Big Sur (California) Information

Family Reunion planned for June 22-29, 2002
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

With its dramatic seaside cliffs and primeval redwoods, Big Sur is arguably the most ruggedly beautiful 90-mile stretch of California's 1200-mile coastline. --Self Magazine, June 2002

On 08/16/01 Brian wrote :

Let me say a bit more about the lodgings and campground. We plan to be staying at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. It's about 15 miles south of Carmel on US 1, the coast highway.

The campground is quite large (300+ sites) which can each accommodate two families (up to 8 people). They are basic car camp sites (no hookups). There is a small fee to park an extra car at the camp sites. The campsite fees themselves are quite reasonable ($8 per night).

The only way we could possibly camp is to make reservations for the campground. Sites are selected on a first come, first serve basis each day, so we will want to coordinate our arrival to try to get adjacent sites. They do not take reservations for specific sites, only that you will get one of the sites that day.

The term "lodge" is somewhat misleading. There are a bunch of small cabins inside the park which are operated by a concessionaire. They are in the park, but not next to the campground. Cabin dwellers can go into the campground as much as they wish. The cabins are pleasant, but rudimentary--no phone or TV, with a sink and bath, and some have kitchenettes (I have heard). We've stayed in them many times. (We've also stayed in the campground many times--most recently last week.)

There is another "lodge" near the park entrance which has a gift shop, registration for the cabins, restaurant, and camp store. There's another camp store in the middle of the campground which also has a laundromat. There are latrines with showers (which take quarters) spaced throughout the campground.

There are some other lodgings (private campsites and cabins) not too far away from the park, but I suggest we stay within the park.

The campground in the park is inland from the ocean by one low mountain ridge. In the daytime, it can be quite warm, and it will be cool but not cold at night. The weather on the coast (about a mile away) can be very different. For example, last week it was clear, 85 degrees and calm in the campground while on the beach it was about 70 degrees and foggy with a 35 mile/hour breeze. In June, there will be almost no chance of rain.

I hope this gives you a better idea about Big Sur, and helps to decide if you want the campground or lodge. Please ask if you have any questions.

On 08/24/01 Brian wrote:

We want Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park instead of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Julia Pfeiffer was a big benefactress in the area, so lots of places are named after her.

By the way, when I was enquiring about reservations at the lodge, they told me that for June, we should make reservations no less than 4 months in advance. For the campground, it's probably more like 6 months in advance. It's a good thing we aren't shooting for later in the year (e.g. July, August) as it may already be too late.

On 11/15/01 Brian wrote:

Each campsite can hold up to 8 people and two cars.  There are no group 
campsites as such.  You can only make a reservation for a campsite in 
general, not a specific campsite.  (I.e. your reservation entitles you to 
one of the campsites in the campground on that date, but you don't know 
which one, and neither does the park staff.)

Camp sites are assigned on a first come, first served basis each day.  Some 
campsites are better arranged for groups than others, so it behooves us to 
arrive early on the first day, to grab the most desirable sites.

Some people even go to the trouble of arriving a day or two before and 
taking any site they can, just to get a better shot at the ones they really 
want.  I don't think that will be necessary for us.  (The way it works is 
that there's a plastic card for each site, which is like a token that says 
you have possession of the site.  Other campers will come along before you 
leave and ask for your site card.  If you give it to them as you're leaving, 
then they can take it up to ranger station at the front gate and trade 
their old card in for the one you had, and thus get your site.)

These campsites are quite comfortable with two families to a site, with as 
many as four tents.  It sounds like we don't really need more than 3 
sites.  Do you agree?

THREE campsites reservations were made.  (See assignments below).

On 03/28/02 Brian wrote:

I can get you maps, however they may not be as useful as you might 
think.  Once to you get to Big Sur, there is, for all useful purposes, only 
one road--US 1.

The directions to Big Sur are pretty simple.

From the SF Bay area, take US 101 south.
Turn right on 156 (at Prunedale, south of Gilroy a few miles.)
about 6 miles further, 156 merges with US 1.  If you just keep going 
straight, you'll end up going south on US 1.
Go south on US 1.  Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is on the left as you 
enter the Big Sur area.

US 101 goes right past both SFO and SJC.

Once you get past Carmel, just south of Monterey, US 1 is the only highway 
until you get nearly to Morro Bay, just north San Luis Obispo, over 100 
miles.  There are no other roads.

We might want to make some day trips, possibly to Monterey (e.g. the 
Monterey Bay Aquarium), or to San Simeon (Hearst Castle).

I suspect we will also want to make a couple of re-supply trips up to the 
Monterey area.  The nearest grocery store is in Carmel, 15 miles away.  The 
campground does have a couple of camp stores, which, surprisingly, have 
fairly reasonable prices.  They don't have much selection.  Except for ice 
cream bars, for which they have a very good selection.

While I say that Carmel is 15 miles away, that doesn't mean you can get 
there in 15 minutes.  US 1 is in many places a steep, winding, two-lane 
road with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean hundreds of feet 
below.  There are stretches that have no guard rails.  It is often foggy 
with high winds.

For a long time, AAA's standard California map had a picture of a bridge on 
the front of it which we will go over on the way to Big Sur.

On 03/29/02 Brian wrote:

We should start thinking about how we are going to coordinate more than 
just travel logistics pretty soon.  I'm wondering what gear we have and how 
are we going to use it.

I'm assuming everyone staying in the campground has their own tents.  What 
about cooking gear?  Do campsites want to handle their own meals, or are we 
going to all cook together.

I'm imagining that those traveling partly by air will want to bring the 
minimum of camping gear, since baggage is limited.

From our experience in the past camping at Big Sur, it's nice to have 
folding tables and chairs.  We have some, but not enough for everyone.  I 
can probably borrow some more.

I also have a Coleman camp stove and another large camp stove.  I might be 
able to borrow yet another stove.  All of these stoves can be connected to 
5 or 7 gallon propane tanks, which will easily last the week.

Can you give me an idea of what gear you are planning to bring, and your 
preferences for how we should handle meals?

Alan ... Camping with Ruth.
  Diana Reschke, Jennifer Reschke ... Camping
  Peter and Andrea ... Camping.
  Mary and Rebecca ... Not coming.
Brian, Carol, Tommy, Emma ... Camping.
Caran, Jesse, Jennifer ... Unable to come.
  Rich ... Might show up and camp.
Dian & Gary ... Sharing a lodge with Bob and Margie.
Evan ... Camping.
Fabian ... Camping.
Gordan ... Camping.
Bob and Margie ... Sharing a lodge with Dian and Gary.
Don and Carol ... Sharing a lodge with Lori.  Reservations made for June 24-27.
Lori and Mike and Emily ... Lodging with Don.  Reservations made for June 24-27.
Lisa and Marvin... Unable to come.