Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground

I feel immense gratitude being able to spend the weekend in Big Sur! The campgrounds offer a variety of trails and amenities, you don’t need to leave if you are looking to be sat and relaxing in the woods. I particularly enjoyed where my campsite was in the back of the campground as it was the most secluded and immersed in the redwoods. All the sites on that road are like that

Love the beauty and serenity of the sequoias and other trees here.

It's hard to get reservations, but when you do, it's worth it!

We stayed here 3 days.  We usually collect plenty of solar to not need hookups, but the canopy is so dense, we ended up breaking out the generator a few hours each day (we didn't want to disturb our neighbors).

It's a very peaceful experience with plenty of easy to medium hiking.

I stayed for three days, and it felt like I'd been there for a year. There wasn't a single bad staff member, the toilets were super clean, everyone was nice, they greeted us, like other guests, just as we were. Even though it was like we were, I went in and it was very nice.

Just minutes from Pacific Ocean, and under tall redwood trees and sycamore trees, this place is heaven.

Nice state park camping! Tried a few rv sites on this road and most were $140-$170 per night!! This site was $50 and even more lovely! The showers are extra but seemed clean.

Camping in the trees, with some sites right on the river.  Shoulder season is great, with more availablility than you might expect..  We arrived in early March without a reservation, and found many open sites, some (like the one we snagged) right on the river.  A magical place for classic, beautiful state-park camping.  No hook-ups, just a peaceful time in a gorgeous setting.

Many sites all nestled with the trees and foliage creating a private feel. Many things to see and do along Hwy 1 here in Big Sur. Do your homework if you have a larger rig, roads are winding and trees can obstruct with larger and smaller sites. Hwy 1 can be challenging but big rigs take it every day, the route to the South has very tight turns

The campsites we had were great. No other sites behind us. It felt secluded and private. Close to the bathrooms. And the bathrooms were clean. We didn’t have a river site but the river was right across from us. The part of the river that was in front of us wasn’t appropriate for kids to play in but the kids still enjoyed putting their feet in at the rivers edge. It was great staying in the SP because you can walk to many of the trails offered.

Camped with family over Memorial Day weekend. Park was busy , but amazing. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. Our camp neighbors were awesome. Bathroom and showers clean. We camp here at least twice a year. Can’t wait to come back.

I know we all rant here about how, “if you can go outside school holidays, you’re in for a real treat!” The most popular places, like Pfeiffer, can be nuts in the high season, although socially, that can be fun, too. 

However, I have had the nicest times in the Winter here, truly. Christmas, Thanksgiving, special moments. The winter sun and sunsets are extraordinary. The Big Sur community, chill and awesome without all the tourist pressure. 

Another fun fact… sometimes, when I have come back from a backpacking trip in the area, I will book a day or night, even if I don’t SPEND the whole night, because the showers are SO GOOD. And you know what’s it like to want a decent shower after you’ve been in the muck a few days.

I first stayed in this campground in 1975 while on break from collage. 49 years later it is still just a beautiful as I remember, even though they were recovering from some very heavy rains, most all of the campsites were open.

Great location to base out of when exploring the central coast. If you are coming from the south be sure to check that Highway 1 (PCH) is open, otherwise you will have to backtrack inland.

Friendly staff, general store, lots of things to do.

This is our second camping trip here. We made a reservation months in advance to secure a riverfront site. It’s fantastic that you can access the river from this campsite in a very short walking distance. If you’re a light sleeper, be cautious choosing camping near the river because you definitely can hear the sound from it at night! It was still quite  warm during daytime when we visited in the first week of September. Flies and other flying insects were a bit annoying during daytime (around 11am -4pm). Will definitely com back at this campsite with more nights in Fall.

If you are looking for great car camping, the campground in the park is a great place. It does get a little crowded and you will need to book a few months in advance. But there are plenty of hikes in the park and you are pretty much right there. We saw a lot of wildlife and shooting stars on the clear nights. Most campsites are reasonable size and the campground is huge

We stay at campsite #168 for one night in 10/2022. We had great experience of our first camping trip here. The campground is in the redwoods with plenty of shade. Hot shower available with token. Restroom is very clean. Campsite #168 is a bit small and quite close to the neaby campsite that you can even hear snoring from other campers… Will definitely come back to this campground with more nights at a different campsite!

Stayed in site 185 for five days in April. As working full-timers, this site suited our biggest need: clear sky for Starlink and solar. We got consistently good speeds with Dishy on a flagpole, and with 400w on the roof, we almost made it five days without a generator at all. (Lots of furnace use overnight is what got us!) Like all sites, this one was tight for a 27' trailer and full-size truck, but it wasn't awful. A few of the nearby sites are much, much harder to get into, as they're diagonal in the wrong direction w/r/t the one-way road. I'd recommend checking your spot on Google Maps satellite view before booking.

The campground itself was gorgeous. Big old redwoods everywhere, the Big Sur River running fast, and a nice little nature center that's open a few hours each week. I read there that the current Main Campground is being phased out—these might be your last years to camp in the redwood trees here.

Happy with the clean showers and bathrooms. Showers were $1 for 5 mins. Our campsite was located at the very end. Quite quiet area vs the front campsites which I prefer.

My gf and I stayed at camp 166. Beautiful redwoods and rivers flowing all around you. They have a store and market down the street with the best blue cheese I’ve ever tryed. The ocean drive will stay in my mind for years to come. We will definitely be coming back…

We were lucky and got the last spot for the night. Very friendly Rangers, big campground that doesn't feel big with lots of trees and shade. We went on a few nice hikes and enjoyed a short swim in the quite cold river.

Stayed in the hiker/biker campsite. Plenty of spots for campers. They had showers, flushing toilets, and sinks. Deep sink outside of bathroom to wash clothes. Outlets outside of bathroom to charge you things. It’s solid.

Sites were large and level. Ours was a river site and we very much enjoyed being able to step back and explore the river right from our base. Bathrooms were busy but quite clean and the camp host was an absolute wealth of information about the area. Loved it here!

Great location, great service, clean facilities, hassle free. They sell firewood and have a little store on site. There are also gas and small grocery stores close by. You can even get Verizon service in a few pullouts along the road, less than 1 mile south.

We stayed for two nights in this clean, quiet and beautiful campground. The bathrooms were clean, the water was hat and the river was spectacular.

Nice campground, some spots are a little tight backing in so if you got a buddy send em to spot.

I was able to only reserve one night about two weeks prior to my stay. On my way out I asked if they take walk ins and they do at $ 35. If we wanted to we would have been able to stay a second night, but we ended up driving North. We saw three deer, river, trees that have been there for several years. Clean bathrooms with soap. Dogs not allowed on trails.

This is an amazing campground on the big sur river. The Rangers do a pretty good job keeping the place up. Fishing is not allowed in the river but not practical anyway because people are swimming in it all the time. I'm a single guy with a truck camper. This is a great spot for families.

I have been on a cross country trip and this is by far the most beautiful, quiet and peaceful site I’ve been to. The creek is beautiful, the air smells like cedar and juniper, and it’s truly such a wonderful place. I would stay here for a week if I could. Definitely camp here!

I rented an Escape camper van. Perfect lodging as it was riverside and torrential downpour forced many tent campers to leave. 

I was cozy! I brought my propane fire pit as there was a fire ban. Most trails were closed due to mud. So many sites to see around the area. Gorgeous trees and water.

Gorgeous, quite and peaceful. This place felt half empty on Memorial Weekend. No mosquitos or ticks which was unusual. The river is running very low but it’s still gorgeous. We had a premium river site and a larger open site. I would stay closer to the river or in an open meadow for sunshine. The sites furthest from the river tucked in on the opposite side were small, dark and freezing cold. Super clean showers. ($1 per 5 minutes - a steal!). Two camp stores nearby + soft serve ice cream for the kids. 1 mile from Andrew Molera Beach (free entry if you are staying at Pfieffer). That breach is cold and cloudy most of the year and an easy flat 1 mile hike in, but it’s beautiful for sure.