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Monterey Ranger District
Photo: Ventana Wilderness, Monterey Ranger District
Date: November 28, 2023
Know Before You Go!
- 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. Check Monterey County Roads website.
- Pfeiffer Beach is now open daily. $15/day parking.
- 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.
- Plaskett Creek Campground is open by reservation: www.recreation.gov
- Kirk Creek Campground is open.By resservation. Some campsites are still closed due to storm damage. Two sites are first-come, first-served.
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
Storm Damage Forest Closure Orders
Forest Order 05-07-00-23-12 Special Closure - Storm Damage Recovery: Effective August 31, 2023 - August 31, 2024
Forest Order 05-07-00-23-15 Special Closure Public Health & Safety: Effective October 31, 2023 - January 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
Open Day Use/Picnic/Beach Areas
- Pfeiffer Beach is open daily. $15/day parking
- Mill Creek Day Use Area - $10/day parking
- Willow Creek Day Use Area - $10/day parking
- 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 Campgrounds
- Kirk Creek (Hwy 1) - Open by reservation. There are two first-come, first-served campsites. Reservations are highly recommended and Kirk Creek usually books six months in advance.
- Santa Lucia Memorial Park Campground (north of Ft. Hunter Liggett - not on the Big Sur Coast. Inland). By reservation or first-come, first-served.
- Plaskett Creek Campground and Group Campground (Hwy 1) - By reservation only.
Open Trails
Ventana Wilderness
- Pine Ridge Trail from the Big Sur Station - Hwy 1 acess
- Terrace Creek Trail
- Kirk Creek Trail/Vicente Flat Trail
- Boronda/Timber Top
- De Angulo
- Cone Peak Trail (only accessible from the Vicente Flat Trail)
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
- Salmon Creek
- Buckeye
- Cruickshank
Campground Closures
- Arroyo Seco
- China Camp (Tassajara Rd)
- Escondido
- Nacimiento
- Ponderosa
- White Oaks (Tassajara Rd)
Road Closures
Roads Restricted to Non-Motorized Vehicle Use
Trail Closures
Day Use Area/Picnic Area Closures
California State Park Information
- 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.
