Monterey Ranger District

Photo: Ventana Wilderness, Monterey Ranger District

Date: May 27, 2023

Know Before You Go!

• Highway 1 is closed from Limekiln State Park to 18.7 mi south of Big Sur /at Big Creek Vista Point/ (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 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.
• 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.
• Kirk Creek Campground is closed.

Contact Information

• Monterey Ranger District: 831-385-5434 ext. 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 ext 0 or select the option for Los Padres Forest Association, 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

Forest Closure Order - 05-07-00-23-07 - Public Safety

Effective May 25, 2023 - July 24, 2023

• Forest Order 05-07-00-23-07

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.

A new Forest order is now in place that keeps 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.

Target Shooting Prohibition

Firearms Prohibition Forest Order: Effective February 15, 2023 through December 31, 2024

• ​Forest Order 05-07-00-23-04 Firearms Prohibition

Open Campgrounds

• Santa Lucia Memorial Park Campground (north of Ft. Hunter Liggett - not on the Big Sur Coast. Inland)
• Plaskett Creek Campground and Group Campground

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)

Silver Peak Wilderness

• Salmon Creek
• Buckeye
• Cruickshank

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.

Campground Closures

• Alder Creek (Hwy 1)
• Arroyo Seco
• China Camp (Tassajara Rd)
• Escondido
• Kirk Creek (Hwy 1)
• Nacimiento
• Ponderosa
• White Oaks (Tassajara Rd)

Road Closures

• List of road closures on the Monterey Ranger District

Roads Restricted to Non-Motorized Vehicle Use

• List of roads restricted to non-motorized vehicle use

Trail Closures

• List of trail closures on the Monterey Ranger District

Day Use Area/Picnic Area Closures

• Arroyo Seco Day Use Area

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.