How to Get a Trail Camp Permit
Twenty-two walk-in tent sites in a meadow near the Big Sur River, a quarter mile from the car.
Check Trail Camp permit availability1-7 nights
Duration
0.25 miles
Distance
easy
Difficulty
About Trail Camp
Andrew Molera Trail Camp is a hike-in campground: campers park in the day use parking lot and hike about a quarter mile to the campground. Trail Camp contains 22 standard tent sites and two hike-and-bike campsites, situated in a meadow near the Big Sur River. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table and food storage container, and there is potable water and restrooms with flush toilets — but no showers. It runs on a season: the camp closes for the winter and reopens in spring. The most recently published dates were a 1 November 2025 closure and a 1 May 2026 reopening. Reservations are strongly encouraged for all campsites and there are no first-come, first-served campsites; the park says reservations fill up six months in advance. Standard campsites are $30 a night, hike and bike sites $5 with a two-consecutive-night limit, and campsites cannot be reserved online or by phone less than 48 hours prior to arrival. No vehicles are allowed in the campground at all. One vehicle per site may park in the designated camper area of the day use lot, and RVs, towed vehicles and trailers are not permitted at the park because of limited parking space.
Trail Camp is a hike-in campground — campers park in the day use lot and no vehicles reach the sites — and the ocean beach is a two-mile round-trip walk on the Creamery Meadow Trail. It also closes for the winter, so the camping season is short.
The Experience
Open meadow rather than redwood canyon, with the river on one side and the Pacific a walk away.
Campers park in the day use parking lot and hike about a quarter mile to the campground. Trail Camp contains 22 standard tent sites and two hike-and-bike campsites, situated in a meadow near the Big Sur River. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table and food storage container, and the camp offers potable water and restrooms with flush toilets. There are no showers.
The beach is a seasonal proposition. Creamery Meadow Trail runs two miles round trip to the ocean beach, and to reach the trail you must cross the Big Sur River — a seasonal footbridge is put in place around June 15 and removed around October 31 each year. Outside those dates you wade, with the park advising extreme caution.
Beyond that, the Bluffs Trail runs 1.7 miles one way along the coast with no beach access until the Spring Trail spur drops to Molera Beach, and the exposed, strenuous Ridge Trail climbs 3.2 miles one way. Beach hiking from the rivermouth to Cooper Point is two miles one way and mostly low-tide only.
What to Expect
A quarter-mile walk from the lot carrying everything, with no vehicle access to the sites
22 standard tent sites plus two hike-and-bike sites in an open meadow
Fire pit, picnic table and a food storage container at every site
Potable water and flush toilets, but no showers
A seasonal camp — closed through the winter, reopening in spring
No dogs anywhere: trails, beach or campground
Get Trail Camp Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
Permit Requirements
Maximum four people per campsite, including children.
DOGS are prohibited — not on the trails, the beach, or in the campground.
Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; amplified music, speakers and radios are prohibited and campers should not be audible beyond their campsite.
Check-in time is 2 p.m. Check-out time is 12 noon.
Store food inside the provided storage container at each site; food is not secure in tents, plastic boxes or ice chests.
Recreational vehicles, towed vehicles and trailers are not permitted at the park.
Hike and bike sites are for the exclusive use of visitors travelling on foot or by bike, limited to two consecutive nights.
During peak season the maximum stay is seven consecutive nights; maximum per calendar year is 30 days.
Bicycles are permitted only on the Creamery Meadow and Ridge trails. Horses are no longer allowed on any trails.
Do not climb or cut the El Sur Ranch boundary fences; those grazing lands are not safe for hiking and must not be used for beach access.
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •A pack or duffel you can carry a quarter mile
- •Camp stove or grill for the fire pit
- •Firewood bought at the entrance station
- •Warm layers for coastal fog off the rivermouth
- •Water shoes outside 15 June to 31 October, when the footbridge is out
Recommended Gear
- •A folding wagon for the quarter-mile carry
- •Tide table for beach hiking to Cooper Point
- •Long sleeves and long pants against poison oak and ticks
- •Headlamp for a walk back to the car after dark
- •A Caltrans check before departure
Hazards & Safety
Mountain lions — the agency singles out Andrew Molera in particular, where the dense underbrush is preferred habitat, and advises extra care at dawn and dusk.
Poison oak throughout, in bush, vine and ground-cover form.
Ticks are found in Big Sur; check yourself frequently.
The Big Sur River crossing when the seasonal footbridge is out — use extreme caution when wading.
Most of the beach is only accessible during low tide; check your tide table to avoid being trapped or carried out to sea.
Raccoons are aggressive nocturnal scavengers — use the food locker.
Highway 1 slides and closures.
Best Time to Visit
June through October, when the seasonal footbridge is in and the beach is a two-mile walk rather than a river ford. The camp closes for the winter season entirely and reopens in spring. Reservations fill six months in advance, so a summer stay is booked in winter.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Trail Camp permit?
+
Trail Camp permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Trail Camp?
+
June through October, when the seasonal footbridge is in and the beach is a two-mile walk rather than a river ford. The camp closes for the winter season entirely and reopens in spring. Reservations fill six months in advance, so a summer stay is booked in winter.
How difficult is Trail Camp?
+
Campers who want the Big Sur rivermouth and beach without a real backpack, and who do not mind carrying gear a quarter mile. A good first walk-in camp for families with children over about six.
What gear do I need for Trail Camp?
+
Essential gear includes: A pack or duffel you can carry a quarter mile, Camp stove or grill for the fire pit, Firewood bought at the entrance station, Warm layers for coastal fog off the rivermouth, Water shoes outside 15 June to 31 October, when the footbridge is out.
Don't Miss Your Trail Camp Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Trail Camp availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit Alerts