How to Get a Plaskett Creek Permit
A campground on the Big Sur coast across the highway from Sand Dollar Beach, with a two-night minimum and a booking window that closes three days out.
Check Plaskett Creek permit availabilitySingle-site reservations cover 6 people and 1 vehicle. Above that the concessionaire charges $10 per person per night beyond 6 (to a maximum of 8) and $10 per night for a second vehicle
Permit Cost
Minimum 2 consecutive nights; maximum 14
Duration
About Plaskett Creek
Plaskett Creek is a Los Padres National Forest campground on the Big Sur coast, bookable on Recreation.gov. Single campsite reservations are good for 6 people and 1 vehicle; the maximum is 8 people per single site, with a $10 per person per night charge above 6, and a maximum of 2 vehicles, with $10 per night for the second. The booking rules are as much of a constraint as the demand. Recreation.gov records a minimum stay of 2 consecutive nights, a maximum consecutive stay of 14 days, and a reservation cut-off 3 days before arrival — so a last-minute booking is not possible here even when a site is empty. Amenities listed include accessible campsites, accessible drinking water, accessible flush toilets, accessible grills and accessible pit toilets. The concessionaire notes water spigots throughout the campground; as with any seasonal coastal system, confirm the water is running with the operator before you rely on it. There is no cell service in the area and no public showers.
Plaskett Creek is one of the few reservable campgrounds on the southern Big Sur coast, which is why it is the hardest one on this forest to get. The constraint that surprises people is not the demand — it is the rules: a minimum two-night stay, a hard cap of two vehicles per site, and a reservation cut-off three days before arrival.
The Experience
Open, grassy, wind-exposed ground with the Pacific right there and poison oak abundant in the surrounding brush. No cell service and no showers anywhere nearby.
This is a drive-in campground rather than a trip. What decides whether you get a night here is Highway 1, which has a long history of closures on this stretch — the Recreation.gov record's own directions currently begin by noting that Highway 1 is temporarily closed from the Monterey area and routing you north from San Luis Obispo for about 65 miles instead.
Check Caltrans for the live Highway 1 status before you commit to a reservation. The approach from the north and the approach from the south are not interchangeable on this coast, and the difference can be several hours.
What to Expect
A two-night minimum stay and a three-day reservation cut-off
Six people and one vehicle in the base reservation, up to eight people and two vehicles with surcharges
Water spigots located throughout the campground, per the operator — worth confirming before you rely on it
No cell service in the area and no public showers
Poison oak, which the operator calls abundant in the area
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Permit Requirements
Single campsite reservations are good for 6 people and 1 vehicle
Maximum 8 people per single site, with a $10 per person per night charge above 6
Limit of 2 vehicles per site; additional vehicles are not permitted, and the second vehicle costs $10 per night
Minimum stay is 2 consecutive nights; maximum consecutive stay is 14 days
Reservations close 3 days before the arrival date
Buy firewood locally and burn it on site — California asks visitors not to move firewood, to keep tree-killing pests out of the forest
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •Everything you need for a coastal night: wind shell, warm layer, and a tent that handles gusts off the Pacific
- •Your own water storage, so a spigot outage is an inconvenience rather than a problem
- •Poison oak awareness — long trousers if you are going into the brush at all
Recommended Gear
- •A stove, since firewood has to be bought locally
- •Offline maps; there is no cell service
- •Everything you would want a shower for, because there are none nearby
Hazards & Safety
Poison oak, which the operator describes as abundant in the area
No cell service, so no way to call out from the campground
Highway 1 closures on this stretch — check Caltrans before you drive, because the northern and southern approaches are hours apart
Coastal wind and fog that arrive without much warning
Best Time to Visit
The Big Sur coast is a year-round campground, and the practical question is Highway 1 rather than the calendar. Autumn is usually the clearest stretch on this coast; summer brings the marine layer and the crowds together. Whatever month you pick, book at least three days out, because that is when reservations close.
Pro Tips
Reservations close three days before arrival. There is no last-minute booking here
There is a two-night minimum, so a single Saturday is not bookable
Two vehicles per site is a hard cap, not a surcharge tier — a third vehicle is not permitted at all
Check Caltrans for Highway 1 before you drive; the record's own directions currently route around a closure from the Monterey side
No cell service in the area — download maps before you leave the highway
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 Plaskett Creek permit?
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Plaskett Creek permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Plaskett Creek?
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The Big Sur coast is a year-round campground, and the practical question is Highway 1 rather than the calendar. Autumn is usually the clearest stretch on this coast; summer brings the marine layer and the crowds together. Whatever month you pick, book at least three days out, because that is when reservations close.
How difficult is Plaskett Creek?
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Anyone who wants two nights on the Big Sur coast and can plan more than three days ahead.
What gear do I need for Plaskett Creek?
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Essential gear includes: Everything you need for a coastal night: wind shell, warm layer, and a tent that handles gusts off the Pacific, Your own water storage, so a spigot outage is an inconvenience rather than a problem, Poison oak awareness — long trousers if you are going into the brush at all.
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