the facilities like 4 times a day or more and sanitize it too.
Scout
Nice rv/tent campground. It was the most reasonably priced campground we could find in the Big Sur area. It’s right off Hwy 1 so there is some traffic noise but since the road is closed a few miles south, there’s not much traffic (this will change when the road reopens in Sep 2018). There is beach access across the road, about a ten minute walk. There are flush toilets which are clean. Several of the sites have a slight slope but not too bad. Sites have tables/benches and fire pits. Most had bbq. Ranger comes around every evening selling bundles of firewood.
Guide
This is another favorite of my Big Sur stops. If you're with a big group, this campground has lots of tent sites and plenty of room to host multiple campers. I think each site has a limit of 3 tents (that could be wrong, but I remember the number being lower), but even coming up in the middle of Spring Break we didn't struggle too hard to get a campsite.
The campsite is close to some trails and is across from the iconic Big Sur waterfall. If you get the chance to camp here, I highly suggest walking across the street to check out the waterfall. There's a lso a nearby trail right at the head of the campground. The trail weaves up into the mountains and has a beautiful view of the ocean from higher up. There's still a lot of fire damage along the trail, but it's cool to see how the forest has re grown since.
ScoutThis is one of my favorite campsites due to iats relatively small size and gorgeous views of Big Sur. There is a cute, rocky private beach with access from the campground and a long hiking trail across the street that is dog friendly (just be aware of poison oak).
Just note that if planning to reserve a spot, you must come first thing Friday morning when they open. By lunchtime, all spots are usually gone. If you come mid-week, even better. Also important if you want a spot overlooking the ocean.
Also, raccoons are intense here. They will go through your stuff if you leave anything out. My dog did have a good time patrolling the campground at night and scaring them all away though.
The last time I was there there were massive motor homes parked in all the front facing spots which was kinda a bummer, so even more reason to get there early to strategically pick a spot if tent camping.
ScoutBeautiful sites intertwined with the trees and a creek that runs through the campground. Great location for easy access to the state parks. Pricey but we fortunately didn’t have any neighbors (site 29). Some of the campsites would be pretty close together if the whole campground was full, however you can tell they thoughtfully try to disperse guests amongst the sites.The campground is beautiful enough that it could almost make the price worth it, however for $100 & $80 a night tent sites I expect a nearby restroom. Our site was towards the very back of the campground next to glamping and we found ourselves driving to the bathroom because it was a 10 minute walk (lazy I know). Lack of bathrooms seemed to add to more car traffic throughout the grounds as we noticed many others doing the same thing. Nevertheless we had a great time and would consider returning.
Traveler
This was my first BLM camping experience and only second motorcycle camping experience overall. I stayed at Condon Peak on July 4, 2020 after finding the sites further up on Coalinga Road full. I also ended up back at Condon Peak on July 25, 2020.
IIRC, there are 6 sites. Each site is large enough to park a decent sized RV, though getting up the rocky, gravel road may be a challenge. Each site has an picnic shelter (no sides) with a table and a firepit, a few feet away. There is one vaulted toilet (i.e. concrete outhouse) at the campground and no running water.
The sites are a good distance from each other (100+ft?) so you're not right on top of each other like some other campgrounds. For tent camping, the ground where RVs normally park is pretty hard & packed which makes driving tent stakes difficult. I bent more than one. The ground closer to the edge of the sites is softer but you lose your tent perimeter.
Bring *lots* of bug spray. The flies and other biting insects start swarming almost immediately when you enter the campsites. Some of the campsites have sizeable holes in the ground and it wasn't immediately clear (for us novices) if they were snake holes or rodent holes hence large tent perimeter and bent stakes.
GuideThis is the first campground we stayed in when we bought our new Cricket trailer. It gets COLD at night! We weren't expecting it. Be prepared!
There are a lot of sites at the campground but there really isn't much privacy (like the Yosemite campgrounds, this is not a place you go when you want seclusion). The sites are on gravel so they're nice and level (I don't know about the tent sites, though). I think this is a great place if you want to camp with friends (since you can book a bunch of sites all in a row and there won't be any division between you), or if you're really just using it as a good spot for a home base so you can go climbing.It's dog-friendly but ONLY inside the campground itself.
There are a lot of amenities, including a store (the sell food, plus all the nicknacks like natl park stickers) and a pool (which I didn't use). I think I'd like to go back now that we are more experienced campers and know to bring blankets. :)
Tent camping near San Lucas, California, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With well-equipped campgrounds and stunning landscapes, it's an ideal destination for tent campers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Lucas, CA is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 61 reviews.
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