Ponderosa Campground

Los Padres National Forest — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Big Sur, CA, CA

Price: From $35 per night

Rating: 2.7 out of 5 (30 reviews)

Season: May through October

Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities. Swimming, fishing and wading are all enjoyed by visitors, as well as hiking and backpacking on any of the surrounding mountain trails.The Nacimiento River provides opportunities for trout fishing and wading, as well as swimming in any of the swimming holes along its course.

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/ponderosa-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Beautiful location along the Nacimiento River with 23 sites spread apart for privacy, offering fishing, swimming, hiking, and access to mountain trails. Campers report pleasant experiences with good site spacing and riverside ambiance.

Wildlife alert: California Condor, Humpback Whale, Steller's Jay, Western Gray Squirrel, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Oak Titmouse, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, Monterey Ringneck Snake, and Gopher Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for Ponderosa Campground: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand Highway 1/Nacimiento Road access is closed; access only via Highway 101 from Jolon Road exit Bring a self-contained RV or tent; most sites have no hookups

Skip Ponderosa Campground if: You need RV hookups — only electric hookups available, no water or sewer at most sites. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You prefer paved roads — limited access routes.

Best time to visit Ponderosa Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

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

Cell Phone Coverage at Ponderosa Campground

Cell signal at Ponderosa 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 — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Ponderosa Campground

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Big Sur, CA, CA★ 2.7 (30 reviews)From $35/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities. Swimming, fishing and wading are all enjoyed by visitors, as well as hiking and backpacking on any of the surrounding mountain trails.The Nacimiento River provides opportunities for trout fishing and wading, as well as swimming in any of the swimming holes along its course.

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 RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
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 — only electric hookups available, no water or sewer at most sites✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You prefer paved roads — limited access routes

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Highway 1/Nacimiento Road access is closed; access only via Highway 101 from Jolon Road exit

Bring a self-contained RV or tent; most sites have no hookups

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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, Humpback Whale, Steller's Jay, Western Gray Squirrel, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Oak Titmouse, Coast Mountain Kingsnake, Monterey Ringneck Snake, and Gopher Snake documented in the area.

Location

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

Campground is only available to access via the 101 side, the Highway 1/ Nacimiento Road Access is CLOSED. From Monterey, Take highway 68 to the 101. Accessible through Highway 101 exit Jolon Road. From Los Angeles/South take highway 101 to the Jolon Road exit, follow until 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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Ponderosa Campground cost per night?+
Ponderosa Campground costs $35 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Ponderosa Campground open?+
Ponderosa Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Ponderosa Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Ponderosa Campground?+
Ponderosa Campground can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet.
How do I make reservations at Ponderosa Campground?+
Ponderosa 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 Ponderosa Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Ponderosa Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Ponderosa Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Ponderosa 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.

$35 /night★ 2.7 (30)
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 Ponderosa Campground cost per night?+
What season is Ponderosa Campground open?+
Does Ponderosa Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Kirk Creek Campground

Big Sur, CA

From $45/night

Plaskett Creek Campground

BIG SUR, CA

From $45/night

Memorial Campground

Greenfield, CA

From $30/night

Escondido Campground

Big Sur, CA

From $30/night

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