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Monterey Ranger District
Photo: Ventana Wilderness, Monterey Ranger District
Date: April 2, 2024
Know Before You Go!
HWY 1 CLOSURE ALERT - BIG SUR AREA:
Highway 1 is closed from Limekiln State Park to Lime Creek (Monterey Co) - Due to slides - Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. There is access from San Simeon to the Silver Peak Wilderness Trails, Plaskett Creek Campground, Kirk Creek Campground, Sand Dollar Day Use Area, Willow Creek and Mill Creek.
Is closed 14.2 mi south of Monterey /at Palo Colorado/ (Monterey Co) - Due to a slip-out - Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. Due to this new slip-out, there is no access to the Big Sur area, the Pfieffer Burns/Big Sur State Park/Campground, Andrew Molera State Park/Campground, Pfeiffer Beach, the Pine Ridge Trail, Big Sur Mulit-Agency Visitor Center and the community of Big Sur. The closure of this section of Hwy 1 is anticipated to be closed for up to three weeks. Check the Caltrans website for updated closure information.
- Pine Ridge Trail ALERT - When Hwy 1 re-opens and there is access, due to a significant landslide, the Pine Ridge trail is impassable between Barlow Flat and Sykes camps. The trail is open from the trailhead at the Big Sur Station to Ventana Camp, Terrace Camp and Barlow Flat.
- Highway is closed from Limekiln State Park to Lucia (Monterey Co) - Due to rock slides - Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. Hwy 1 is open from the south to Limekiln State Park. Check Caltrans website.
- Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd is closed.
- Currently no access to Prewitt Ridge, Southcoast Ridge Rd, Plaskett Ridge Road or Los Burros/Willow Rd
- Currently no access to White Oaks or China Camp Campground due to Monterey County's closure of Tassajara Rd at mile post 10.6 (FS boundary) to the end of the road at the Zen Mountain Center. Check Monterey County Roads website.
- Pfeiffer Beach is temporarily closed due to high water levels across Sycamore Cyn Rd. After winter rain events, there is a high possibility of intermittent closures of Sycamore Canyon Rd to Pfeiffer Beach.
- Sand Dollar Beach is open, but the trail to the beach is closed due to storm damage.
- Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area are closed.
Contact Information
- Monterey Ranger District: 831-385-5434 x 0. The office in King City is open Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Closed weekends and federal holidays.
- Big Sur Multi-Agency Visitor Center: (831) 667-2315, open daily 9:00am - 4:00pm.
- Contact www.recreation.gov to make or cancel a camping reservation or call 1-877-444-6777.
- Parks Management Comnpany - www.campone.com or email: customerservice@pmcparks.com
Forest Orders
Occupancy and Use Forest Order 5-07-00-24-02 effective February 6, 2024 through February 5, 2026
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.S0(a), and to provide for public safety and protect natural resources, the following act is prohibited within the Los Padres National Forest. This Order is effective from February 6, 2024, through February 5, 2026.
1. Camping:
a. in a developed campground, for a period longer than 14 consecutive days or for more than 28 days during a calendar year; or
b. anywhere other than a developed campground, for a period longer than seven consecutive days or for more than 21 days during a calendar year.
36 C.F.R. § 261.58(a).
Storm Damage Forest Closure Orders
Forest Order 05-07-00-24-01 Special Closure Public Health & Safety: Effective: January 27, 2024 through August 31, 2024
- Special Closure Order Map - Exhibit A-1 (Monterey Ranger District)
- Special Closure Order Map - Exhibit A-2 (Monterey Ranger District)
Many of the areas that were closed for public health and safety concerns following powerful winter storms that inflicted significant damage across the Forest have reopened.
Two new Forest orders are now in place that will keep severely compromised roads, trails, campgrounds, and day-use sites closed to the public while Forest engineers, partner groups, volunteers, and contractors work on repairs as funding becomes available. Road crews and resources from other national forests in California have been assisting with road clearing and maintenance projects to reopen additional areas once they have been repaired.
District Forest Orders
Forest Order 05-07-51-22-13 Road Use Restriction - Forest Road No. 19S05 (Sycamore Canyon Road)
Expires December 19, 2024
Forest Order 05-07-51-22-10 Nacimiento Ferguson Road Roadside Camping Prohibition - Effective September 3, 2022, through September 2, 2024.
Target Shooting Prohibition
Firearms Prohibition Forest Order: Effective February 15, 2023 through December 31, 2024
Day Use/Picnic/Beach Areas
- Pfeiffer Beach Day Use Area - Currently no access due to Hwy 1 closure. Also closed due to high water levels across Sycamore Cyn Rd from recent storms.
- Mill Creek Day Use Area - $10/day parking - Open
- Willow Creek Day Use Area - $10/day parking - Open
- Sand Dollar Beach Day Use Area - trail to the beach is closed due to storm damage, but day use area/parking/picnic area is open. $10/day. - Open
Open Campgrounds
- Kirk Creek
- Plaskett Creek Campground and Group Campground
- Santa Lucia Memorial Park Campground (north of Ft. Hunter Liggett - not on the Big Sur Coast. Inland). By reservation or first-come, first-served.
Open Trails
Ventana Wilderness
April 2, 2024 ALERT - NO access to trails due to Hwy 1 closure
March 8, 2024 - Pine Ridge Trail ALERT - Due to a significant landslide, the Pine Ridge trail is impassable between Barlow Flat and Sykes Camp. The trail is open to Ventana, Terrace Creek and Barlow Flat camps. Also, stock bypass is closed in the winter and may be impassable during high waters. - No access due to Hwy 1 closure.
- Terrace Creek Trail - no access due to Hwy 1 closure
- Kirk Creek Trail/Vicente Flat Trail - accessible from Hwy 1 south only
- Boronda/Timber Top - No access due to Hwy 1 closure
- De Angulo - No access due to Hwy 1 closure
- Cone Peak Trail (only accessible from the Vicente Flat Trail) - accessible only from the south - Hwy 1. No access from noth Hwy 1.
Contact the Monterey Ranger District office or Big Sur Visitor Center for information about open trails. Due to Hwy 1 closure and other district road closures, there is limited access to trails in the Ventana Wilderness areas at this time.
Silver Peak Wilderness
Campground Closures
Road Closures
Roads Restricted to Non-Motorized Vehicle Use
Trail Closures
Day Use Area/Picnic Area Closures
California State Park Information
Alert - currently no access due to the Hwy 1 closure from the north into Big Sur
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground is open and by reservation only. Reservecalifornia.com
- Limekiln State Park Campground is currently closed.
- For more California State Park information and updates on current conditions, please visit the California State Parks website.
