Plaskett Creek Campground

Los Padres National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hiking

Location: BIG SUR, CA, CA

Price: From $45 per night

Price range: $45–$200 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (794 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.The campground offers single-family sites, as well as

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/plaskett-creek-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Beautiful Big Sur location minutes from Sand Dollar Beach with spacious, well-shaded campsites in Los Padres National Forest. Friendly campground host and access to diverse outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing.

Wildlife alert: California Condor, Southern Sea Otter, Coyote, Ringtail, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, and North American Racer present in area

Insider tips for Plaskett Creek Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground Sites are spaced apart with mature trees providing good shade Ask campground host for recommendations on lesser-known hikes and sights

Skip Plaskett Creek Campground if: You need RV hookups — campground has no hookups at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs. You prefer to visit outside May-October — campground is seasonally closed. Highway 1 remains temporarily closed from the Monterey area — confirm access via San Luis Obispo route before visiting.

Best time to visit Plaskett Creek Campground: May-October — Official operating season for this seasonal campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Kirk Creek Campground (Big Sur, CA), Ponderosa Campground (Big Sur, CA), Memorial Campground (Greenfield, CA), Escondido Campground (Big Sur, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Plaskett Creek Campground

Cell signal at Plaskett Creek Campground (BIG SUR, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Los Padres National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Plaskett Creek Campground

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BIG SUR, CA, CA★ 4.3 (794 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.The campground offers single-family sites, as well as three group campsites, for tent and RV camping.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV50 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — campground has no hookups at most sites, suitable only for self-contained RVs✕ You prefer to visit outside May-October — campground is seasonally closed✕ Highway 1 remains temporarily closed from the Monterey area — confirm access via San Luis Obispo route before visiting

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground

Sites are spaced apart with mature trees providing good shade

Ask campground host for recommendations on lesser-known hikes and sights

Best: May-October

Official operating season for this seasonal campground

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: California Condor, Southern Sea Otter, Coyote, Ringtail, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, and North American Racer present in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
805-434-1996· Los Padres National Forest
Getting there →

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.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Los Padres National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Los Padres National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Plaskett Creek Campground cost per night?+
Plaskett Creek Campground costs $45–$200 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Plaskett Creek Campground open?+
Plaskett Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Plaskett Creek Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Plaskett Creek Campground?+
Plaskett Creek Campground can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet.
How do I make reservations at Plaskett Creek Campground?+
Plaskett Creek Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Plaskett Creek Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Plaskett Creek Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Plaskett Creek Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Plaskett Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$45 /night★ 4.3 (794)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Plaskett Creek Campground cost per night?+
What season is Plaskett Creek Campground open?+
Does Plaskett Creek Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Kirk Creek Campground

Big Sur, CA

From $45/night

Ponderosa Campground

Big Sur, CA

From $35/night

Memorial Campground

Greenfield, CA

From $30/night

Escondido Campground

Big Sur, CA

From $30/night

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