Plaskett Creek Campground

Overview

Plaskett Creek Campground offers a beautiful location just minutes from Sand Dollar Beach, one of the largest and most popular beaches in central California. The campground gives visitors access to a variety of outdoor activities, including water play and exploration of the surrounding hills and forests. The family-friendly campground offers comfortably equipped sites, allowing anyone to enjoy a relaxing stay in the Los Padres National Forest.

Recreation

A short walk leads to Sand Dollar Beach, a very popular spot for surfing, fishing, swimming, exploring, sunbathing and more. Fishing permits are required for anyone over age 16. Anglers can expect a catch of yellow perch and other coastal surf fish. The beach is dog-friendly, as long as dogs are leashed and waste is picked up.

A variety of trails exist along the beach, which lead to the bluffs that overlook the beach and coves in the area. Additional hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails can be accessed within a short drive from the campground, and offer scenic views of waterfalls, redwood groves and mountain meadows and streams.

Facilities

The campground offers single-family sites, as well as three group campsites, for tent and RV camping. Group sites can accommodate up to 40 people and 10 vehicles. Extra vehicles will be charged an additional fee. Utility hookups are not available.

Individual campsites are each equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Flush toilets, sinks and drinking water are provided throughout the campground. An accessible flush toilet is located near Site 10. Group sites are equipped with several tables, grills and campfire circles. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided in the group area.

Natural Features

The campground is located in west-central California, on the east side of Highway 1. Sand Dollar Beach, the largest sandy beach in the Big Sur area, is just south of the campground. The Pacific Ocean borders the campground to the west and the surf can be heard at many campsites.

The campground has a park-like setting, under a scattered canopy of mature Monterey pine and cypress trees. Cedar trees provide a fragrant aroma. All sites are grassy. The campground is situated at an elevation of about 200 feet in the Los Padres National Forest.

Wildlife in the area includes fox, bobcat, deer and raccoon. Mountain lions and bears are occasionally seen in the area, although they have never entered the campground.

Camp site features

Across 46 camp sites:

  • Pets allowed: all 46 sites
  • Group sites: 3 of 46 sites
  • Longest rig: 50 ft
  • Largest party: 40 people

Fees

6 PEOPLE, 1 VEHICLE

Directions

Hwy 1 is TEMPORARILY CLOSED from the Monterey area From San Luis Obispo, travel north on Highway 1 for approximately 65 miles to the campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 3 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

840 reviews
5 stars
513
4 stars
164
3 stars
85
2 stars
39
1 stars
39
Leslie E
Loop:Plaskett Creek Campground
Site:
Reviewed 6 days ago
Absolutely Loved Our Stay We absolutely loved our stay at Plaskett Campground! It was such a beautiful, peaceful place, and we had an amazing time. It was exactly the kind of camping experience we were looking for, and we would definitely come back again. The only downside for us was the porta potties. We personally aren’t fans of them, but other than that, we really had no complaints. Overall, we had such a wonderful experience and would absolutely recommend Plaskett to anyone looking for a great camping getaway! ❤️🏕️
Carole L
Loop:Plaskett Creek Campground
Site:
Reviewed 7 days ago
Need a refund do to Timber fire...
Bruce K
Loop:Plaskett Creek Campground
Site:
Reviewed 12 days ago
Plaskett Creek campground is on the Southern end of the Big Sur Central Coast of Monterey County. Heading South on Highway 1, it's one of the last places to camp before leaving the remote stretches of the Big Sur coast. It really feels like a part of Big Sur, and it sits in a lush, green valley which is a short hike down to the beach. It's a very nice place to stop-over and visit, whether as a destination, or in transit heading either North or South along Highway 1.
Michael N
Loop:Plas
Site:
Reviewed 13 days ago
We have been visiting Plaskett GS1 for more than 30 years and have always considered it one of our favorite camping destinations. Over the years, we have enjoyed returning to the same site annually and have watched it change very little—until recently. Beginning last year, we noticed that the upper portion of the campsite had become extremely overgrown. Unfortunately, the same condition exists this year. What was once a spacious, open area that could comfortably accommodate 6-10 tents now has room for perhaps only 3–4. Even in the remaining open areas, the ground has become difficult to use, with significant rain ruts and sloping terrain that make it challenging to find a reasonably level place to pitch a tent. The area that was formerly advertised as the “upper grassy meadow” no longer resembles the meadow we have enjoyed for decades. Our request is simple: please consider restoring and maintaining the upper portion of Plaskett GS1 to its former condition and usable size. Clearing the overgrowth and addressing the uneven, rutted areas would make an enormous difference and would allow future visitors to enjoy the site as it was intended. We have been coming to Plaskett GS1 for more than three decades, and we hope the site can once again be the wonderful, spacious campsite that has kept us coming back year after year.
Brittany M
Loop:Plaskett Creek Campground
Site:
Reviewed 13 days ago
The porta-potty situation was not too bad. Camp hosts did a good job of cleaning them every 2 days. However, the situation of no running water is not sustainable for such a popular campground.
Viktor S
Loop:Plaskett Creek Campground
Site:
Reviewed 14 days ago
This campaign is located in a fantastic spot, but this is the end of its benefits. We have been here several times over last years and each time things getting worse. First toilets stop working, the bio toilets that they installed are overloaded and not cleaned on time, making them smell badly. Now water got signs of not matching a standards, making it pretty useless. Despite each spot has place for 2 cars, you will have to pay 20$ per second car. I think camping administration needs to fix this issues before next season.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Popularity: Busy

Busiest in August, when about 76% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 11 years of reservations.

Camp Sites

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