reservations needed for Big Sur in mid May?

We are headed to the coast from Colorado, for nine days in mid May, traveling from Monterey to San Diego. We plan on camping as much as possible. Do we need reservations for May? I usually don't make reservations too anywhere on motorcycle trips like this, I usually just wing it when it comes to camping, but it seems like whole campgrounds are booked way in advance. Is May that busy?

Coastal campgrounds are indeed busy in May, particularly on Friday and Saturday. Some in Big Sur are first come first served (Kirk Creek, I believe is one) but there are some alternatives. Head inland from Kirk Creek and you can do dispersed camping in the National Forest. There are a few private campgrounds that may be able to squeeze you in.

Crazy, huh :eek1

Kirk creek takes some res, but also has FCFS. Also Lime Kiln.

If the camp grounds are full, they save some tent sites for bicylists, just find them and offer to pay the bikers camp fee of $5 and camp with them

I guess im just gonna have to make reservations then. Any recommendations for LA>San Diego?

These are the two most sought after spots:

http://www.seemonterey.com/blog/pos...a-Pfeiffer-Burns-State-Park-Roughing-It/1643/


Treebones Resort is probably the strangest. Read about it here:

http://niceartlife.com/sleeping-in-a-spirits-nest/


It is a good idea to have reservations if you want to camp along Big Sur. There are less crowded places among the redwoods above Santa Cruz, or in the Las Padres National Forest, but the coast popular (for good reason).

LA-SD Cardiff state beach

Welcome to more craziness.

Reservamerica.com handles the state park reservations. Rules are:

-must be made at least 2 days in advance
-no more than 7 months in advance
-all sites for the 7th month away go on sale the 1st of the month.e.g., any site in May 2014 will go on sale November 1, 2013.

Without looking I can (almost guarantee any beach state campground has no weekend availability in May 2014 at this point... There may be an odd Friday or a Saturday here or there.

People use major strategy to get these sites booked, and 8 am on the first of the month is system overload for the website and phone reservation system. I've pretty much given up trying to camp in the beach parks during the summer--it takes a major piece of luck to land a site, and a serious commitment of time to get through the reservation system.

If you're flexible to stay during the week and don't need more than one day at time in a campground you may be able to land the spots you need. And May is before the major crush of school's-out reservations during the week.

Good luck!

I'm guessing you mean San Elijo SB? Probably THE most crowded campground in San Diego County...I have a long love/hate relationship with that campground. Used to live about a mile away from it. When I can get a spot on the ocean side life is GOOD but it's almost easier to win the lottery than get one of those spots in the summer. :eek1

So. Carlsbad SB is a little less crowded, and San Onofre SB is even less crowded--for a reason. You're camping on a strip of asphalt a 1/4 mile from the ocean on a bluff with almost no access to the water. But it can be a port in the storm...

If your heading down PCH there is Scyamore Cyn. and Leo Carillo SB Just outside LA. These are two great spots also just north of there a park called Mc Grath, if it's open, they have lots of room and usualy accomidate riders.