Limekiln Creek State Park Campground: Best Big Sur California Camping Spots; Pacific Coast Highway 1 Vacation Drive Tour Mile-51

An old limekiln.

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Click this Big Sur California campground signage photo to enlarge
and help you find the location of Limekiln Creek State Park Campground.

Description: Limekiln California State Park is one of the nicest parks on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 Big Sur Coastal Area, it features breathtaking views of the Big Sur Coast as well as beach access, the beauty of the redwoods, the rugged Big Sur coast and the cultural history of limekilns and Limekiln Creek has a wonderful waterfall, Limekiln Creek Waterfall at Big Sur. There are public restrooms with showers; it has good camping for small trailers and RV's although it did not have a dump station or hookups; Limekiln campground is great for tenting or car camping.
Location: The park is 56 miles south of Carmel, entrance driveway is by the big rough wood sign pictured above on the inland side of Pacific Coast Highway One; 2 miles south of Lucia; 5 miles north of Kirk Creek Campground, 13 miles north of Gorda and 47 beautiful scenic miles north of Cambria California on P.C.H. 1. Lat N 36° 0.52 Lon W 121° 31.088 (N36 00.22 W121 31.54)
Directions: Limekiln State Park is located on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 about half way in between the Carmel and Cambria so no matter which way you come it is a long and beautiful but slow and dangerous drive on the scenic PCH. If you are coming from inland with some extra time and feeling real adventurous another even more windy and dangerous option exists: the rugged Nacimiento-Fergusson Road runs from the coast at Kirk Creek (5 miles north of Limekiln Creek) on Rt. 1 through the Big Sur high country to King City and US 101 via Jolon Road (County Road G-14), passing through the Hunter-Liggett US Military Reservation along the way.

Camping Facilities: The park campground has 33 campsites all with picnic tables, fire pits, and pedestal barbecue grills; some campsites are along the beautiful Limekiln Creek others in the ocean view chaparral and down by the beach. The pull-in campsites by the creek in the redwoods are perfect for tent/car campers. The campsites in the redwoods are small so RV campers and trailers are not allowed; there is no dump station or hook-ups at the park but RV campers are allowed up to 24 feet and trailers maximum length 15 feet. Last time I stayed there it was $35.00 per night with a maximum of eight campers per site and an extra charge for extra vehicles.

Activities: There are restrooms, parking and picnic tables at the beach access, beachcombing, and ocean fishing are popular there. From November to February whales are migrating up or down the coast and sightings from the state park are frequent. From the east end of the campground a trailhead leads to several short easy scenic hikes along the lush creeks and through the beautiful coastal redwoods. As of July 2, 2010 the Falls Trail is still closed from the 2008 forest fires but the Limekiln Trail and the Hare Trail are open. Visitors should be aware that construction and associated noise will be ongoing during the summer due to work on the bridge.
Close by Points of Interest: Pacific Valley Ranger Station is north about 6.5 miles on the inland side of the Pacific Coast Highway One, (805)927-4211. This campground is fairly isolated; the wonderful Nepenthe Restaurant and Phoenix Gift Shop Art Gallery are about 30 scenic miles north and the Henry Miller Memorial Library and Coast Gallery Big Sur are along the way if you want to go sightseeing. About 5 miles north on PCH 1 directly across the Hwy. from Kirk Creek campground is the Vicente Flats trailhead leading into the Ventana Wilderness. Within a short drive many trails can be accessed for hiking, backpacking, bicycling, hunting and horseback riding. These trails offer a variety of experiences including waterfalls, groves of Redwood Trees, breathtaking views, meadows and streams. The campground has its own trail to the beach but a short drive north is Mill Creek for a more beach access and a nice picnic area or go a little further for a picnic area with barbecue grills and the biggest nicest white sand beach on the Big Sur coast, Sand Dollar Beach picnic area; you can also bypass the picnic area and day use fees and head straight to the beach after parking along the highway (do park well off the highway though; lookeeloo tourists driving up there).
Pets & Misc. Regulations: Dogs are allowed in the campground, day use areas and beach but must be kept on leash no longer than six feet and under control at all times and they are not allowed on the trails (neither are bikes); at night they must be confined to a vehicle or tent.
Helpful Hints: Nearest gas, restaurant, general store is small, expensive and 2 miles north at the Lucia Lodge; closest dump station is 45 miles south at San Simeon Creek State Park. Large amounts of Poison Oak on trails. Fill your gas tank, buy all your camping supplies and best to bring your own firewood although these may be purchased from the local resorts general stores for a $$$ price.

Campground Contact Information:
Limekiln Creek Campground, Limekiln California State Park
P.C.H. 1
Big Sur, California 93920
Miles from Carmel: 51
Miles from Cambria: 47
PHONE: 831-667-2403
Area Information Phone:
U.S. Forestery Department
Pacific Valley Ranger Station:
(805) 927-4211

Reservations: Campground Reservations call 1-800-444-PARK (7275).
Limekiln Creek Ocean View Campground www.reserveamerica.com/...
Recreational Activities: camping, picnicking, hiking, jogging, kite flying, area historical & nature study, bird & whale watching, beachcombing, surfing, ocean fishing

Official Website for Limekiln California State Park Ocean View Campground

Activities Points of Interest

Camp Picnic Hike Explore Map

USDA Forest Service Map

Los Padres National Forest

In the 1800's, limestone was mined from the hills near Limekiln State Park, then brought down by mule to the large lime kilns pictured above where the lime was cooked to produce quicklime used in making building morter.