Kirk Creek Campground: Oceanfront Camping in Big Sur

This is one of the hardest campgrounds to reserve. Coming from over 8 hours away, I didn’t want to risk it and think I could snag one of the two walk-in sites. So my husband and I worked hard every morning 6 months prior to reserve one of the campsites. Worth it!! This was our home base for two nights with our dogs. We kept them tied up or on leash the whole time. There are lots of squirrels and bunnies for them to sniff and chase. There is a bit of a raccoon “problem” and they get into the trash cans. One even almost followed me into our truck cab one night. It was just curious about snacks I had. There are vault toilets but we never used them, we have our own setup with our truck camper. Most sites have pretty level parking spots, but definitely bring your levelers for those extra 1-3 degrees. This campground is DRY. A group of teenagers camping across from us forgot to pack water and we had none to spare. They had to drive back towards Ragged Point to get supplies. There is a trail down to a rocky “private” beach with a cool rock arch. Unfortunately like everywhere in Big Sur, there is a ton of poison oak. Trail was overgrown and maintenance was due near the end of the trail, so we carried our dogs and just let the plants rub on our clothes and quarantined them until we were able to wash with TekNu. We hiked the Vicente Trail right across the highway. Awesome views from above. We only went up and in about 1.5miles and turned around. We didn’t hike to the backpacking campground. Overall very quiet and peaceful campground. Worth the hassle of booking!

Absolutely loved my time at Kirk Creek site #11. Very secluded and beautiful views. The trail/people go right next to the site but not a bad trade off for this site. Tall shrubbery offers privacy. Campground was extremely peaceful and especially quiet by 8pm. Can't beat the views and the hike down to the beach. Perfect for 1-2 people. Could do 3-4 adults but not much flat ground for big tents. Perfect spot for a truck camper to back in

Kirk Creek campground is one of the most spectacular oceanfront campgrounds in California. We camped at site # 5 which is located along the cliff and edges were covered by shrubs and trees. It has a good coastal /ocean view but trees can partially obstruct the horizon. Camp site #5 has large trees, shade, and more privacy than some of the campsites. The campground is very rustic when it comes to bathroom. It has no running water and offers vault toilets only and of course no shower facilities. We camped here for three nights at the end of August 2026 and were pleasantly surprised that we didn’t encounter any bugs or insects at all! No cellular or WiFi connectivity but we were able to text (only) on limited basis using satellite signal. T-Mobile is our cellular service carrier. Great for emergency use.

Gorgeous campsite with beautiful views no matter which site you end up with! At night the stars are unreal, I’ve never seen so many in my life! I didn’t see many reviews on this part of the campsite, and if I had we could have come more prepared. There’s no running water on the site, and the bathrooms are outhouses with no plumbing. Which is understandable for being on a location so close to the ocean with stunning views, but just want future guests to be more aware than I was! It was difficult to use the bathroom as it was during the summer and the bathrooms were full of flies. I will say I’m not an extreme camper so this felt more intense for me. Also you will lose service driving along the coast of Big Sur so download maps ahead of times, luckily this campsite is very well marked and easy to find!

Haven't been able to visit my favorite campground in the last four and a half years do the fires and road closures. This past week's visit let me know why this is my favorite campground. Even without cellular service. Can't wait to go back.